Jimmy Kimmel to Headline Star-Filled Autism Benefit Livestream

Damian Holbrook
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JIMMY KIMMEL
ABC/Randy Holmes

ABC’s resident good-guy late night host Jimmy Kimmel is at it again.

The Jimmy Kimmel Live! front man has paired with YouTube content creator and NASA vet Mark Rober to host what is being hailed as “an unprecedented interactive livestream-a-thon.” Entitled Color the Spectrum: A Livestream to Support the Autism Community, the three-hour event is set for Friday, April 30 at 8/7c on Rober’s YouTube Channel and will benefit Next For Autism, an organization that addresses the needs of people with autism and their families across the country. Already on the guest list is a mashup of celebrities and brainy-but-cheeky content creators, including Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Chris Rock, Conan O’Brien, John Oliver, Jack Black, Jon Stewart, Mark Hamill, Marques Brownlee, Maya Rudolph, Mr. Beast, Paul Rudd, Rhett & Link, Sarah Silverman, Stephen Colbert, Terry Crews and Zach Galifianakis. More are expected to join in the coming weeks.

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The special—slated to featuring musical performances, comedy skits, and DIY science stunts—is being presented by YouTube Originals and will be produced by Kimmel’s team, as well as Michelle and Robert Smigel, the comic behind SNL‘s TV Funhouse, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and the Emmy-winning Night of Too Many Stars. That annual fundraiser for autism education was derailed in 2020 by COVID, so the Smigels, who are parents to a child on the autism spectrum, are thrilled to have a new outlet to help out.

“It’s been a year since we had to cancel our Night of Too Many Stars benefit and many of the programs and schools we support are hurting greatly,” Robert Smigel says in the official release for Color the Spectrum. “So we’re beyond grateful to Mark and Jimmy for making this happen for Next for Autism.”

Jimmy Kimmel

It also hits close to home for Rober, a former engineer at NASA who has amassed 17 million subscribers with his hilarious, science-infused YouTube tutorials. “Autism awareness is such a personal cause for my family and me,” he adds in the release. “It is inspiring to team up with Jimmy and Robert and create this unprecedented opportunity to bring together traditional entertainment stars with some of the world’s biggest YouTube creators.  I don’t think we have ever seen these worlds unite on a scale like this before. The best part is that this is all being done for people in need and who are so deserving.”

Because Color the Spectrum is happening online, there is the added bonus of viewers being able to engage in real time with the show’s hosts and guests via omaze.com/nextforautism. In addition, there will be drawings for various prizes and experience packages.

Color the Spectrum: A Livestream to Support the Autism Community, Friday, April 30 at 8pm/7c, YouTube Originals

Jimmy Kimmel



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    OrangeBasketball

    This is unfortunately not a benefit event, the organization responsible for funding the event is Next For Autism. Gillian Leek is the CEO of that organization and also supported the launch of The Center For Autism And The Developing Brain. The Center For Autism is openly prevention based and claims they help people “recover” from autism. This “benefit” will benefit no autistic person and is essentially a front for eugenics.

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  2. R

    RedTurtle

    I’m the mom of a young Autistic child, and first and foremost, I want to express my gratitude for the awareness Mark is helping to raise. That kindness and generosity mean everything.

    I hoping you’ll consider encouraging folk to donate to a different charity. the planners to change the charity the money is going to. According to its website, “Next for Autism” promotes Applied Behaviour Analysis—an old-school programming that trains Autistic people to present behaviours that are socially acceptable. Autistic adults report it as being repressive and discriminatory at best. There are better therapies that support communication and social development without trying to mask the unique way Autistic people interact with their environment.

    It’s been a long-standing default for neurotypicals to decide what’s best for neurodivergents. Autistic people are asking for a change. It’s our job to keep the focus on the community itself and provide the support they want for the future they’re building themselves.

    Thank you for taking the time to consider this.

    Respectfully,

    Sarah Knowles Pridy

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  3. O

    OrangeTag

    The organization that will receive the proceeds from this event — Next for Autism — actively works to eradicate autistic people under the guise of helping them. They partner with Autism Speaks — which is widely regarded by autistics as a hate group — support cruel ABA therapy, and don’t have a single autistic person on their board of directors (or team more broadly).

    Please listen to autistic activists, and do not support this event! Instead, consider donating to ASAN or A4A, which are autistic advocacy organizations that truly work to support autistic people and incorporate autistic voices into organizational decisions.

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    OrangeDog

    What a great cause!! And I appreciate Jimmy Kimmel hosting this important special!

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