Anderson Cooper Threatens to Perform ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’

...he did not (thank goodness). But there was no absence of gushing about amazing role models last night at a star-studded event called CNN Heroes, broadcast from the American Museum of Natural History and hosted by Cooper and Christiane Amanpour. The live telecast put the spotlight on an array of men and women from around the world. Most of them are not household names, but each is a star in his or her own right. Among the finalists and honorees: Army Sergeant Major James McDowell, who launched a highly successful program to encourage Afghani farmers to grow saffron rather than the poppy that is used for opium production. Steve Peifer, an educator in Kenya who realized that the key to getting children to attend local schools is to provide them with food in addition to classroom instruction. Kayla Cornale, a teen who devised a way to communicate with an autistic cousin through music, paving the way for a whole new approach to teaching individuals stricken with the disorder. Florence Cassassuce, a Mexican inventor who created a bucket that can purify water....four minutes will create safe drinking water for several days' worth. Throughout the broadcast, Amanpour wandered the perimiter of the museum (in sub-freezing temps) and later, the interior, as well, quoting Teddy Roosevelt and doing live shots with dinosaur models in the background. Cooper handily took center stage, emceeing the program and introducing the celebrity presenters, who included Tyra Banks, Mira Sorvino, Glenn Close, Jimmy Smits, Harry Connick, Jr. and Rosario Dawson. In a particularly awkward moment, the one notable who was left to introduce herself was Sarah Ferguson, the Dutchess of York. Fergie went on to flout the now-verbotten convention of opening an envelope with the prouncement "and the WINNER is....!" as she announced the name of Pat Pedraja, a twelve-year-old boy with leukemia who started a nationwide campaign to encourage bone-marrow donor registries. Pedraja had garnered the most votes in a viewers' choice poll. A special award was also presented posthumously to the late actor Christopher Reeve and his wife, Dana, for their advocacy of paraylsis research. Alexandra and Matthew Reeve, daughter and son of Reeve, accepted on their father's behalf. Lively musical performances were provided by Norah Jones and Wyclef Jean, Mary J. Blige and Sheryl Crowe. After the presentation, which wrapped at 11:30, audience members mingled with honorees, including subway hero, Wesley Autrey. Most of the celebs seemed to have hightailed it home rather than stick around in the house that Teddy Roosevelt built, but the one notable exception—to his credit—was Showbiz Tonight's A.J. Hammer. His entertainment-industry credentials aside, Hammer did not pick up Cooper's idea and channel Bette Midler. The program will be rebroadcast this Saturday and Sunday evenings at 8:00 EST. For more, visit the CNN Heroes site. %%showphotos [setid=72157603397229744]%%