Dag Hammarsjkold never did this!
Ban Ki Moon will make his prime-time American television debut this evening on…American Idol. Yes. You heard correct. Sources confirm that the UN Secretary General will make a special guest appearance on tonight’s American Idol charity special, Idol Gives Back.
The program, which airs tonight at 8 P.M. (EST) on FOX, has raised over $140 million to benefit charities around the world. The show is much like the regular American Idol program, but interspersed are celebrity cameos and vignettes that highlight charities at home and abroad. The Obamas are also confirmed to make an appearance.
One of the charities highlighted this year will be the UN’s Biruh Tesfa (Bright Future) Project, a joint UN Foundation, UNFPA and Population Council initiative to create safe spaces for over 600 out-of-school girls in Ethiopia. Idol Season 7 Winner David Cook visited the project a few weeks ago, and my understanding is that footage from that trip will be shown tonight.
So will we see the return of MC Ban tonight? Sadly, no. Sources tell me that the Secretary General will thank Idol, via a video message, for supporting the work of the United Nations. The UN Foundation is one of five beneficiaries of Idol Gives Back.
If you want to catch this Ban sighting with fellow UN and Idol enthusiasts, the UN Foundation is hosting virtual watch parties. Enjoy!
What on earth would the SG’s predecessors’ think?
