Pete and Chasten Buttigieg, Rosie O’Donnell and Billy Porter Set for GLAAD COVID-19 Relief Event

Live-stream events have become the norm during the coronavirus pandemic, and GLAAD has put its name behind the latest offering — “Together in Pride: You Are Not Alone.”

Scheduled for April 26 (5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST) and streaming on GLAAD’s YouTube and Facebook accounts, the event is designed to spotlight both LGBTQ response to COVID-19 and messages of acceptance to the community and those living with HIV. Funds raised will benefit LGBTQ community centers that are members of CenterLink.

Billy Eichner and Lilly Singh have just been confirmed to host the event along with a new round of talent confirmations including Pete and Chasten Buttigieg, Billy Porter, Rosie O’Donnell, Jonathan Van Ness, Brian Michael Smith, Ross Mathews, Tyler Oakley and LGBTQ front-line workers from hospitals and health care facilities.

The event will feature sets by Kesha and Melissa Etheridge, a special performances from Alex Newell, the cast of Broadway’s Jagged Little Pill, and Mj Rodriguez and George Salazar, who previously co-starred in Little Shop of Horrors at Pasadena Playhouse. Also appearing will be Matt Bomer, Adam Lambert, Bebe Rexha, Dan Levy, Wilson Cruz, Gigi Gorgeous, Nats Getty, Michelle Visage, Javier Muñoz, Sean Hayes, Sharon Stone, Kathy Griffin and Tatiana Maslany.

Actor and producer Erich Bergen (Madam Secretary) is credited for creating the event with GLAAD, and he’ll serve as an executive producer alongside GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis and GLAAD Media Award producers and staff members Anthony Ramos, Bill McDermott, Mark Hartnett and Rich Ferraro.

“At a time when some LGBTQ people could be isolating in homes that are not affirming, GLAAD is bringing together the biggest LGBTQ stars and allies to send messages of love, support and acceptance,” says Ellis. “So many LGBTQ people, especially our youth, depend on support from local community centers around the country, and during this time of financial distress, we must come together as a community to ensure that all LGBTQ organizations can continue their life-saving work.”

The impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic has been far-reaching, per the organization, which drafted an open letter calling on public health officials to address the vulnerability of the LGBTQ community due to higher rates of cancer, HIV and tobacco use, factors that can translate to more serious illness from the virus. Prior to “Together in Pride: You Are Not Alone,” GLAAD will reveal a storytelling campaign on its site to spotlight LGBTQ people responding to COVID-19 and to remember those who lost their lives.

As an organization, GLAAD has been impacted by widespread shutdowns of large-scale gatherings. GLAAD Media Awards in New York and in Los Angeles were both forced off the calendar and will be rescheduled for later this year.