ishmael n. daro

In these uncertain times it’s sometimes easy to forget all we should be thankful for. We all appreciate the food we eat, the water we drink, the medicines that keep us healthy, and the bear patrol that (despite the high taxes) keeps the bear attacks to a minimum. Those are no-brainers. Something absolutely crucial most of us forget is the generosity of our celebrities. Between making millions of dollars, spending millions of dollars, driving Lamborghinis, bathing in Cristal champagne, paying publicists and plastic surgeons, starring in sex tapes, going to rehab, and producing gems like “My Super Ex-Girlfriend”, our struggling celebrities still find time to promote charity and goodwill around the globe.

An important step in becoming a true saint is naming a foundation after yourself. The Britney Spears Foundation, for example, raises money to send kids to the Britney Spears Camp for the Performing Arts where children get the training they so desperately need in order to sing dull, over-produced, and forgettable pop songs. The Britney Spears Foundation also likes to create fun playrooms for sick kids on extended hospital stays; clearly finding the cure for Billy’s cancer isn’t as important as redecorating his hospital room. Besides, curing disease is so 80′s.

Richard Gere also has his own foundation, creatively named The Gere Foundation. Its primary goal is international awareness about Tibetan freedom. Mr. Gere was born and raised in Philadelphia and therefore has a strong connection to Tibet. Thanks to his efforts, it is believed that communist China will grant Tibet its freedom after a few more protests. Chinese president Hu Jintao has said publicly that he feels bad for being so mean to Tibet but that he feels even worse that the guy from “Pretty Woman” is angry with his government. A full conversion from communism to democracy is expected within the year.

Another actor who spreads the good word is Michael J. Fox. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research has spent over 95 million dollars to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease. In this crazy world of ours where everyone does things for selfish reasons, it’s nice to see an actor who has absolutely nothing to benefit from Parkinson’s research spending so much time and money on the issue. Mr. Fox is a strong supporter of embryonic stem cell research since many researchers think it could lead to a Parkinson’s cure. Though there is strong opposition to stem cell advancement, Michael J. Fox has maintained his controversial position. Since Mr. Fox has no apparent bias on the matter it seems like we can trust that his intentions are noble.

There are also those who give back to the community more impulsively. Last year, Jessica Simpson received a free sports car at the MTV Movie Awards which she decided to trade in for a mini-van and donate to a Mexican orphanage. This not only showcases Jessica’s generous nature but that she is also smart with her money. Why spend your own money if you can just re-gift free stuff? It is a lesson we can all apply to our lives, especially with the holiday season approaching. Best of all, she traded the sexy sports car for a hideous minivan. Not only is this more functional, it also prevents the orphans from owning something nice for a change. This will keep them grounded. Good thinking, Jess!

Avril Lavigne is another great example of someone who just gets it. She revealed in a recent interview that “when the hurricane thing happened” she went to her closet, filled six boxes of stuff and ordered her assistant to “take it to Katrina!” Avril proves that you don’t need to know that Katrina isn’t a person in order to give her your old clothes. Let’s hope the assistant was more informed about the situation in New Orleans and that the torn jeans and studded belt actually made it to a deserving family in need.

These are only a few examples of celebrity benevolence but there are enough to write a textbook. The important lesson to take away is that people who entertain us also have important causes we should be part of. Celebrities are so much more than beautiful people who make a ton of money for minimal work. They also sing and dance and pretend to be someone else on camera. When one of these demigods takes up a cause it is our duty to pay attention and donate. And I am truly thankful for this.