right now on a special edition of "show biz tonight," at cnn heroes. an international night of inspiration. >> thank you. thank you so much. we're so blessed. >> hollywood's biggest stars salute the extraordinary everyday people changing the world. miley cyrus, sophia verara. a performance by kid rock. and actor and activist j.r.

martinez. be amazed, be inspired. a special edition, tv's most provocative entertainment news show, "showbiz tonight", cnn heroes, starts right now. welcome to a very special edition of "show biz tonight." we are live in los angeles and it's an all-star tribute. hello, i'm a.j. hammer. we'll have anderson take over at the top of the hour. we're getting the party started right now. i'm getting help from some cool friends tonight. i'm so pleased to welcome actor and activist j.r. martinez who won "dancing with the stars." he's checking out your tweets

and facebook posts from all around the world. and our ten cnn honorees are going to be rockin' that red carpet. but there will be a constellation of hollywood stars here tonight as well. i'm talking about kid rock, miley cyrus, all here to pay tribute to the remarkable everyday people who are changing the world. now, over the past year this is incredible, we got more than 10,000 hero submissions and we are honoring the top ten. the boldest and the bravest and then later, we're going to reveal who you have voted as the cn nrngs hero of the year who will get 250,000 -- $250,000 to continue their work. let's look at the work being done by some of our cnn heroes honorees. >> my husband, corporate michael davis, was killed in baghdad. after the funeral i felt

ostracized. i wanted to talk about it with other widows. i'm taryn davis and i invited military widows to share their love, sacrifice and their survival. there are moments where they can all reflect. >> our lives didn't end the day our husbands died. >> don't let anyone tell you how to grieve. >> they feel like they're living life to the fullest. >> from my first event i went from going completely alone to not anymore. >> the military widows they have given me life again. >> in haiti, every day of your life you are seeing poor kids. i wanted to do something good for my country. to see the face of a kid, that makes me happy.

i wanted the kids to be good citizens. they can do something. believe in themselves. >> in mexico, people with disabilities who can't around have no options. i'm richard st. dennis, i take wheelchairs to people in mexico who can't afford them but really need them. >> oh, yeah. >> mobility means being independent. and more active. when i see them happy, seeing their self-confidence, i know people's lives are getting better. >> to be in the restaurant business, you must love the people. now my mission is feeding hungry children. i feel that a family -- and wanting to go back after school, there's no dinner, there's no money.

>> hi, guys. >> i feel fresh pasta. are you hungry? >> we're losing a generation to violence. >> there are kids in gangs, they're homeless. my name is diane, and we opened kids off the block. we're known as kob. >> i tell kids, this is a peace place. this is a safe place. >> they knock on that door, they can come in. >> there are people here who care. i'm one of them. >> such spectacular and inspiring stories and we've got the incredible stories of the rest of the top ten heroes coming up later. i want you to know that you can

make a difference. right now, it is so easy to do. head on over to cnnheroes.com and click on the donate tab. 100% of your donations goes to your choice. you're not paying any transaction fees, google is picking up the tab. i encourage you to donate you. i want to bring in rapper/entrepreneur 50 cent. giving back. your first time attending "cnn heroes." i know you have watched it from the comfort of your own home before. why is it so important? >> well, it's some of the more influential people who need to take a stand and step out there and that's what i'm doing. i've partnered with the united nations world food program. with every sale of the actual energy drink they're providing a meal on behalf of the person who made the purchase. and through sms audio, i've

partnered with feeding america. which is the nation's leading charitable organization against hunger to provide 250 meals on behalf of each purchase of the audio headsets. >> i know you get firsthand how important it is do it. it's not because a publicist said you need to do it, but because it's important to do. >> if i can encourage other entrepreneurs make the same decision that it will become a standard, then we'll find money we can't find for issues that we need to focus on. >> separate from young entrepreneurs, i'm sure you have young kids who are aspiring rappers who say what can i do, how can i make a difference, what do you tell them? >> i mean, a lot of things they'll be creative. last night, or the night before last, i was in america gives back. i seen a guy who was working at a moving company decided he

wanted to take all of the canned goods and nonperishable items and have it go to a food drive organization. people generally do leave their things when they're moving to a new place. i said that was so creative. it came out of nowhere, but it's going to be effective over time. >> inspiration can come from anywhere. so great to see you. have an enjoyable tonight. >> i'm sure i'll enjoy myself. >> kareem winters hanging out on the red carpet now. >> hi there, a.j. the red carpet is blazing hot with so many stars making their way in. i have a question right now, being joined by emma roberts. you look fantastic. >> thank you. you look great too. >> we're both shivering here. so we'll try to keep it together. you look lovely. you paid cnn the highest compliment. you said this is one of your favorite award shows. there are so many in hollywood. night after night, events, fund-raisers. but you wanted to be here tonight. tell us why. >> it's one of the shows i watch with my mom and my sister and i

think it's so inspiring and so important to recognize people who normally wouldn't be do recognized for doing an amazing thing that makes a difference in people's lives. >> i'm sure you heard all of the amazing stories of all these honorees this week who are doing incredible things. but it does inspire us to act. that anyone can make a difference, whether it's donating your time or money. get involved. >> no, it's correct. people think you have to be famous to make a difference. these people have come from the middle of nowhere and they have done things that i wish i could do and help to accomplish as well. you can do anything to make a difference. the other day for christmas i just brought down some canned foods and like donated them, cleaning out the pantry, it seems simple but makes a difference. >> people are saying, gosh, that effort is too difficult, how do i start, what do i say to them

because the stories are going to blow people away. they're so inspirational. >> of course. there's no such thing as something too small. donating your time or donating old clothes that you don't want to people or, you know, just donating time to help people. that matters. if you want to do something even bigger, then go for it. people appreciate it. >> emma roberts, such a treat having you here. we're so excited to have you as part of the show. we'll let you go and warm up. inkn in -- i know you're cold. a.j.? >> well, you can join the conversation. grab your smartphone or whatever you've got, go to cnn heroes and you can follow us on twitter. we'd love for you to tweet about heroes. please make sure you use the trending topic, hash tag cnn heroes. coming up next, cnn's

anderson cooper joins me. we'll talk about what's become a holiday tradition for anderson. hosting "cnn heroes." one of the highlights tonight is going to be kid rock and why he finds out he calls himself the weird ambassador from detroit. in 2003, my husband and i went to johannesburg and we adopted our son. hiv/aids has really decimated some of the communities. i had to find a way to bring the caring effect of other adults for that child to invest in themselves. >> who's next? i use the internet where the

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edition of "showbiz tonight." i'm a.j. hammer, live from the shriner auditorium and check out the bottom of the screen. here we are counting down to cnn heroes, an all-star tribute. i'm over the moon to have a special co-host. of course, it's "dancing with the stars" champ j.r. martinez who is hanging out in the social media suite. what's the vibe down there, j.r.? >> what is going on, a.j.? i'm j.r. martinez. i want to say, man, we have been getting tweets from all over the world. people are moving their fingers and they're also hitting us up on facebook too to celebrate the major contributions that the top cnn heroes have made over the years. >> all right, j.r. truly an amazing night going on. right now, i want to bring in cnn's own anderson cooper. he is hosting "the all-star tribute." you have been hard at work rehearsing. here we are five things into this thing. every year these stories are so unbelievably story inspiring. what inspires you the most?

>> they're a broad cross-section of people from all over the united states and i think the thing they have in common, they're not rich people, they didn't have access to power but they saw a need in their communities and decided to do something about it. i find them incredibly inspiring. >> it is unbelievable to me that somebody sees that need, they feel compelled as if they don't have a choice. >> a lot of people the who are honoring tonight, they started off helping one person, and it grew and they raised more money and it expanded. it's not just about a big event where they get attention, but the money we -- we're giving them the money to raise off of this is going to allow them to expand their programs exponentially. >> why is this night so important to you personally? you get to see so many different things in the course of your work. >> tonight, we all travel around the world all the time. we see people often at their worse. it is nice to see the best in people.

and this really is a night where we honor the best in people. we celebrate the best in people. and i mean, i get keeping -- during every one of the broadcasts, each time i'm incredibly moved. i find myself backstage and tearing up and i'm inspired to make a change in my own life. i think everyone gets inspired to change their own life. >> one of the best things we get to do all year. looking at the countdown clock, 41 minutes away. i want to bring in kareem winter, further down the red carpet. >> hey, there, i have none ovthr than christy turlington. how are you feeling? >> i'm feeling good. >> there are people supporting organizations close to their cause. for you, there's one in particular every mother matters. it is about raising awareness for women's health issues. why did you attach yourself to that cause? >> well, i had a complication

after delivering my first child eight years ago which alerted me to the fact that there were thousands -- hundreds of thousands of women that die from complications resulting from pregnancy and childbirth around the world. every mother counts is something i started as a way to advocate for maternal health and reducing the deaths that are preventible. >> we want to talk about your brand new dvd, "no woman, no cry." tell us about that. >> it's a documentary film i made. i filmed around the world for two years and it came out last year at the tribeca film festival and it's now just being released on dvd and through o.w.n. >> all right. kareem? >> so much more to come. miley cyrus, she is performing and she is presenting. plus, fresh off his care tour and ready to rock the house tonight, kid rock. this is going to be

unbelievable. you do not want to miss kid rock's amazing performance when "cnn heroes, an all-star performance" gets kicked off at the top of the hour. it's like a religion. >> it was senior night, and he was having the game of his life. >> it was the fourth quarter. and there was a tackle. i didn't hear my teammates. what's going on? i can't move. >> you don't want to think that your son might never walk again. it was a hard pill to swallow. my goal is to be there for the young kids who suffered spinal cord injuries playing football. ( phone ringing )

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welcome back to this special edition of "showbiz tonight," "showbiz tonight @ cnn heroes." i'm a.j. hammer. i'm live on the red carpet, just outside the shrine auditorium in los angeles, and i am thrilled to have with me now the legendary rapper, actor, producer, philanthropist ice cube. one of our presenters tonight. it is a thrill for me to have you here. i bet you can't even tell me how many award shows you've been to in your life. why is this one so important for you to be a part of? >> because these are the real celebrities to me. you know, these are the heroes. these are the people that's, you know, not getting the spotlight all the time.

they're doing the everyday work in our communities, and trying to make this world a better place. you know, these are the real celebrities in my heart. >> feels nice to even step aside for a moment and share the spotlight, doesn't it? >> it feels great. you know, it feels great that people like this are getting their recognition. you know, this is a great show, the cnn heroes, it's a great way to recognize real humans, real people that make a difference in everyday lives. >> and you recognize yourself, i know, a very long time ago, how important giving back and participating in your community is. and right now you're doing some tremendous work. you're using your album artwork from some of your biggest albums to help raise money and get money to the aids project. tell me about that. >> we're really pushing the fact that we're selling our art and we're giving back to the community in charitable ways. i've been working with the minority aids project here in los angeles for a long time, you know, since the '90s. easy e died of aids. i think it's important that we

recognize that it is something in our community that's wreaking havoc. so, you know, but it's never enough. you know, we can never give enough time, energy, and money to these causes, and to these people who fight the good fight every day. >> so what do you tell people who may tell you that they want to help out, they do want to make a difference, but they say, what the heck can i do? i'm only one person. i don't think i have the power. i'm not a world-famous rap star. >> the first thing you can do is defeat yourself. there's nothing more powerful than a made-up mind, and when you make up your mind to do something, nothing can stop you. so my thing is, don't make no excuses, get off the couch, and do for your neighbor. do for your friend, your cousin. somebody who's asked for a favor, do something for the next man. >> and pay attention when "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute" fires up in a little over a half hour. i dare anybody not to be inspired tonight. >> if you're not inspired tonight, you better check your pulse. >> make sure you're still breathing. ice cube, have a terrific time tonight. we're thrilled you're a part of this great event.

>> thanks for having me. >> we have so many stars still coming your way. what an unbelievable night it is. kid rock is in the house. i checked out a little bit of his sound check. this is going to be unbelievable. and you'll hear why his most recent tour actually could make history. that is coming up as "showbiz tonight" as cnn heroes continues. the moment that a woman falls pregnant in indonesia, she is 300 times more likely to die in the next 12 months than if she is not pregnant. if you have money, you can get excellent medical services. but the poorest people don't always get the services they need. my name is robin lin. i started a clinic run by indonesia wives. each baby deserves a clean, healthy, loving environment. those are a human right.

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right now on this special edition of "showbiz tonight," "showbiz tonight @ cnn heroes," saluting everyday people changing the world. a star-studded tribute. kid rock, the bad boy, with a big heart. kid rock is here for an uplifting and unforgettable performance. plus, so many huge surprises, including who will be named cnn hero of the year?

a special edition of tv's most provocative entertainment news show, "showbiz tonight @ cnn heroes" continues right now. welcome back to this very special edition of "showbiz tonight," "showbiz tonight @ cnn here rose." we are live at the shrine auditorium in los angeles. and of course, we are here for "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute," hosted by anderson cooper. hello, i'm a.j. hammer. i'm live on the red carpet and i'm joined by my cohost for the night, actor and activist, and of course, winner of the "dancing with the stars" mirror ball trophy, the great j.r. martinez. he's working the social media suite for us tonight as we count down to our blockbuster global event. that's kicking off at the tonight of the hour. cnn's kareen wynter right there on the red carpet, talking to all the big stars as well. and we are all here for "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute,"

saluting everyday people who are changing the world. ten cnn heroes will be honored tonight. and then we're going to reveal to you who you have voted as the 2011 cnn hero of the year. that person's going to walk away with $250,000 to help them continue with all of the great work that they're doing. this incredible night has now been a year in the making. and over the past year, this is unbelievable, we have gotten more than 10,000 hero submissions from all over the globe. and tonight, the lives of these top ten heroes will change forever. each of them will receive $50,000 to help them continue with their great work. so how do they feel on this incredible night? you can go to cnn.com to watch streaming video of dr. sanjay gupta. he's interviewing the top ten cnn heroes nominees right now. and he's also talking to the celebrity presenters and the superstar performers. and one of the superstar performers, one of my favorites, kid rock is here.

kid's going to be performing tonight, he's fresh off his care tour. now, this wasn't just any ordinary kid rock tour. oh, no. kid donated proceeds from his sold-out shows to charities in each of the 12 cities where he played, and especially close to his heart, his hometown of detroit. of course, detroit hit very hard by the bad economy. through the kid rock foundation, he has touched thousands of lives in detroit and beyond. here's his hero story. ♪ you want to roll with the kid rock ♪ >> this is the kid rock that most of us know. a hard-rocking bad boy who burst out of detroit with an unapologetic blend of hip hop and southern rock. he went on to earn five grammy nominations and sell 25 million albums worldwide. ♪ yes, i can >> but many of us don't know this kid rock, a philanthropist, whose charity, the kid rock foundation, has partnered with a group of businesses in detroit to partner with nonprofit organizations in his home state of michigan and around the country. >> just have been fortunate to

be in a situation to have some success in life and just thought it was the right thing to do to give back and help people out, especially in my hometown of detroit. >> rock is currently on tour, giving away a total of $375,000 to local charities in more than a dozen cities along the way. it will self-described weird ambassador of goodwill says that despite motown's own economic hardships, the city is still able to give back. >> even though in detroit, we don't have a lot of work right now, we're willing to take some of that and try to help people in other communities around the country. ♪ it feels good to be >> reporter: rock, who's performed for u.s. stations all over the world says his charity helps military families and veterans in need, but that's only a fraction of the foundation's focus. >> we've done a lot for children with life threatening illnesses and a lot of things with cancer. anything. anybody that needs help that i'm available to hear about a story,

to be able to touch somebody and make a difference in their life. >> reporter: and perhaps the best advice in making a difference comes from a line in rock's latest single "care." ♪ the least that i can do is care ♪ >> right now i'm thrilled to be joined we the king of detroit, the king of the shrine tonight. kid rock, it's great to see you, man. i'm so inspired by your dedication to raising money for so many people who need it. times are just so, so tough. why is it important for you to be a part of cnn heroes tonight? >> just being a part of another good thing, i guess. it's my little ploy to maybe get into heaven one day. >> do you think it will work? i think you're on your way? >> i've been fortunate and blessed to be able to do what i do and i've had a lot of support throughout the years and have had a pretty successful career and woke up one day and realized i could give back and maybe make a difference in some people's lives. it really makes you feel good inside. it started off with all the stuff we were doing for the military and snowballed from there.

i don't see any end in sight anytime soon and hopefully we can keep doing good things. >> and you love to tour, so long as you get to play rock 'n' roll and donate some of the funds -- >> everybody wins. >> it's a win-win situation. and as you've traveled across the country on your care tour, where charity is such a big part of what you're doing, what are you hearing from people as you're talking to the crowds? >> just meeting the families, i've been trying to donate through organizations where can meet the people and touch the families of the situations that are troublesome in each city, and just meeting the people has been a -- it's mind blowing. it almost takes stuff out of you. i've got to take a nap before the show, because it's so emotionally draining when you put your hands on these people and shake their hands and hear about their stories, a man whose wife took off on him, so they went to a homeless shelter. signed his kids up for the boys and girls club so they have normalcy. and cancer seems to be the big

one, wherever you go. as you know, there's just millions and millions of stories. i've only touched on a few of them in each city and it's just -- you know, it's uplifting, at the same time, to see these people that still have got the gall to get out there and go at it and make the best out of a bad situation. and it makes us wake up and look in the mirror and not bitch. >> perspective is so important. we'll hear so many great stories tonight. great to have you here. thank you so much, kid rock. you want to go to kidrock.com so you can find more about his terrific foundation. and right now i want to send it to the great j.r. martinez in our social media suite. he has a great guest. j.r.? >> thank you, a.j. i am here with this lovely lady who needs no introduction. this is miley cyrus, and unfortunately she has no coat on, so she's shivering. >> i know, i'm shivering, it's a little cold. >> it's so cold. it's amazing. it was like so warm earlier and now it's dropped down. so you've been tweeting all day, right, @mileycyrus about this event. you are presenting tonight, but why be a part of this event this

evening? >> i think it's just so important to celebrate, you know, the people that are doing good, because you know the more that people are rewarded and people see what they are doing, it's going to inspire others. and i think mostly, you know, the one i'm presenting for is a 9-year-old girl who's done so many amazing things. and i think it will inspire kids out there not to get down because they're young, because you can make a difference in your own community, right in your own home. you can change the world slowly by starting where you are right now. >> absolutely. talk about going to another country and making a difference, you teamed up with the starkey foundation to help kids over in haiti. tell us more about that. >> it's amazing. it's the best experience. when i knew i was going there, i knew we were going to be giving hearing aids, but i didn't think i would be doing it myself. you fit the molds and you're the first voice that these kids have ever heard. you know? and half of them don't speak because they live in the deaf communities. so you get to hear them start talking, and it's amazing. especially when you get the moms who haven't been able to communicate with their kids and you listen to them singing and dances with their kids, it's amazing, and the most rewarding thing you can do.

>> that's amazing. you have a big following, miley and you have that platform to really inspire the people that follow you on twitter or facebook or in the world all around the world. you say, let's get involved. and all the time, it doesn't have to be something that directly affects us. it can be something that indirectly affects us. >> i think it's important, what i do with my charity, get your good on, telling people that it starts at home. that's what i think people don't understand. you know, i'm really lucky. i get to go to haiti and travel and go to all these places, but it all starts right in your community. so i think it's instilling this in kids and have them understand why it's so important. >> you guys heard it from miley cyrus, get your good on. she's here tonight, she's presenting. she has a busy night and she's tweeting it up. thank you for taking the time to be here. i know you want to get inside and get warm. so thanks for stopping by. a.j., back to you, man. >> warm that young woman back up. looking at our countdown clock, about 20 minutes left before "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute" fires up. still so many more big stars to come.

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welcome back. i'm a.j. ham never. just outside the shrine auditorium in los angeles. let's take another look at the countdown clock. we are 20 minutes from the all-star tribute saluting the people who are changing the world. i have a special co-host. i am thrilled that "dancing with the stars" champ j.r. martinez is right there holding things down tonight at the social media suite. j.r.? >> i am here with the lovely holly robinson peete. i have an you working hard, encouraging all the stars to tweet and do facebook updates so thank you for that. what's a your big social media message, would you say? >> well, social media used for good can be very good. we want to get the message about their charities out.

the amazing philanthropic endeavors they're doing and the way to do that is to tweet out about the work they're doing and the people they're meeting tonight. i get starstruck here. not by just you, mr. winner, but i can't wait to get the word out about their philanthropy. >> we're highlighting the great individuals that have started organizations to help people. you have started your open organization called the holly rod foundation. tell us about that and how that -- how that inspired you to start this organization. >> well, holly rod was started about 13 or 14 years ago because my father who you may remember, you're younger than me, he was the original gordon on "sesame street." when he was in his 40s he got parkinson's disease and that destroyed his ability to make money and cut to five years later, our oldest son has

autism. with autism, families struggle under the weight of trying to help these kids. so holly rod does care for kids with parkinson's and autism. >> well, you have done a lot of things with cnn heroes. >> they can't get rid of me. >> they can't get rid of us. i was here last year. why is this so important to you? >> it's so important, because it filled some hold that was there. not because they wanted to come here to a glamorous red carpet, but because they saw a need innary communiin their community. i can't wait to see them be celebrated. i am a cnn heroes groupie. i follow them around. i stalk them on the red carpet and i talk to them in person. and offering them my help. in the social suite it's a perfect marriage of my cnn groupieness and the social

media. >> we know you have a lot of work over there. all right. so we'll see you -- >> -- cnn heroes. tweet me at holly rp. >> thank you. the benefits of being there. we want to toss it to a.j. thank you very much. >> wow. doesn't she look beautiful? let mes toss it over to kareen wynter who is with one of our presenters tonight. >> hi, there. so much action going on around me at the red carpet. i have a special champ. super bowl winner kurt warner. how excited you about the big night ahead? >> i'm so excited. what a great event to celebrate everyday heroes that are around us. i'm excited to be here. >> you're also presenting. you'll be taking the stage. >> i will. it was an honor to sit down with the heros that i get a chance to introduce and to get to know what they're all about and again, like i said, it's just an inkling of the people that are

around this country that are doing amazing things. and so i was honored to be able to sit with the canales family. >> tell me about the foundation that's tear to your heart, the kurt warner foundation with your lovely wife, brenda. why was that cause so important for you to take on? >> just like so many of these people, it's about helping other people. however, whatever way we can possibly do that, we want to do that. that's why we started our foundation. we came to realize it always takes somebody giving you a chance and giving you an opportunity to get where i'm at today and where you're at today. so we thought, well, if we're in a position to be able to give someone else a second chance, give someone else another opportunity, we wanted to do that. and that's the reason we started our foundation. >> that's really what it's all about. one individual acting, inspiring so many others out there. that's really the message tonight. such a pleasure talking to you. have fun tonight. a big night ahead. there you have it. a.j., back to you. >> thank you so much.

just minutes away now from the big event. "cnn heroes, an all-star tribute." this has taken an army of people. the celebrities. the rehearsals. the frenzy. next, you don't want to miss this. we are giving you an exclusive inside look at what it really takes to bring you "cnn heroes." you're watching a special edition of "showbiz tonight." "showbiz tonight" at "cnn heroes." when i go through suburbia, america, everybody's trying to hold their head up with pride. these people, they tell their neighbors they're fine. they go in the house and starve. how much do you owe right now? >> about $800. >> the situation is getting worse. they need food. they need help with the utilities. this is 2011 in america? we should be helping each other. i'm sal dimiceli. my mission is to help my fellow americans who have fallen on hard times.

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welcome back to the special live edition of "showbiz tonight." "showbiz tonight" at "cnn hero." we are now just minutes away. look at the countdown clock. less than ten minutes. less than ten minutes from the start of "cnn heroes, an all-star tribute." i want to go backstage. "showbiz tonight's" kareen

wynter is amidst all the of the really positive energy back there. kareen? >> a.j., i don't know how i did it. i just made me way from the red carpet to backstage. my heart, it's beating so fast. it's not just because i sprinted all the way back here in my five-inch heels. no, it's because i'm so excited for what's about to happen right out there on stage at the shrine auditorium. you know, i've covered a million awards shows that celebrate athletes, entertainers. what i love about tonight is that the roles, they're reversed. tonight the stars are honoring the selfless, everyday people, a.j., changing the world. i'm telling you, if you're not truly inspired by the end of the night, you may need to get yourself checked out. >> fifty cent told me you're going to have to check your pulse if you're not inspired. it's just an honor for me to be here and be a part of "showbiz tonight" at "cnn heroes" for yet another year. the thing i've always wondered, how are they able to make this event bigger and better year after year? >> reporter: a.j., i was actually wondering the same thing. but i did some investigating. hey, i got the scoop from a very special insider. watch this.

>> it's been three years since i was actually up on that stage. i never really had a chance to see what all goes on behind the scenes. i'm doc henley. this is your backstage pass to "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute." we're here backstage at the historic shrine auditorium in los angeles. this place is massive. for a show like "cnn heroes" there's hundreds and hundreds of people that pull together months and months of work to make a two-hour show happen. in this room right here we've got media. we've got pr. >> here we go. rehearse it again. >> production going on behind the scenes. this is where the magic happens. this is the first time "cnn heroes" has put on a live show. how does that make a difference. >> you're microseconds away from what could be a complete and utter disaster. you've got to get it first time around. >> you never know what's going to happen first time around. that make it fun and interesting and exciting. >> all the honorees, they have

become so tight-knit. these guys' lives are about to change. what was it like looking out when you were practicing at all the celebrities' faces that are going to be in attendance tomorrow? >> i love your show. you're really pretty. i don't know who you are but i can't wait to meet you. >> the folks that you're about to meet have they impacted you? >> they make me cry. >> they're out doing this work for what they believe in. then they get here. >> 2011 cnn hero of the year -- >> reporter: a.j.? >> all that leading to what you're about to see just minutes from now. but it's not just about what's going on here tonight. you can make a difference right now. >> that's right, a.j. all you have to do, head on over to cnnheroes.com and click the "donate" tab. your donation, no matter how big, how small, it's going to go directly to the nonprofit of the hero of your choice. tonight thanks to google, you won't pay transaction fees. they're picking up the tab. go ahead. do it. donate now.

>> it's so cool they're waiving all those fees. we're less than five minutes away from the most spectacular event of the year. don't go anywhere. you're watching a special edition of "showbiz tonight." "showbiz tonight" at "cnn heroes."

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[ male announcer ] when life changes, so can your insurances needs. use travelers free guide to better coverage to stay prepared. is your auto and home insurance keeping up with you? contact your local travelers agent, or call 800-my-coverage. well, we're just seconds away from the start of "cnn heroes: an all-star tribute." i promise you it will be a night jam packed with hollywood's biggest stars. but, of course, it's really about the inspiring stories of our top ten cnn heroes, honorees tonight. eddie canales, taryn davis. sal dimiceli, derrek kayongo, diane latiker, robin lim, patrice millet, bruno serato, richard st. denis and amy stokes. and the time has finally arrived. everybody is very excited.