Instead of (or in addition to) blowing their money on the latest designer clothes, newest car, or drugs and alcohol, many celebrities instead choose to lend their time and money to charity. Some of the most influential celebrities are the ones who go beyond the red carpet and give to charity. Bono, Paul Newman, Oprah, Shakira, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, and Natalie Portman immediately come to mind as stars who use their powers for, well, good rather than evil. Looktothestars.org (http://www.looktothestars.org/) is a website that tracks celebrity charity work, charities with celebrity supporters, and causes that celebrities endorse. The "celebrities" page is filled with a seemingly endless list of names of celebrities that support a wide array of charities and causes, from Autism Speaks to the Surfrider Foundation. Websites like this show that celebrities can and often use their fame to benefit others.
I think that it's important to note that, for some, becoming involved in a charity is a long, arduous process. "Lisa Szarkowski, spokesman for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF, said that becoming a goodwill ambassador for the children's and women's assistance organization is a rigorous commitment that includes fund-raising, media appearances and a 'large education process'" (1). Thus, I believe that it is safe to assume that Lucy Liu, Angelina Jolie, and Sarah Jessica Parker are all committed to their causes. I don't think that it matters if a celebrity joins a cause to repair a tarnished image - those in need are still benefiting from the celebrity's actions, whether altruistic or not.
In addition to donating money
and time to charities, celebrities also appear in ad campaigns for causes. Pop singer Fergie, for example, has appeared in ads for The Candie's Foundation, which aims to prevent teen pregnancy, as well as MAC's Viva Glam campaign for AIDS awareness. Ad campaigns are a very useful way for a celebrity to show endorsement of a cause. The public will directly link that star's image with the cause they are advertising. Ad campaigns also effectively use the media - when a star joins a cause it's bound to get attention. Thus, stars are using the media, a force that often harms rather than helps them, to put forth their own agenda.Works Cited:
1) CNN Contributors
2006 Causes Celebre: Celebrities and Their Causes. Electronic Document. http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/20/celeb.causes/index.html. Accessed December 2, 2008.
Images:
1) http://fieldnotes.unicefusa.org/LLinDRC1.jpg
2) http://www.candiesfoundation.org/img_popup2.html?fergie_700.jpg
2 comments:
Hi - thanks so much for mentioning our site at looktothestars.org. We work hard on it every day to help highlight the great work celebs are doing, and to show their fans how they too can get involved!
I found this blog effective in that it provides another type of media and sheds another light on the celebrity lifestyle that is depicted day in and day out in our culture.
As you have pointed out, there certainly are many celebrities out there doing a lot of good through acts such as donating their time and money to charity organizations. This is something that I think we all need to be reminded of every once and a while, for if we only focus on the celebrity scandals that take place, it sheds a very depressing light on society as a whole.
We all are construct our own identity and I think that it is important to think about how each celebrity got to where they are now, as a famous figure. They have created an identity for themselves and in reaching such a status it is up to them to decide what to do with that status. I agree with Sally in that you can’t be mad at them for living the high life because I think that most of us would if we had the money, but when a celebrity goes above and beyond and uses that lifestyle to help and impact the lives of others, it should be viewed as a model for the rest of society.
I appreciated the way that your blog encourages the reader to view the celebrity lifestyle as an opportunity to do well, rather than in the way that the media portrays it. Good work Sally!
Post a Comment