Haiti: Wyclef Jean’s Charity Leads Pete Wentz’s Celebrity Rally, Pictures
HAITI continues to horrify and bring hope. (Pictures – which are uplifting and harrowing). But what does hati man to you. No, not you – you: the celebrities? Anorak has always been of the view that grandstanding is vain but no big deal so long as it works and monies are raised.
Singer Wyclef Jean’s charity, Yele Haiti, has an “atrocious financial past”. Wyclef’s heard the news and responded with a video:
The story seems to be based on the shock that not evey penny you roll into the collection tin goes to the good cause – some goes to admin, staff wages, Christmas parties and other essential stuff.
Our Man in LA rounds up the showbiz givers:
LET’S face it… no Hollywood celebrity donates money to a worthy cause without maximizing the good press it will bring them. The Rat would hold up Oprah Winfrey as an example of someone who capitalizes on each donation by issuing press releases – or at the very least, directing media “leaks” – detailing the dollars she’s giving certain causes.
In the case of the horrible Haitian earthquake, at least the ego trips of the rich & famous are serving a worthwhile purpose.
Gisele Bündchen seems to be leading the celebrity pack with a single donation of $1.5 million.
Brangelina have doled out $1 million so far.
Sandra Bullock has given another million to Doctors Without Borders.
Troubled golfer Tiger Woods has reportedly spent $3 million sending a cargo plane to the Island nation, equipped with a mobile hospital. What better way to make amends for your womanizing ways, right?
Madonna’s cash donation of $250,000 comes in a bit on the low end, but aid is aid… Lance Armstrong also donated a quarter-mil, as has Tyler Perry.
Even D-listers like Alyssa Millano are opening their checkbooks. Millano gave $50,000.
So far, there’s no word on any Haiti earthquake relief donation from the Big O(prah)… The Rat expects she’s waiting for the dust to clear so she can out-do all the other celebrity donations in true “Big Me, Little Them” style.
Meanwhile, George Clooney and his beard are set to host a televised fundraiser on January 22nd. – RR
If the great unwashed are herd-like, and respond more to a shiny-faced celeb pleading for money than a ruined foreinger then so be it – so long as lots of money reaches the needy, no matter the message or the trigger…
Posted: 17th, January 2010 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
