MySpace announces concert for U.S. troops in Kuwait

This post was updated at 12:02 PM on February 28 to confirm that the FX Network broadcast of the Operation MySpace concert is April 12, not March 12.

MySpace is packing its bags for Kuwait.

The social network, a division of News Corp.'s Fox Interactive Media, will be holding a music and comedy event on March 10 for U.S. Armed Forces troops stationed in the small Middle Eastern country. Called "Operation MySpace," the concert will feature pop acts The Pussycat Dolls and Jessica Simpson, rock bands Disturbed and Filter, electronic artist DJ Z-Trip, and comedian Carlos Mencia. MySpace co-founders Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe will be on hand to host the event, which the social network has coordinated in conjunction with the Department of Defense's Armed Forces Entertainment division and its America Supports You program.

"For years troops stationed all over the world have utilized MySpace as a lifeline to communicate with their loved ones back home," Anderson said in a statement from MySpace. "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to thank them in person and bring along the entire MySpace community."

For those not present, the concert will be live-streamed on the Web (on the 10th at 11 a.m. Pacific time); MySpace has created a profile for Operation MySpace where visitors are encouraged to leave messages for the troops overseas in both text and video format. It will also mark the first time that MySpace has webcast an event in high definition. On April 12, a condensed one-hour version of the three-hour concert will be broadcast on News Corp.'s FX cable channel.

"We're so excited to be performing for the troops and supporting our Armed Forces overseas," a statement from the steamy pop group The Pussycat Dolls read. "They'd better get ready...the desert's about to get a lot hotter!"

Indeed, the combination of Pussycat Dolls, Jessica Simpson, and Carlos Mencia might be, ahem, a bit much for some audiences. But regardless of what you think of the quality of the acts, it's for a good cause--in high definition.