Celebrity Memorabilia Auction Honors World AIDS Day 12/1

Bidding begins at noon EST on eBay for BID 2 BEAT AIDS, a massive annual auction of rare and autographed items from stars in music, film, Broadway, sports, and television. Broadway fans can bid on tickets to the opening night of Hair and the post-show party, a backstage visit with Hairspray star Harvey Fierstein, signed Playbills, a "For Rent" sign autographed by the cast of Rent, or even a signed can of hairspray by the cast of Hairspray; concert-goers can snag VIP seats and backstage meet-and-greets with Tony Bennett, Jewel, Bernadette Peters, Aimee Mann, Duncan Sheik, Harry Connick Jr, Estelle, Joan Rivers or Michael Feinstein; sports fans can bid on meet-and-greets with Olympic champion Michael Phelps or skateboarder Tony Hawk.

There are even a tour of the Howard Stern Radio Show studio and a meet-and-greet with Paul Shaffer at The Late Show with David Letterman on the auction block. Proceeds benefit LIFEbeat, the Music Industry Fights AIDS to support its ongoing AIDS/HIV programs nationwide. Sponsors of this 10-day eBay auction include MTV and Borders.

BID 2 Beat AIDS begins December 1, 2008 to benefit LIFEbeat

LIFEbeat has amassed nearly 900 items for BID 2 BEAT AIDS. Items include: CDs autographed by the cast members of title of show, Legally Blonde, Passing Strange, Avenue Q, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, and Wicked as well as CDs signed by Donny Osmond, Ronnie Spector, Ethan Hawke and Adam Pascal; Playbills autographed by Fantasia Barrino, James Earl Jones, Hayley Joel Osment, Charles Busch, and the casts of Legally Blonde and Grey Gardens; signed books from Madonna, Lance Bass, Tori Spelling, Ann Bannon, Amy Sedaris, Kate Mulgrew and Jason Alexander; posters signed by Patti LuPone, Liza Minnelli, Jake Gyllenhaal, Beyonce, Debbie Harry, Melissa Etheridge, and Matthew McConaughey; DVDs autographed by Sarah Silverman, Will Ferrell, Kevin Bacon, and Steven Spielberg; photos signed by Linda Evans, Kirk Douglas, Joan Collins, Ann Blyth, Julie Harris, Michael Urie, Shirley Jones, Mary Louise Parker, John Cameron Mitchell and other autographed memorabilia.

The centerpiece of the auction is a one-of-a-kind celebrity autographed "Lend-A-Hand to LIFEbeat" card series. Stars traced their hands on special paper, adding an artistic touch and signature. Cynthia Nixon, John Lithgow, Alan Cumming, John O'Hurley, Nathan Lane, Christopher Seiber, Richard Griffiths, Sherie Rene Scott, Ace Young, Lorna Luft, Gina Gershon, James Earl Jones, Natalie Cole, Bob Saget, Jack Klugman, Drew Lachey, Sean Hayes, Taylor Hicks, David Hyde-Pierce, Cheyenne Jackson, Christine Baranski, Mary Beth Hurt, Anita Gillette, Morgan Fairchild, Loretta Swit, Jamie Farr, Deborah Gibson, Jerry Mathers, George Wendt, Darlene Love, Mary Birdsong, Pete Best, Paige Davis, Faith Evans, Frankie Valli, Peter Sarsgaard and over 100 others have participated in this unique project.

LIFEbeat- The Music Industry Fights AIDS, is a national non-profit organization dedicated to reaching America's youth with the message of HIV/AIDS prevention. LIFEbeat mobilizes the talents and resources of the music industry to raise awareness and to provide support to the AIDS community. In 2007, LIFEbeat observed fifteen years in the fight against AIDS. For more information visit: www.lifebeat.org

Every item in BID 2 BEAT AIDS comes with a certificate of authenticity, and was obtained directly from the performers, their agents, or other professionals in the industry. Bidders can be assured that they're getting the real deal! For more information on BID 2 BEAT AIDS , including a complete list of participating artists and images of many of the items, visit www.Bid2BeatAIDS.com.