Billy Crystal, who lost his home in the devastating Palisades Fire, took the stage at the LA FireAid Benefit Concert on Thursday night at the Kia Forum.
A Night of Fundraising and Support
Following a high-energy performance by Green Day, Crystal stepped onto the stage to introduce the event.
The benefit concert aimed to raise funds for displaced families, infrastructure rebuilding, and advancements in fire prevention technology. With his signature humor, Crystal joked, “Our goal tonight is simple: to raise more money than the Dodgers spent on free agents.”
Crystal also announced that Steve Ballmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Intuit Dome, had pledged to match all donations made that night, dollar for dollar. The night’s first major contribution came from U2, donating $1 million—a sum that Ballmer committed to doubling.
A Personal Reflection on Loss
The comedian shared his own painful experience of being displaced by the fires, revealing that the clothes he wore on stage were the same ones he had on when he fled his home with his wife, Janice, on January 7. “This was all I had,” he said. “I wore it for a week, plus an N-95 mask. I looked like an evacuee or someone who just robbed a 7-11,” he quipped, lightening the mood.
Crystal recalled a similar moment of national grief when he hosted a benefit at Madison Square Garden following the September 11 attacks.
He remembered walking onto a stage filled with grieving audience members holding posters of missing loved ones. “Tonight, I find myself in a different kind of pain. Now, I am also one of the hurting thousands, asking: ‘Have you seen my school? Have you seen my church? Have you seen my house? My town? The 29 people who lost their lives—have you seen them?’”
Honoring First Responders
The actor took a moment to honor the firefighters and first responders who risk their lives in the face of danger. “After 9/11, we honored those who ran toward the chaos and sacrificed so much. Tonight, we are here to thank them again—those who run toward danger while we seek shelter and safety.”
As he spoke, the audience erupted into applause for the first responders in attendance, a moment of deep appreciation for those on the front lines of these disasters.
