celebrites and their causes - how effective are they?

social causes and activists


Hollywood’s A list actress Angelina Jolie was appointed the UN Goodwill ambassador after she came to know of the plight of refugees in Cambodia while filming a movie, which subsequently led to the adoption of her Cambodian refugee son, Maddox, and crusade to improve the living conditions of refugees around the globe. The young are now more informed of the plight of the refugees.

But - how successful has she been in seeing changes? why?

Taufik Batisah, the first Singapore Idol, was appointed as the spokesperson to the “Say No to Smoking” campaign. With his natural charm, youthfulness and experience as a former smoker, he would be in a better position to persuade the young to avoid or give up smoking.

effective?

Live Earth series of concerts performed by various well-known personalities was staged to sensitise the world to the problems and solutions to global warming.

effective?

The MTV channel (a channel targeted mainly at teens) has a Think MTV segment that chronicles celebrity efforts in political advocacy such as the Darfur crisis and encouraging the young to contribute by starting their own Sudan student group or spearheading an awareness campaign.

effective?

Bono, the U2 frontman and a passionate activist, has a special section on the band’s website highlighting the campaigns supported and organised by the group such as the “Red Project” (to support AIDS programmes in Africa) and the “Free Burma” project (to protest the decade long house detention of democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi)

U2 lead Singer Bono’s dedication to eradicating poverty, hunger and Aids in the African continent. With his considerable wealth, social status and scandal-free life, few would believe that he has ulterior motives.

Actors George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon set up a charity, Not On Our Watch, in April 2007, to raise funds for Darfur. The charity has so far gathered more than US$9.3m for humanitarian work in the area.

However -
1 The Live Earth series of concert saw celebrity performers travelling in planes and cars, adding on to the already rapidly burgeoning carbon footprints.

2 Supermodel Naomi Campbell was a PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) spokesperson before it was revealed that she wore fur on the runway and even took up hunting as a sport. How can young people be fully convinced of celebrity activism if celebrities themselves do not walk the talk?


egs of celebrity activits moving into politics

Eunice Olsen is a celebrity who won the Miss Singapore Universe contest in 2000 and also acted in several shows. In November 2004, she was appointed as one of nine NMPs (Nominated Member of Parliament), becoming the youngest Member of Parliament at the age of 27. Although she was certainly qualified for the job with her activist and volunteer work with youths, it is likely that her celebrity status and public image helped her to act more directly on the political scene in Singapore.


Eg. Arnold Schwarzeneggar made use of his celebrity status as an actor to aid in his election as Governor of California.


It is possible that Angelina Jolie (who is already a UN Goodwill Ambassador), or Roger Federer, David Beckham, Jackie Chan (UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador) may choose to enter politics. Thus such “celebrity activists” will become political activists as well, thus including the power to make political decisions with their already immense scope of influence.