Comedians raise $750,000 to end malaria in Africa

[April 22, 2011]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Conan O'Brien compared his career to Charlie Sheen's and Sarah Silverman, not surprisingly, sang a song with a foul refrain. But it was all for a good cause.

Malaria No More said Thursday that the performances at last week's "Hollywood Bites Back" comedy show helped raise $750,000 toward ending malaria in Africa.

Its Comedy Fights Malaria campaign is raising awareness that the preventable, curable disease eradicated in the United States six decades ago still kills nearly 800,000 people a year in Africa.

Celebrities such as John Mayer, Orlando Bloom, Ted Danson and Elizabeth Banks recorded public service announcements about the disease, which reached millions nationwide and culminated in the live comedy show.

Malaria No More aims to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015.

[Associated Press]

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