Jack Black talks Uganda, kids, RED NOSE DAY

NBC’s 3-hour star-studded entertainment event for charity RED NOSE DAY airs Thursday, May 21 at 8:00 pm.

The special includes a big sketch with the cast of Game of Thrones like never seen before, ‘Pitch Perfect‘ movie stars Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, and John Michael Higgins, and Michelle Rodriguez and Will Ferrell.

Jack Black made a special trip to Uganda in late March to raise awareness for children living in poverty after meeting Executive Producer Richard Curtis; Creator of Red Nose Day, and wanting to be involved.

Red Nose Day has been hugely successful in the U.K. and raised over $1 billion for charity over the last 30 years.

Jack spoke to the press, here’s a bit:

Black on meeting the kids in Uganda:

“These kids did not know who I was. They had no idea about my movies. And that was actually kind of refreshing. I kind of liked that.

And how was I able to get them laughing; I mean they were making me laugh. It just sort of came naturally. We were walking around and I don’t know, I just – I guess that’s just my go-to when I meet some new people, I want to get the international language of laughter going. They don’t speak English, I don’t speak Luganda, so it was just a series of crazy faces and that leads to other funny shenanigans.

It was a really – it was a great day. It was painful, but it was also beautiful, if that makes any sense.”

Will Jack’s own kids be involved in Red Nose Day at all?

“I don’t think that the kids are going to be doing anything in the show. They’re not quite ready for show biz, so to speak. But yes, they knew that their daddy went to Africa and they knew what that was about. I talked to them about it. But yes, they’re not directly involved in the charity as of now.”

On dealing with his own kids:

“Well personally, you know, I just like to talk to my kids like they’re human beings and not talk down to them. And if I’m concerned about something I’ll talk to them about, you know, the way – the things I think about the world and what would make the world a better place. You know, you don’t have to shelter them from everything.

I think it’s a mistake we make as parents in general nowadays is protecting kids from sadness and protecting them from, you know, the dark corners of the world, when sometimes those are things that they wonder about but never talk about because they don’t know if they should or could or would. You’ve got to treat them like, not adults, but as human beings, you know. Talk to them about things.

Well you know, I hope that the kids, when they see these other kids from across the world, will be inspired to help just as their parents can help, you know? It’s a real eye-opener for the whole family I think.”

Richard Curtis also on the call added:

“Yes and by the way, at the end of the – you know, all the way during the night you can donate online. It’s incredibly easy. And then at the end of the evening we’re also just doing donating by text.”

Pictured:

Black walks down a muddy hillside with Felix, a homeless boy, to the place where he sleeps in Kampala, Uganda. Felix, like a shocking number of children in Kampala, lives on the streets. He collects used bottles in order to make money to survive, and sleeps against a wall out of doors, overlooking a bus park.