Martin Lewis (humorist) - Social Activism

Social Activism

Lewis’ work with Amnesty International has been credited by politically-conscious and active artists such as Bono, Sting and Peter Gabriel as having been a major factor in the growing social activism of rock musicians since the early 1980s. In a 1986 interview in Rolling Stone magazine, Bono said: "I saw The Secret Policeman's Ball and it became a part of me. It sowed a seed..." Live Aid and Live 8 organizer Bob Geldof's first-ever participation in a benefit show was at 1981's The Secret Policeman's Other Ball - the event where he first worked with Midge Ure who later collaborated on Geldof’s worldwide fund-raisers.

Amnesty also credits Lewis with conceiving its 1988 Human Rights Now! world tour of all five continents that featured Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Peter Gabriel.

In December 2009, Lewis instigated and co-hosted a major event saluting Amnesty International in Washington DC. The event was attended by Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Martin Short, Mel Brooks, Matthew Broderick, Carol Burnett, Jon Stewart, Jack Black, Edward Norton, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, Sting, Trudie Styler, Eddie Vedder, Ben Harper, Laura Dern, Dave Brubeck, Herbie Hancock, Bob Balaban, Joe Mantegna, Bill Irwin, Richard Kind, Florence Henderson, Roger Bart, Gary Beach, Shuler Hensley, Cory English, Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland and opera singer Grace Bumbry.The event was co-hosted by Larry Cox, Executive Director of Amnesty International, USA.