As fascinating as I’m sure it is to hear about the books that got me hooked, I’m sure you’re far more interested in hearing about some celebrities! Many famous names have attached themselves to a fantastic initiative called What Book Got You Hooked? for the First Book charity, which strives to provide children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own a first new book.

Want to know what Rebecca Romijn’s book was? Or Stephen Colbert’s? How about R.L. Stine? You can find out all about Scarlett Johansson, Edward Norton, Patty LaBelle, and many, many other celebrities’ favorite first books at the What Book Got You Hooked website. And, you can join in the fun as well — enter the book that got you hooked, explain why, and then vote for the state you think should receive 50,000 brand new books for kids in need.

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The latest move Nick and his brothers are making is to invite people with diabetes to enter a sweepstakes called “Walk In Nick’s Shoes” (W.I.N.S.). Four winners will get to meet Nick in L.A. and join “Team Jonas” in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk to Cure Diabetes on November 1. And while, of course, those lucky fans will surely be elated, they won’t be the only ones.

“It’s going to be really exciting to meet the winners who will walk with other young people and their families to raise awareness and funds for juvenile diabetes,” said Nick. “I’m lucky to have great support from my family, friends, and fans. By working with Bayer to help people see life in my shoes, I hope that we can motivate others to better manage their diabetes.”

Nick noticed early on that people don’t like to talk about diabetes, that many people, especially kids, feel embarrassed about it. I think it’s absolutely wonderful that he’s not only fighting for a cure but also letting kids (and adults) know that it’s okay to have diabetes, and the first step to take is to manage your disease. There’s nothing embarrassing about that!

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Huston said, “Having worked with actors for many years, I find it hard to believe that anyone would have to be dragged, kicking and screaming into show business. But the next time that you see a chimpanzee in a movie, on TV, or in an ad, chances are, that’s exactly what happened… Great ape mothers are fiercely protective of their newborns, which means that they must be tricked, sedated, or forcibly restrained when their infants are pulled from their arms. This cruel practice leaves lifelong emotional scars on both the mothers — who go into a deep depression — and the babies.”

Additionally, most chimpanzees grow too strong to be handled by the time they are eight years old, and, according to PETA, are often discarded at “dismal roadside zoos or pseudo-sanctuaries.” What makes this infinitely sadder is that chimps can live to be 60 years old, meaning they can spend decades in what is, essentially, a jail.

Huston makes a good point in saying that using an ape for an ad or a show, which might bring us a few moments of pleasure, can create a lifetime of suffering for that animal. To learn more about the treatment of monkeys and apes in Hollywood, visit NoMoreMonkeyBusiness.com.

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And so, when the Oscar-winner  heard that the his hometown was going to have to cut all of it’s after-school programs, including sports programs, he decided to step in and take action — he donated $100,000 to keep the programs going!

After-school and sports programs really are so important — they give kids a chance to grow and explore their talents, and it’s hard to imagine how many of us truly would be totally different people had we not had the chance to play basketball or join the school band. Good for Denzel for helping out so many kids. And keep in mind that, even if you can’t make a major donation for a cause like this in your area, every little bit will help pay for uniforms, coaches, facilities, and more!

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Tyler, 60, helped bring attention to the two day Boston for Africa event, which hoped to raise awareness of the problems in Africa which really affect the whole world. The event also included a gala at the Hard Rock Cafe — no word on whether Tyler attended that, but I’m sure they had plenty of Aerosmith memorabilia on hand.

The Boston for Africa website explains its purpose, saying, “While the United States has seen relative peace and prosperity on our soil for over 100 years, many African people have been born into a cycle of war and poverty that the rest of the world has an opportunity to end.” The organization believes, “With the simplest of opportunities, small-scale change is growing from the bottom up and the African continent is realizing positive change.”

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Anyone wanting to party with the teen sensation will pay a bit more than a regular Disneyland ticket for the pleasure — tickets are going for $232 a piece to ensure the charity benefits. Miley said, “The best part of the party is we’re going to recognize some really cool kids from Youth Service America who are giving back to their community. That’s so awesome because I think it’s really important for kids like us to volunteer.”

Only (only?) 5,000 tickets are available for the bash, and if you’re interested, you might want to get yours now. Learn more about the party and get your tickets here (warning — automatic music will play).

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This is not the first time the famous friends have thrown a dinner to raise funds for the Darfur relief organization. Last year, in Cannes, Brad and George were joined by Ocean’s 11 (and 12, and 13) pals Matt Damon and Don Cheadle in throwing a party with which they raised $9.2 million!

There hasn’t been any mention of what the cost to enter today’s party will be, but the price to enter last year’s Cannes yacht party was $25,000 a head. I don’t imagine today’s tickets would be much less, but really, wouldn’t dinner with Brad and George be worth it? And it is going toward a good cause … I wonder if I can get there in time.

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Just three years after its inception, Hot in Hollywood is fast becoming one of the major celebrity charity events in L.A. This year’s event, at The Avalon in Hollywood, had live musical performances, DJs, and an auction. As always, the money raised (including the $8,000 Heigl plunked down for a Jamaica trip) will benefit charities dedicated to the prevention, education, testing, and treatment of HIV/AIDS — this year, it will go to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the Real Medicine Foundation.

Ferrera had a ball playing host this year, saying, “It is such a great space to make a fool out of myself! It was professional chaos!” The past two events were hosted by Pressly, who was honored this year with an award for her dedication toward HIV/AIDS awareness. She shared her reason for being so involved — she had an uncle who tragically died from the disease.

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The couple has set up a program through the Richie-Madden Foundation where needy families (registered through social services agencies) can sign up for items they need on the Foundation’s website. Then, donors can come in and select what they’d like to contribute.

Nicole explained that it’s hard to fathom how many basic necessities some of us take for granted, when other new moms have trouble obtaining a clean blanket for their newborns. As far as the products available on the website, they are Richie-Madden certified: “We are only working with companies and products that Joel and I would use. We’re checking out every product for safety — and all products are BPA-free.”

Nicole’s more tattooed half has noticed a big change in the way he sees other children since the birth of his daughter, Harlow, and said, “… to think that 26,000 children die every single day from simple things that we could prevent, just blows my mind.”

The registry should be available sometime this fall in L.A. and New York, with an expansion planned later.

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You might have heard that Heath had not updated his will since the birth of his daughter, and when he died, everything went to his father. And while Heath’s father has assured everyone that he will be sure to provide for Matilda, other members of the Ledger family have their doubts about his ability to manage finances.

It’s not like Matilda would be hurting for cash — her mom and Heath’s ex, Michelle Williams, is getting plenty of movie work. However, the idea that three A-list actors would check their egos at the door and provide for the little girl of a man they all respected gets me a little misty-eyed.

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