Eminem and Jimmy Kimmel plan to fly approximately 200 laid-off autoworkers to Los Angeles for a taping of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Friday.

“The auto workers, many of whom live and work in the Detroit area and are affected by the auto industry crisis, will come to Los Angeles to enjoy a rare talk and musical performance by Eminem,” ABC said in a statement.

Eminem, who is originally from Detroit, said he and late-night host Kimmel wanted to remind everyone about those affected by job losses in the Michigan city. Though his publicist, the rapper told the Detroit Free Press that the media has ignored the many people who have lost their jobs in the auto industry without getting big payouts.

Eminem said he and Kimmel are looking forward to showing the former autoworkers “a good time while we’re at it.”

Detroit has been hit especially hard by the economic recession.  The Motor City has one of the highest unemployment rates in the U.S. at 22 per cent, almost three times the national average.

Eminem, who is also slated to appear on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on May 19 and 22, is currently promoting his first studio album in four years, “Relapse.” The album will hit store shelves on May 19.

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It would seem OtterBox has made a case for itself as the company continues to grow during the economic downturn. The Fort Collins company has been making protective casing for products including iPods, smartphones, PDAs, Tablet PCs and laptops since 1996.

While many companies downsize, OtterBox plans to release 40 to 60 new products and hire around 20 more staff members in the coming year. Keeping them more than afloat may be their partnerships and collaborations like those with RIM, Palm, HP, TELUS, Bell Canada and Rogers Communications.

“OtterBox has both a national and worldwide presence. From the US to Europe, Asia, South America and Canada, we are reaching out to develop relationships with key distributors, carriers and OEMs,” said CEO Curt Richardson. “Even within the first two months this year we’ve hit our anticipated revenue, a promising sign in the current economy.”

In 2008 internet sales increased 88 per cent over 2007. The success is attributed to product reviews on the site and the ability to follow the company on Facebook and Twitter. The company encourages customer interaction through Planet OtterBox. Customers are encouraged to submit their stories and photos involving the products for a chance to win a $100 cash prize or $150 for their website.

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