Martin Short, Felicity Huffman, Anthony Anderson and LeAnn Rimes sing PSAs for Stand Up to Cancer
Four stars have stepped into the recording booth to record public service announcements for Stand Up to Cancer and Rally Health. The video PSAs feature actor and comedian Anthony Anderson, singer LeAnn Rimes, actress Felicity Huffman and actor and comedian Martin Short.
The digital and broadcast awareness campaign is part of a larger campaign to raise awareness about the importance of proactive cancer screenings and early detection. The short video PSAs are set to jingly music and utilize humor to talk about serious subjects such as getting a mammogram to getting screened for colorectal cancer.
In “Treasured Chest”, Anderson and Rimes sing about breast cancer screenings with lyrics like “get a mammogram, it’s a simple scan, and it just might increase your lifespan.”
Huffman and Short sing “Lookin’ in the Rearview” about colorectal screening. Short says, deadpan, up front: “Felicity and I always wanted to work together on something involving my rectum or her rectum…” Then the two launch into a catchy country tune about your derriere.
All four sing on “Get Screened Now”, a general overall tune talking about the importance of cancer screenings.
All of the PSAs encourage people to visit GetScreenedNow.org, a collaboration between Rally Health and Stand Up to Cancer, where people can take the pledge to get screened. The website helps them find out which cancer screenings and vaccinations are recommended for them based on their age and gender, and provides a list of simple actions they can take to help lower their risks for certain types of cancer. People who take the pledge to get screened are encouraged to invite their family and friends to take the pledge as well.
The PSAs coincide with colorectal cancer awareness month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colorectal cancer is the second leading killer among cancers that affect both men and women, and the third most common form of cancer in the country. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2017, about 135,000 people in the United States will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and it will claim about 50,000 lives.
“It’s not every day you get to sing about colons, and you wouldn’t necessarily think it could be funny, but funny is what you get with Martin Short. All kidding aside, I’m honored to be part of this extremely important initiative with Stand Up To Cancer and Rally,” said Huffman in a press release. “As someone who has had close family and friends touched by cancer, I am eager to spread this message about getting screened and early detection so that fewer families and friends have to endure the same pain.”
Short added: “It was awesome to team up with Felicity to sing about colons. Who knew? I’m proud to join Stand Up To Cancer and Rally Health in helping to spread the word about the potentially lifesaving value of colorectal cancer screening. Staying on top of your health is one of the most important things you can do. We encourage everyone in our lives to take the pledge to learn which screenings are recommended for them.”
According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight US women is expected to develop breast cancer during her lifetime, and just fewer than 30% of newly diagnosed cancers in women will be breast cancers. It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, after lung cancer; however, fewer women are dying from it today than in the past due to advances in early detection and treatment for many types of breast cancers. In fact, breast cancer deaths declined by 36% from its peak in 1989 to 2012 due to treatment and early detection.
“I’m honored to help Stand Up To Cancer and Rally increase awareness about the importance of breast cancer screenings,” said Rimes. “It’s important to know your risks for cancer, especially breast cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for US women. By taking the pledge, you are also taking a step toward prevention and early detection – which are both key in the fight against cancer.”
Anderson added: “Breast cancer has taken too many of our mothers, sisters, grandmothers and friends, and I’m proud to join Stand Up To Cancer and Rally to help change that statistic. By getting screened early on, women can take charge of their health and take preventive actions against cancer.”
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Rally and LeAnn Rimes, Anthony Anderson, Felicity Huffman and Martin Short on this initiative,” said Stand Up To Cancer co-founder, and president and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation Lisa Paulsen. “It takes just a few minutes to be informed on screenings that can potentially save your life. That’s why it is critical that we continue to build awareness about the importance of screenings and early detection – not just for breast cancer and colorectal cancer but all cancers in general.”
The PSAs are part of a multiyear collaboration between Stand Up To Cancer and Rally Health launched last year and focused on informing people about the importance of proactive cancer screenings and taking preventive actions against cancer. Stand Up to Cancer and Rally launched GetScreenedNow.org last summer to help people find out which cancer screenings are recommended for them and pledge to get screened.
Credits:
Client: Rally Health
Producer: Bedonna Smith, Jen Muccia, Rachel Nisenkier
Creative Team: Kyle Flynn and Kevin Flynn
Business Operations: Brenda Yang (Rally Health)
Director of Marketing: Carmen Chu (Rally Health)
Director of Communications: Darcy Provo (Rally Health)
Production: Hungry Man
Director: Hank Perlman
Post Producer: Julie Kopitsky (Hungry Man)
Executive Producer: Caleb Dewart
DIT: Anthony Kwan
DP: Mott Hupfel
Editorial: PS260
Editor: Alex Hagon
Post Producer: Evann Borgman (PS260)
Assistant Editor: Colin Edelman
VFX: PS260 Finishing
2D Lead Artist: Margaret Yang
Graphics Artists: Michael Marciano
Graphics Creative Director: Patrick Lavin
Color: Company 3 NY
Colorist: Sofie Friis Borup
Music Producer: Mickey Petralia
Mix: Plush
Mix Company: Plush
Mixer: Rob Fielack