Tom Cruise’s rant against anti-depressants produced enough news copy to overstuff a landfill. Leonardo DiCaprio wouldn’t like that. The young “Titanic” star is a fierce environmentalist who putts around L.A. in an electric golf cart and hybrid car, railing against pollution, global warming and–a South Florida scourge–cruise ships that dump garbage offshore. Angelina Jolie wants to help refugees. Jay-Z speaks for underprivileged city kids. Pamela Anderson hates fur, lambskin condoms and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
These days, it’s hard to turn on a TV or open a magazine without hearing some celebrity discussing a cause or crusade.
Some do it for very personal reasons. After Katie Couric’s husband died of colon cancer, she co-founded the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance. Steven Spielberg made “Schindler’s List” about the Holocaust, then launched a foundation to preserve testimonies of survivors. Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson’s disease, formed the Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and testified before Congress. And Christopher Reeve, paralyzed in a horse-riding accident, worked tirelessly before he died to raise awareness and spark research to repair broken bodies.
Some celebrities and public figures do it for the money. You didn’t think Bob Dole would talk about erectile dysfunction and Viagra without getting some cash, did you? Ditto for Debbie Reynolds (bladder control), “Wonder Woman” Lynda Carter (irritable bowel syndrome) and Courtney Thorne-Smith (migraines). The Wall Street Journal reported that Rob Lowe received as much as $1 million from a pharmaceutical company to talk about febrile neutropenia, a term for infections that plague patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy.
But those stars are in the minority. Most have no personal or paid connection. They just do it because they believe in it.
U2’s Bono, Sting, Paul Newman, Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Halle Berry, Ben Affleck, Arnold Schwarzenegger and hordes more are using their fame to spread the word, raise money, heal the sick, feed the children, save women, change the world.
They donate their time, make appearances, give speeches and slip a quote or two about their cause into interviews about their movies, music and TV shows. Many stars don’t just lend their names and faces to a cause. They open their wallets. Oprah Winfrey has helped orphans in Africa through her Angel Network.
And then there are the quiet ones–the stars who donate money, raise money, visit hospitals and shelters, and work behind the scenes for a particular cause. Drew Carey doesn’t seek publicity when he works with kids from Make-A-Wish Foundation. You have to grill Teri Hatcher before she’ll discuss how she helps a shelter for abused teen girls.
One thing is clear. There are so many causes that it’s virtually impossible to keep up with who’s for what and against whatever.
Spotlight on disease
Colorectal cancer: Katie Couric
Parkinson’s disease: Michael J. Fox, Holly Robinson Peete
Febrile neutropenia: Rob Lowe
HIV/AIDS: Magic Johnson, Elton John, Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Chan
Cystic fibrosis: Celine Dion
Rett Syndrome: Julia Roberts
Bone marrow disease: Mia Hamm
Hepatitis C: Naomi Judd
Special Olympics: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Ataxia-telangiectasia: Ben Affleck
Children’s medical issues: Dan Marino
Cause celeb
Jimmy Buffett: manatees
Leonardo DiCaprio: hybrid cars, global warming, cruise ship dumping
Sting: rain forest destruction
Denis Leary: firefighters
Mark McGwire: child abuse
Paul McCartney, Angelina Jolie: land mines
Pamela Anderson, Betty White: animal rights
Angelina Jolie: UN refugees
Gary Sinese: Iraqi children
Tiger Woods: empowering children/parental responsibility
Oprah Winfrey: orphans in Africa
Justin Timberlake: music for kids
Jay-Z: underprivileged city kids
Alicia Silverstone: vegan lifestyle
Denzel Washington: National Boys and Girls Club
Halle Berry, Salma Hayek: domestic violence
George Clooney: Tsunami relief/American Red Cross
Tyra Banks: girls’ self-esteem
Sir Bob Geldof and Live 8: global poverty and debt
Edward Norton: affordable housing for low-income families
Brad Pitt: Africa
–COX NEWS SERVICE
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Edited by Curt Wagner (cwwagner@tribune.com) and Victoria Rodriguez (vrodriguez@tribune.com)
