Celebrities make a stand for COVID vaccines on TV special

Updated: Apr 17, 2021 / 07:28 AM CDT

Lin-Manuel Miranda arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Feb. 9, 2020, left, and Michelle Obama participates in the International Day of the Girl on NBC’s “Today” show in New York on Oct. 11, 2018. Miranda and Obama will join other celebrities in “Roll Up Your Sleeves,” a vaccine initiative airing at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday on NBC,(AP Photo)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama and a slew of celebrities including Billy Crystal, Jennifer Hudson and Lin-Manuel Miranda are part of a special aimed at boosting COVID-19 vaccination rates.

“Roll Up Your Sleeves,” airing at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday on NBC, will feature Matthew McConaughey interviewing Dr. Anthony Fauci to help separate “fact from fiction” about the vaccines, the network said.

Biden will make a direct appeal in support of the effort, while Obama will be joined by basketball greats Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal to reinforce the role of vaccines in allowing Americans to get their lives back on track.

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Former first lady Michelle Obama will team with Miranda, Faith Hill and Jennifer Lopez in support of shots during the hour-long special hosted by spouses Russell Wilson, the NFL quarterback, and actor-singer Ciara.

Other announced highlights include comedy from Billy Crystal and Wanda Sykes and appearances by TV doctors Eric Dane, Ryan Eggold, Ellen Pompeo, Jane Seymour and Ken Jeong, who’s also a real M.D.

Also set to appear are Sterling K. Brown, Lana Condor, Jennifer Hudson, Dale Jarrett, Joe Jonas, Eva Longoria, Demi Lovato, Joel McHale, Kumail Nanjiani and Amanda Seyfried.