Although Comic Relief's charity work is continuous, its fundraising events were held and televised at irregular intervals—and primarily by Home Box Office (HBO), with comedians Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, and Whoopi Goldberg as the hosts each time.

[2] Other comics involved included Michael Keaton, Richard Dreyfuss, and Penny Marshall,[3] as well as Bob Goldthwait, Howie Mandel, Minnie Pearl, and George Carlin.

This network of providers "was originally selected for start-up funding by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Pew Memorial Trust" after a year of review and assessment in 1985,[1] was "co-sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Mayors", and works annually in all 50 states with thousands of homeless children.

[1] Comic Relief board member Dr. Pedro Jose "Joe" Greer, Jr. was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by President Barack Obama, on account of his "lifelong efforts to improve medical services for the homeless and uninsured.

[8] A new internationally held and aired event, Comic Relief Wild: The Concert for Animals, addressed endangered species and habitat destruction around the world in 2007.