Congressman and civil rights hero John Lewis died on July 17, and while Marco Rubio already shared a pretty crappy tribute on social media, CBS has decided to do something a little better (hopefully) by enlisting multiple famous people and taking over multiple ViacomCBS networks for an hourlong special called John Lewis: Celebrating A Hero. This comes from Variety, which says the special will air on CBS, OWN, BET, MTV, and the Smithsonian network (which really needs a three-letter acronym) on August 4. It will be hosted by Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Gayle King, and Brad Pitt, with “musical performances, interviews, and inspirational conversations about Lewis’ life and legacy” from people like Jon Batiste, Yolanda Adams, Common, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Trevor Noah, Billy Porter, and Wynonna.
In a statement, Winfrey referred to Lewis as an “extraordinary man” who “lived a life with the purpose of making sure America lived out its ideals.” Perry added that Lewis’ fight for equality eventually resulted in him being able to witness the election of the first Black president, and CBS News senior executive producer Susan Zirinsky noted how unfortunate it is to lose him now “as the country confronts structural racism” but that he also “gave us the will and the way to continue his work.”