Hollywood stood united against cancer on Friday night.
The fourth biennial event was broadcast live and commercial free on the major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX) and 29 cable stations. It was also streamed live online on both Hulu and Yahoo.
"We have to keep rising as one, because cancer keeps going after the ones we love," said Jennifer Aniston from the stage, kicking off the show."This is just enough. We have the power to change this."
Viewers were encouraged to donate over the 'Stand Up To Cancer' website or through phone banks monitored by celebrities in a 'digital lounge' just off the main stage. Stars such as Josh Gad , Joe Manganiello , Mira Sorvino , Rob Riggle and Jesse Tyler Ferguson personally dealt with callers and online participants.
Organizers said results for the fundraiser would be announced on Sunday. The website will continue to take donations until that time.
Stand Up To Cancer ran the gamut in its one hour run time. The event started with a comical lighting of the torch run by Melissa McCarthy and Steve Carell outside the theater. Modern Family star Eric Stonestreet took the final leg to the stage in a goofy matching sweat outfit, declaring the fund-raiser active.
Stars such as Robert Downey Jr. gave tribute over recorded video and the Dave Matthews Band performed a pre-recorded song.
There were technical difficulties. Michael Myers' satellite connection with Ben Stiller inToronto was disrupted due to lightning moments before Myers took the stage.
"I am doomed to never have a live telecast without controversy," joked Meyers. "Imagine my surprise when I found this out the moment before I came out."
But mostly the night was filled with touching messages. Couric, one of the events founders, attended despite having lost her 91-year-old mother "and my best friend" on Sept 4.
On the red carpet before the event, Couric said coming in the wake of her mother's passing was "a really hard decision…But I think my mother would have wanted me to be here tonight."
Couric lost her first husband, Jay Monahan, to colon cancer in 1998.
Jon Hamm spoke on the red carpet about losing his mother to colon cancer when he was 10-years-old. "That is why we are here, we are raising awareness," said Hamm. "And the other part is that we are raising a ton of money. That funds research and hopefully that finds a cure."
Event organizer Paltrow, whose producer father Bruce Paltrow died of oral cancer in 2002, said on the red carpet that the quest for a cure was "very personal."
"My father's legacy shapes everything," said Paltrow. "It's very personal to me and everyone who is here tonight. This is the kind of thing that can affect people's life so much. I just hope to make it through the evening without crying."
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