Celebrity Aid

Four months ago my editor asked me to find out some information on the current situation in Darfur. While I quickly obliged, my first course of action was not to find student activists, but rather to research what he was talking about in the first place.

Darfur? Is that a place?

I looked and looked, and at last found a student at Brandeis who was active in a campaign urging the United States to divest from Darfur, which, I found out, is a region in the Sudan. But I guess you already knew that. Maybe that is because since my research adventure four months ago, more and more students around the nation are finding out about the grave situation in Darfur: the hundreds of thousands of people being killed; the women being raped; the starvation.

But why now? Why not three months ago? Or, where were all the Darfur sympathizers back in 2003 when this entire situation began? Why was there no media attention then?

Perhaps George Clooney is the reason. Clooney is a superstar. He is sexy, talented and loved by of millions Americans ' not to mention the paparazzi. Had it not been for Clooney's appeal to the U.N. to send help to Darfur ' and the media's obsession with covering his every move ' the situation may never have made it into the minds and hearts of so many Americans.

The same goes for Angelina Jolie and the attention she brings to human rights causes.

And Oprah Winfrey and her own network set up to help underprivileged people in the world.

Sarah Jessica Parker and her devotion to UNICEF.

Bono and his relentless work in Africa.

Bill Clinton and his contributions to finding a cure for and relief from AIDS.

And, yes, even Jessica Simpson's work with Operation Smile, an organization set up to help children born with cleft pallets.

These projects have all thrived since celebrities took them under their wings. Having a celebrity endorse or support a cause is the most promising way to draw attention and aid to that cause. Celebrities bring cameras; celebrities bring attention; celebrities bring help.

I used to hate all those dumb movie stars and musical artists who would get up before a group of people and endorse a project or scoop out food for the homeless on Thanksgiving. 'It is only a photo op,' I would whine. But after seeing the effect Clooney has had on the situation in Darfur, I can no longer judge a celebrity's motives. If it is a press ploy, who cares? Those pictures are doing more than just publicizing the person ' they are bringing to light an issue that may not have been known before, and one that needs immediate aid.

It is unfortunate that my Brandeis friend and his campaign did very little for the situation in Darfur. It is even more unfortunate that it took so long for people to even learn about said situation. Thankfully, though, we have influential people using their power for good, even if it is just for a photo opportunity.

If you would like to help out one of the above causes (even if it is just because you find their celebrity advocate totally hot), visit the following:
Send aid to Darfur: www.savedarfur.org
Donate money to help children with cleft pallets: www.operationsmile.org
Help children around the world:
www.unicef.org
Improve the lives of those in poverty: www.oprahsangelnetwork.org
Stop the AIDS epidemic: www.clintonfoundation.org