Deppheads everywhere, prepare to open your checkbooks and wallets as well as your hearts to the dashing pirate on the left! Johnny Depp will be answering phones and taking donations during NBC’s fundraiser for tsunami relief on Saturday night, so plan to call early and often; your generosity may bring you a sweet reward . . . the chance to hear Johnny’s voice in your ear. The program, called “Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope,” begins at 8 pm Eastern and will be broadcast live in the eastern time zone, but tape-delayed to the west coast. Although the phone banks will remain open after the show concludes at 10 pm eastern, Depp fans in the Pacific time zone may want to call in their donations while the show is on live in the east, to maximize their chances of speaking to their favorite solicitor. The phone number will be 1-800-HELPNOW.

The Zone thanks DeepinDepp for posting the news. We applaud all those who are giving their time and effort, whether behind the scenes and in front of the camera, to this worthy cause. We are proud of Johnny for modestly offering his time and energy to help the tsunami victims. You can read the full AP wire story by Lynn Elber HERE and visit the NBC website HERE.

The two-hour show will air live and without commercial interruption, and will feature musical performances by Maroon 5, Sheryl Crow, Nelly, John Mayer, Norah Jones, Eric Clapton, Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Lenny Kravitz, Sarah McLachlan, Kenny Chesney, Gloria Estefan, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder. These channels will carry the program: NBC, USA, Bravo, Trio, SCI FI, PAX, Telemundo, MSNBC and CNBC. The celebrity phone bank at NBC Universal was organized by George Clooney and includes, in addition to Johnny, Brad Pitt, Renee Zellweger, Robert DeNiro, Andy Garcia and Goldie Hawn. Be sure to put a tape into your VCR, because with live television, you never know what might happen!

Johnny’s presence at the fundraising concert also confirms his presence in Los Angeles this weekend, and makes it likely that he will attend the Golden Globes award ceremony on Sunday. One can only hope!