Thirty-five years ago Debbie Gibson burst onto the pop scene with her debut album “Out of the Blue,” and she’s not stopping anytime soon.
“I swear to God, I’ve never been happier or never felt healthier, and I had a very challenging chapter for like a decade” she explained. “I’m constantly grateful that this is my life and that I get to share this musical journey with so many people and we were all kids together. It’s not wasted on me how lucky I am.”
The popstar is set to perform at the annual Project Food telethon at KTLA. She said she jumped at the opportunity to give back.
“I love the idea of community helping community,” she said. “Having dealt with my own health issues, nobody with their own health issues wants to think about finances or support. Just getting that nurturing and knowing that your community’s looking out for you, in my opinion, is everything.
The “Lost in Your Eyes” singer will close the telethon with her new song “Cheers.”
“It’s really about celebrating life’s simple moments and lifting people up,” she explained. “I’m really, really honored that my song will get to speak to everybody for this unbelievable cause.”
Gibson isn’t the only musical guest taking part in the event. Others include Josh Groban, Sarah McLachlan, Five for Fighting and more.
The telethon will also have appearances by 2022 Primetime Emmy Award nominees Sheryl Lee Ralph of “Abbot Elementary” and Henry Winkler of “Barry,” as well as Sharon Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Whoopi Goldberg and Eugene Levy. Oprah Winfrey will also take part and Richard Gere, will present a gift from the Herb Ritts Foundation.
Want to talk to a celebrity yourself? Call the All Star Phone Bank, where panelists include Nicole Sullivan, Melissa Peterman and many more fan favorites who will take donor calls during this “anything can happen” two-hour special.
These well-known entertainers will be joined by Lead with Love’s returning hosts, KTLA’s Eric McCormack and Jessica Holmes, as well as announcer Lisa Foxx and comic co-hosts Alec Mapa and Loni Love.
Since premiering in 2020, Lead with Love has raised $2 million for Project Angel Food’s vital work of feeding critically ill men, women and children in Los Angeles County.
Founded in 1989, the organization strives to end food insecurity and improve health outcomes of ill people by delivering medically tailored meals with care and compassion directly to their homes.
More than 2,500 clients are fed daily, with over 1.2 million meals delivered each year by Project Angel Food, which has a Four-Star Charity Navigator rating and has been declared an essential service by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Project Angel Food’s Lead with Love 3, Presented by City National Bank, airs live on KTLA 5 from 7 to 9 p.m. on July 23.
To learn more about Project Angel Food visit angelfood.org.