Bob Costas on the American Giving Awards: "Celebrity Is Pretty Much an Empty Concept — But You Can Turn Recognition Into Something Worthwhile"

Bob Costas said it plainly: "Celebrity is pretty much an empty concept and it's an overindulged concept in our culture to the point of absurdity. But…" — and Premier Guide Miami was in the room when it happened.

On December 7, 2011, NBC Universal held a press call for the American Giving Awards Presented by Chase , airing Saturday, December 10th at 8 p.m. on NBC — the first-ever televised celebrity tribute to community heroes. Host Bob Costas and Kim Davis, head of the JP Morgan Chase Foundation, joined the call. Premier Guide Miami was among the outlets on the line.

Celebrity is pretty much an empty concept and it's an overindulged concept in our culture to the point of absurdity. But what you can do, if you have some recognition, is turn that recognition into some good things.

Why he signed on — and why he'd be flying to Dallas the moment it ended

Costas was candid about the logistics: "It comes in a very busy stretch, in the middle of football. I'll have to jet into LA. And as soon as the program is over — literally as soon as the program is over — I'm going to go to the airport and fly to Dallas to do the Cowboys and the Giants over the weekend." But the calculus was simple: "A, it's a very worthy cause, or series of causes. B, it should be a fun night, no question about that. And C, it was important to NBC. And I work for NBC. So you put those three things together and there you go." He noted that Comcast's Steve Burke had personally communicated how much the show meant to him: "The people at NBC and Comcast, now having taken over NBC, expressed to me that this was especially important to them. The first time that this has been televised."

On celebrity, recognition, and what it's actually good for

Asked about raising his own children with a sense of giving back, Costas offered a broader philosophy: "I think celebrity is pretty much an empty concept and it's an overindulged concept in our culture to the point of absurdity. But what you can do, if you have some recognition, is you can turn that recognition into some good things. And I think a lot of people, especially that I have been associated with through the years in sports and in broadcasting, have tried to do that." Growing up in St. Louis, he said, shaped his approach: "That was always part of what I tried to do with my time there — to do as many charity events as I could, to work with causes in St. Louis and nationally. It's a privilege that comes with recognition. And if you can turn that recognition into something worthwhile, then it's a good thing to do. And I would hope that both of my kids kind of observed that as they grew up."

On the show's timing — and the Penn State story

On whether a show like this feels more important in difficult economic times, Costas was measured: "Quite possibly it does. It's difficult for people sometimes to dig deeper when their own economic circumstances may be less favorable than they used to be. But everybody can, to the extent that they're able. It may not be as much for some people as in other years or as they hope it'll be in subsequent years, but all of us, to the extent that we're able, can help out." On the show's competitive element: "It has an aspect to it beyond charity — sort of a competition in a sense. The winning charity will receive the $1 million grant. So it has a little bit of suspense attached to it beyond just the good works." When a reporter noted that the previous month had been professionally remarkable for him — a reference to his widely praised Penn State reporting — Costas was brief: "The Penn State situation is a significant and ongoing story, as there are new developments even today as we speak. It transcends sports. It gets into the area of news. And I was, I guess, in the right place at the right time to contribute something to moving that story forward." The American Giving Awards Presented by Chase aired Saturday, December 10, 2011, on NBC.

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