Steven Weber Set to Host ‘Lead with Love 4’ Telethon
Eric McCormack and Steven Weber are longtime pals who host a podcast together titled Eating Out with Eric and Steve. They also step in for one another with on camera hosting duties as well.
Weber has been tapped to host the Project Angel Food telethon Lead with Love 4 presented by City National Bank and airing on KTLA 5 on June 24. The veteran actor, who currently stars on Chicago Med, will be filling for McCormack, who has fronted the telecast in years past alongside KTLA’s Jessica Holmes, who returns once again along with co-hosts Loni Love and Alec Mapa. 104.3 MyFM’s Lisa Foxx pitches in as on-camera announcer.
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“With Eric McCormack on Broadway we needed to find someone to fill in as host. But it couldn’t be just anyone,” said Lead with Love 4 executive producer Brad Bessey of McCormack’s upcoming gig on the Great White Way in The Cottage opposite Laura Bell Bundy and Lilli Cooper at the Hayes Theater. “It needed to be a bona fide star who has charm, charisma and a passion for Project Angel Food’s mission which makes the Steven perfect fit. It also helps that he’s one of Eric’s best friends and he is funny as heck.”
Weber is well known for many things with credits dating back to the 1980s, but he’s perhaps most closely associated with his work on the hit NBC show Wings. His resume also includes work on such projects as NCIS: New Orleans, iZombie, 13 Reasons Why, Murder in the First, Once and Again, The Shining, Ultimate Spider-Man, Mom, Ballers and, currently, Chicago Med.
“Since Eric is flitting about with theatre-folk, I am once again doing the heavy lifting in this relationship by hosting Lead with Love for Project Angel Food which Eric had hosted for the last three years. I love this organization and can’t wait,” Weber explained. “And I hope that the KTLA audience will feel that I do, if not a better job than Eric, a handsomer one.”
Lead with Love 4 will feature appearances by Carol Burnett, Cindy Crawford, Martin Sheen, Kris Jenner, Paula Abdul, Magic Johnson, Jonathan Bailey, Niecy Nash-Betts, Sarah Paulson, Kyra Sedgwick, Chelsea Handler, Lori Loughlin, Sherri Shepherd, Melissa Peterman, Pauley Perrette, Tiffani Thiessen, Jodie Sweetin, Kim Coles, Mindy Sterling, Rachel Lindsay, Jai Rodriguez, Jonathan Del Arco, Lawrence Zarian and Gregory Zarian. On the performance front, the telecast has confirmed Pentatonix, Rachel Platten, Chrissy Metz, David Archuleta and Marie Osmond, who will be perform a tribute to late legend Olivia Newton-John, who was a supporter of the cause.
The show is executive produced by Bessey with Michael Levitt and Project Angel Food CEO Richard Ayoub, and Marcus Smith and Jacob Burch for KTLA 5. Mark McBride is executive producer for sponsorships. Since premiering in June 2020, Lead with Love has raised more than $3 million.
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