Celebrity Dish: Serving up the gossip you should know!
Celebrities love a good cause. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s impressive when someone uses their fame to promote something that will help others, rather than their latest CD or new film.
And the causes themselves can be as varied as the famous people behind them. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about to end, and there are several celebrities who raise money for that cause. For example, Christina Applegate, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, promoted Lee National Denim Day, the largest single-day fundraiser for breast cancer research, earlier this month. Reese Witherspoon is honorary chairman of the Avon Foundation, which focuses on breast cancer, domestic violence and emergency relief initiatives. And you can find many celebrities participating in various Susan G. Komen for the Cure events and even the EIF Revlon Run/Walk for Women.
For others, it might be heart disease or Alzheimer’s or even AIDS awareness (U2 frontman Bono’s work to stop the spread of AIDS is legendary, thanks, in part, to (Product)RED.). But diseases aren’t the only causes. Some seek to make the world a better place. The Not On Our Watch Project is a perfect example. George Clooney gathered some of his famous friends to start this group, which focuses on bringing “global attention to international crises,” according to the project’s Web site. Issues they’ve taken up include child refugees, food assistance and peace in Southern Sudan.
Some choose to promote causes that, literally, make the world a better place. Celebrities such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz are known to support environmental issues, both making documentaries on the subject.
And entertainment and environmental causes came together again at this week’s 20th anniversary Environmental Media Awards. Honorees included singer Jason Mraz and Sir Richard Branson, and Harrison Ford, John Cusack, Amy Smart and Olivia Wilde served as presenters. Of course, if there are awards, there must be a carpet to walk. And in this case, it was green rather than red.
Madonna (moving in the footsteps of Oprah?) is taking up educational causes. Her charity, Raising Malawi, is building a $15 million school there, and she traveled to Malawi this past weekend to lay the foundation stone with President Bingu wa Mutharika.
There are other celebrities who are even willing to sell themselves for what they believe in. A kiss from actress Charlize Theron went for $140,000 at a live auction during a gala for the charity OneXOne last week. She was initially auctioning off a trip to South Africa with several perks, but she decided to up the ante with a kiss when bidding stalled at $37,000. The unusual twist? The highest bidder – who got to kiss Theron for 20 seconds – was a woman. Interestingly enough, that bid was much higher than the $20,000 kiss from Robert Pattinson auctioned off at the amfAR Cinema Against AIDS 2009 Cocktail Party earlier this year in Cannes.
But, hey, it’s all for a good cause, right?
Krista Richmond is a journalist and pop culture enthusiast. Have a question, suggestion or hot gossip tip? Send them to her at krista@killerfilm.com.
