Some of New Jersey's biggest stars came out (from the safety of their homes) Wednesday night to lend their talents to the #Jersey4Jersey benefit for pandemic relief.
New Jersey is one of the state's hit hardest by COVID-19. The New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF) was established in March to support the state's most vulnerable residents and its workers battling the disease on the front lines.
NJ First Lady Tammy Murphy described the #Jersey4Jersey show Wednesday morning as a "virtual hug" for the Garden State. The show was headlined by classic and contemporary New Jersey artists, with contributions by actors, comedians and average New Jerseyans who are doing their part to help get their state through one of its hardest times.
Bruce Springsteen and his Jersey girl wife Patti Scialfa opened the festivities with a rendition of "The Land of Hopes and Dreams," dedicated to their home state.
Former Daily Show host Jon Stewart then joined in, emphasizing that every penny raised by the NJPRF would go to benefit people who need help.
According to Murphy, the NJPRF has already awarded more than 120 grants to community and healthcare organizations in the state.
Go here to donate to the NJPRF.
Jon Bon Jovi debuted the completed version of his new song, "Do What You Can," during the broadcast. Bon Jovi has been working five days a week washing dishes in his JBJ Soul Kitchen Community Restaurant which is feeding thousands of needy people every week.
Whoopi Goldberg, who adopted NJ as her home state a decade ago, referred to the challenges healthcare professionals face every day in the pandemic, caring for critical patients who can't be visited by family members.
SZA took over, introducing herself as "Solána from Maplewood," performing her song "20 Something." And Danny DeVito reminisced about growing up in Asbury Park.
Speaking of Asbury Park, Red Bank-native Charlie Puth dropped in with a cover of an early Springsteen classic, "Growing Up," from his childhood bedroom.
The show only got more varied from there.
Tony Bennett sang Charlie Chaplin's "Smile." Chelsea Handler made a face mask out of a bra.
Halsey played guitar and led her band in a virtual version of "Beautiful Stranger."
The broadcast then jumped to Montclair, where Late Show host Stephen Colbert has been doing his show every day from his home office. Colbert addressed the drastically new world in which teachers are doing their jobs.
Colbert then introduced the surviving members of Fountains of Wayne, who offered a version of "If You Ever Get Back from Hackensack..." in memory of their late-frontman Adam Schlesinger.
Another adopted-New Jerseyan, Chris Rock, proclaimed that, "Jersey is going to make it," before reintroducing Springsteen and Scialfa for one of the most popular New Jersey wedding songs ever, "Jersey Girl."
Stewart made some final remarks and then threw it back to Bon Jovi for a rendition of the state's unofficial anthem, "Livin' on a Prayer."