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Stars Shine Bright for 50 Million Pound Challenge in Houston as Showers Don't Dampen Fervor of Fans

Neither rain, nor heat, nor heavy humid air could keep thousands of fervent, rap-stepping fans from giving The Challenge a Texas-sized welcome in front of Houston's historic, picturesque City Hall Saturday afternoon. Red-hot performances from a star-studded cast set the pace as the enthusiastic crowd shook off a passing shower to take in an afternoon of great live music and entertainment and also take a vow to 'give up the pounds, not the fight.'

Led by Dr. Ian Smith (author of New York Times #1 bestseller Extreme Fat Smash Diet , and fitness expert on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club), The 50 Million Pound Challenge continued its successful tour across America with the sixth event of its 14-city U.S. tour to mobilize local residents to take control of their health by getting fit and losing excess weight. Joining Dr. Ian were all-star Challenge supporters including Grammy-winning R&B star and Destiny's Child founder Kelly Rowland, Grammy-nominated gospel/soul singer Kelly Price, Grammy-nominated R&B star Omarion, pioneer rapper/hip hop star Kurtis Blow, Houston Texans defensive end Mario Williams, radio personality J. Anthony Brown & DJ Biz Markie. Attendees enjoyed a day of live music, free health screenings, and a chance to sign-up for The Challenge, lead healthier lives and help turn back the deadly toll of eight-related diseases.

Since it's launch less than three months ago, more than 140,000 participants have joined the campaign and shed more than a quarter of a million pounds — the total currently standing at an impressive 278,391 pounds. This historic campaign & commitment by the African-American community, which is sponsored by State Farm, continues to Detroit on Saturday, July 14. For more information, visit http://www.50millionpounds.com/ .

Key highlights and comments from Houston include:

• "This is an historic opportunity to join hands as a community, take control of our health, and saves lives," said Dr. Ian Smith. "While we're learning about health today, we also want you to have fun. The groundswell of support is remarkable. More than 140,000 people have joined, losing more than a quarter of a million pounds. And we're just getting started. What began as a simple challenge has become a remarkable commitment across the entire community."
• Destiny's Child co-founder and Grammy-winning R&B Star Kelly Rowland brought the crowd to its feet with her repertoire of hot hits, and urged the crowd take in the importance of the day's events. "We need to stay true to who we are, and who we know we can be. We need to stay alive. Change can be a good thing. The Challenge is helping us come together to embrace change and take control. It's reminding us to respect our bodies and helping us realize our dreams."
• Grammy-nominated singer Kelly Price sang through a passing downpour, telling the crowd "This is only the beginning! The Challenge is the first step. It's about eating healthy, exercising, living right, making the right decisions, and ultimately living longer."
• Houston Texans star defensive end Mario Williams encouraged people by adding, "Eating right and staying fit is part of my job, but even I know it's not easy. Having the support of your friends and family is important, and what | makes The Challenge special is it is helping you make get support from and make friends with hundreds of thousands of like-minded people across the country. That's exciting!"
• Rounding out the day were performances by legendary rap pioneer Kurtis Blow and R&B star Omarion, who sang and danced his hits to a crowd of screaming fans and accompanied Dr. Ian and hundreds of Challenge participants on a walk around Houston's Hermann Square, marking the first steps of attendees personal campaigns to lead healthier, longer lives.