Amy Poehler, Regina King, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sherri Shepherd, Brooke Shields, Adam Brody and More Help Beloved Los Angeles Organization Exceed Half-Million-Dollar Goal, Raising $589,000
LOS ANGELES, June 28, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Bryan Cranston brought a little "Walter White" chemistry to KTLA 5 Saturday night, surprising Noah Wyle, Eric McCormack and Steven Weber during Project Angel Food's live benefit television special, Lead with Love: Going the Distance.
The unforgettable moment became one of the night's biggest highlights as Project Angel Food's annual broadcast raised $589,000, exceeding its half-million-dollar goal and helping keep medically tailored meals moving to critically ill people across Los Angeles County.
Presented by City National Bank and broadcast live on KTLA 5 on Saturday, June 27, Lead with Love: Going the Distance brought together Hollywood stars, beloved performers and compelling storytelling about Project Angel Food's power and purpose for a two-hour celebration of compassion, community and action.
Hosted by McCormack, Weber, KTLA's Jessica Holmes and Loni Love, the broadcast centered on this year's theme, Going the Distance, spotlighting the extraordinary effort required to reach vulnerable neighbors throughout Los Angeles County. Each month, Project Angel Food's 16-van fleet travels almost 25,000 miles on 81 routes, delivering medically tailored meals to people living with critical and life-threatening illnesses.
The evening's headline surprise came when Cranston appeared with a playful "Walter White" twist for Wyle, McCormack and Weber, creating a live television moment that delighted both the studio audience and viewers at home.
After Weber and Wyle — both beloved for playing doctors on television — joked that they had learned so much from their roles they could probably operate on McCormack, he fired back, "If TV doctors are doing anything on me, I'm going to need much stronger drugs." Right on cue, Cranston stepped in, invoking his iconic Breaking Bad alter ego, and deadpanned: "Did you say you would need serious drugs? I might be able to help you with that."
The night opened with Weber and McCormack jumping out of a Project Angel Food delivery van, followed by Clay Aiken delivering a soaring performance of "Go the Distance" from Disney's Hercules, setting the tone for an evening filled with heart, humor and urgency. Aiken remained on set throughout the broadcast, joining the All-Star Phone Bank to take donor calls live on air.
One of the evening's most beloved moments came when Barbara Eden, the 94-year-old star of "I Dream of Jeannie," appeared in a puff of pink smoke and delivered her famous "Jeannie" blink. McCormack and Weber then serenaded her with a cheeky rendition of the I Dream of Jeannie theme song. Morgan Fairchild and Chaz Dean, the celebrity hairstylist and beauty entrepreneur behind WEN Hair & Body Care, also made special appearances.
In a special message, California Governor Gavin Newsom recalled volunteering at Project Angel Food with his family and said, "Project Angel Food offers meals that go beyond basic needs. They offer dignity and connection and a reminder that no one is forgotten."
Also delivering messages of support were Amy Poehler, Regina King, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sherri Shepherd, Adam Brody, Brooke Shields, Judith Light, Janelle James, Cassandra Peterson, Jason Ritter, Valerie Bertinelli, Lori Loughlin and Caroline Rhea.
The night also featured a series of special, one-night-only musical performances that brought heart, nostalgia and show-stopping energy to the broadcast, including Tiffany performing her signature hit "I Think We're Alone Now"; Em Beihold delivering a heartfelt rendition of "Won't Let Go"; Shanice Shantay bringing soaring vocals and soul to "Home" from The Wiz; and Sam Harris closing the evening with "Over the Rainbow" before leading the full cast in an exuberant finale of Randy Newman's "I Love L.A."
An All-Star Phone Bank answered donor calls throughout the night. All-Stars included Amy Yasbeck, Bruce Vilanch, Kym Whitley, Jodie Sweetin, KTLA's Melvin Robert, Gregory Zarian, Lawrence Zarian, Lisa Foxx and soccer great Ali Riley, who helped L.A. get into the "summer of soccer" by giving away 10 pairs of tickets to Angel City Football Club vs. Orlando Pride on July 3.
At the heart of the broadcast was the story of Ricky Moore, a Project Angel Food driver whose moving segment showed what "going the distance" truly means. His story gave viewers an intimate look at the people behind every delivery — the drivers who bring meals, smiles, check-ins and human connection to clients who often rely on Project Angel Food as their primary source of nutrition.
The special also featured a powerful client story from Eleanor Jones, whose experience brought home the daily impact of medically tailored meals for people living with serious illness. "They are angels," she said of Project Angel Food and its volunteers.
CEO Richard Ayoub joined the broadcast to celebrate the progress and completion of The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation Kitchen and Campus, with new facilities completed and a second building beginning construction later this summer. He was also on hand to welcome City National Bank Executive Vice President and Head of Private Bank & Wealth Management Brandon Williams, who presented a check to Project Angel Food live on air, reflecting City National Bank's ongoing commitment to strengthening communities.
The Herb Ritts Foundation's matching gift challenge, introduced by Shields, helped drive donations throughout the night by doubling the impact of viewers' gifts and energizing the broadcast's fundraising push. Shields recalled her friend, legendary photographer Herb Ritts, a supporter of Project Angel Food before his death and now through the Herb Ritts Foundation, saying, "Herb has always been a kind and generous person. And he has been in my life for decades. Our immediate connection was so important to me. His heart taught me so much."
Additional highlights included:
- Wyle broke news on The Pitt, saying, "Started back to work on season three last week. Robby is back from his sabbatical and feeling a little bit better."
- Cranston appeared alongside Weber, McCormack and Wyle, with the men sharing that they are collaborating on a new book to be published next year, with proceeds benefiting several charities.
- Eden said she is still surprised that, more than 60 years after I Dream of Jeannie premiered, she continues to receive fan mail from around the world — from China to Moscow. "It feels wonderful it makes me feel so good. It's surprising," she said. Of her commitment to Project Angel Food, Eden added, "We all have someone in our family we can't care enough for, it's needed."
- Poehler said, "I'm jumping aboard the Project Angel Food love train to give a huge shout-out to the 6,000 volunteers who showed up this year, delivering meals, cooking in the kitchen and proving that this city shows up with heart."
- King added, "Project Angel Food delivers medically tailored meals to people facing serious illness, with passion, dignity and a reminder that someone cares."
"Every dollar raised tonight keeps our vans on the road and our meals reaching neighbors in their greatest time of need," said Ayoub, CEO of Project Angel Food. "This is what Lead with Love has always stood for: dignity, nourishment and the very best of the human spirit."
Emmy-winning producer Brad Bessey (Entertainment Tonight, The Talk) returned for the seventh year as executive producer, along with Michelle Robinson, Ayoub and Mark McBride for sponsorships, with Marcus Smith, Jacob Burch and Chris Reilly executive producing for KTLA. Michael Orland served as musical director.
Lead with Love: Going the Distance aired live on KTLA 5 on Saturday, June 27, 2026, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., and streamed across KTLA and Project Angel Food's digital platforms, including YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on KTLA+ via Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Samsung Smart TVs. Sponsors included City National Bank, presenting sponsor; Yaamava' Resort & Casino and Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation, title sponsors; Herb Ritts Foundation, title sponsor and matching challenge; and Edward F. Limato Foundation, principal sponsor.
The total raised is expected to increase as donations continue to be accepted at www.angelfood.org/leadwithlove.
ABOUT LEAD WITH LOVE
Created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Lead with Love has become one of Los Angeles' most inspiring televised events. Now in its seventh year and nominated for three L.A. Area Emmy Awards, the special has raised nearly $6 million for Project Angel Food, featuring more than 150 celebrity appearances, including Oprah Winfrey, Barbra Streisand, Jimmy Kimmel, Richard Gere, Ringo Starr, Elton John and Lily Tomlin, among others.
ABOUT PROJECT ANGEL FOOD
Founded in 1989, Project Angel Food nourishes the health and spirit of vulnerable people facing critical and life-threatening illnesses by preparing and delivering medically tailored meals with love, care and dignity to more than 7,100 Angelenos each year. Since its founding, the organization has delivered more than 20 million meals across Los Angeles County and now provides more than 1.5 million medically tailored meals annually, along with nutrition counseling and compassionate client support. Project Angel Food is accredited by the Food is Medicine Coalition, is a Four-Star Charity Navigator organization and has twice been named California's Nonprofit of the Year.
To learn more, visit www.angelfood.org.
For video clips please visit: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/m5jqkzpuk9836jc7o27av/APwAzDgPcXOC5NTmucxJcZ8?rlkey=9g2pqgr7stgf32djx0t3dbcvf&st=8z3hqr56&e=1&dl=0
For photo images please visit:
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Media Contact
Amy Prenner, The Prenner Group, 1 3107091101, [email protected], www.theprennergroup.com
SOURCE Project Angel Food
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