The telethon by MTV in support of Rahibat Deir El Salib (psychiatric hospital de la Croix) totally gets my vote and good for them, which reminded me of the original telethon in Lebanon live on television in May 1988 by Jean-Claude and Josyane Boulos on Ahad 3al Hawa in a special for the red cross.
It started on 10 A.M. and finished at 18 P.M. during which 15 Million Lebanese pounds were raised. Statistics indicate that the Lebanese Pound parity to the Dollar was 409,23 Liras. This means that 36,654 USD were raised, which adjusted to inflation today is 99,760 USD. That day an elderly woman called and offered them her lottery ticket, "her dreams" in her own words and I vividly remember Jean-Claude Boulos completely lost it crying when a small child came and offered his piggy bank. Do remember, all this in a country which was experiencing a ravaging war and a major financial crisis.
I am indebted to Josyane Boulos for the info taken from "La Tele Quelle Histoire" by the late (great) Jean-Claude Boulos. Once more, I am all for acts of social cohesion, but we must also remember our past.