The Can-Do Spirit
Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 11:00PM 
Mariska Hargitay, Jimmy Fallon, Rachael Ray, Mario Batali, Rocco DiSpirito and Helena Christensen were among the notables who turned out for the Can-Do awards dinner to raise money for the Food Bank of New York City last night. The evening's special honoree, Jon Bon Jovi, also got to bask in the adulation of President Bill Clinton and U2's Bono. The presence of master of ceremonies Michael Stipe, lead singer of R.E.M, further enhanced the rock royalty quotient. On the red carpet, I asked arriving celebrities about their favorite Bon Jovi song. The most enthusiastic answer by far came from Batali, who without skipping a beat went into air-guitar mode, belting out "WANTED....dead or alive!!" For all of the fun and games, the night was really about raising crucial funds for this organization, which helps see to it that the 1.3 million New Yorkers in peril of going hungry do not lack places to turn to find sustenance for their families. At present, the charity's reserves are at critically low levels and the organization is doing everything it can to get the word out about the work it can do with even $1—a donation that will supply five meals for a person who might otherwise go hungry. It kind of gives new meaning to the Bon Jovi song "I'll Be There for You."