Odds & Ends: Blake Shelton, Bono, Sarah Brightman

After performing “Over You” with his wife Miranda Lambert on “The Voice” last night as a tribute to Oklahoma tornado victims, Blake Shelton talked to the press after the show about organizing a benefit.

“We are actually putting together a fund-raiser right now with NBC,” Shelton told CNN. “We’ll have more details within the next 24 hours, but definitely something with NBC that is going to happen real fast, and hopefully raise a lot of money.”

Shelton, who was born and raised in Oklahoma, said he has family that recently lived in Moore, where entire neighborhoods and an elementary school were destroyed.   

“My nieces and nephews would have gone to that school (Plaza Towers Elementary), and when you start putting it in that sort of perspective, and then thinking, ‘Oh my God, I am so glad that they recently moved away from that area.’ And then you go, ‘What about all those people that didn’t?’ It’s hard to put into words, honestly.” Shelton told CNN.

His fellow “Voice” coach Usher, who has family in Oklahoma City, says he wants to help out with the benefit too.

Shelton’s website encourages fans to help victims by donating at RedCross.org.

Although Bono is joking around about not going to the bathroom until everyone in the world has clean water and sanitation, there is nothing funny about the global crisis.

The U2 frontman appeared in a video (via Rolling Stone) with actor Matt Damon, Virgin chairman Richard Branson and actress Olivia Wilde about Damon’s toilet strike.  

“I remember when Matt first brought up the idea, it was at a meeting of the Illuminati,” Bono said. On a serious note, he pointed out that “millions of people spend hours each day just fetching clean water” and that “780 million people – that’s 1 in 9 – lacks access to safe water.”

The “strike” is brought to you by Water.org, the nonprofit Damon co-founded to help provide access to safe water and sanitation. For more information and to show your support visit StrikeWithMe.org or Water.org.

Sarah Brightman has booked a special show just outside London next month before she officially launches her “Dreamchaser World Tour.”

The June 6 gig at Elstree studios is being filmed for a PBS special called “Sarah Brightman: Dreamchaser: In Concert.” Featuring both new songs from her 2013 album, Dreamchaser, as well as favorites from her career, the special will air on PBS stations in August. The studio environment is being custom designed for Brightman’s taping, which will feature “evocative lighting, elaborate costumes and powerful video imagery.”

Brightman is giving away tickets to the taping through her website. The deadline to enter the contest is May 31, after which winners will be notified by email.

The U.S. leg of the world tour begins Sept. 13 in Hamilton, Ontario.

To enter the PBS competition click here.