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Favorite Celebrity Campaigner of 2008: Matt Damon

LibertySugar — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:30:36 -0800

Matt Damon, who expressed his political opinions and also traveled to Haiti to help distribute food aid this year, is CitizenSugar readers' favorite celebrity campaigner of 2008. Matt made his support for Barack Obama public, even hitting the campaign trail to rally support. But he also didn't keep his disdain for Sarah Palin a secret. In September, Matt said:

"It's like a really bad Disney movie. The Hockey Mom. Oh, I'm just a hockey mom from Alaska, and she's president. She's facing down Vladimir Putin and using the folksy stuff she learned at the hockey rink. It's absurd."

Matt's nightmarish Disney movie didn't become reality, but it did stimulate an imaginary trailer about a hockey mom putting the "ice" in Vice President. To check out the trailer Matt inspired,

Is That an Endorsement? Angelina Hints at Vote For Family

LibertySugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:29:50 -0700

Actress and UN Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie has warmed up to Barack Obama. The mother of six told German Vanity Fair:

Obama is fighting for international justice, he wants to intervene militarily in genocides abroad, and he wants to close down Guantanamo Bay. They are things which could move me to vote for him, not his roots. Of course, an American president like Barack Obama would be great for my family.

Stopping short of a full endorsement, Angelina said the fact that Obama would be a good example for her family isn't "reason enough to vote for him."

The support for some of Obama positions strays from her previous hesitation to bring home the troops from Iraq. In February she wrote in an op-ed: "As for the question of whether the surge is working, I can only state what I witnessed: U.N. staff and those of non-governmental organizations seem to feel they have the right set of circumstances to attempt to scale up their programs. And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq."

Angelina's dad John Voight is currently starring in American Carol and has been campaigning for John McCain.

Source

He's Back! Diddy's all Halloween-y — Sarah Palin "Scares Him"

CitizenSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 06:00:18 -0700

Diddy's back with a new video blog, and though it's not as long on nonsense as his last offering it's equally (and arguably) as short on substance. At least it's seasonally appropriate! Starring in his own horror movie, Diddy plays the clip of Katie and Sarah discussing newspapers, and Palin's reluctance to name a specific paper. The rest of the video is Diddy under the covers, in a not un-amusing homage to The Blair Witch Project, he cowers and says things like, "She's worse than the Boogeyman."

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The meat of his argument seems to be, "You could become the president of the United States. Did you hear the answer to that question? John McCain is 72." Though he opts not to go further with specifics. Much like Palin opting not to reveal certain media titles by which to possibly present a bias? Similar, Diddy? His claim isn't without some basis in fact, 30 percent of all Vice Presidents have gone on to takeover the top spot — though it would have been a nice addition to his argument if he'd included it. Maybe in the extended director's cut.

His grand finale, "I'm not coming out the covers. It safe underneath the covers. . . if I stay underneath the covers, she won't become president," is punctuated with a "Sarah!" His heart might be in the right place it's allegedly about getting out the vote — but I'd love to know a little bit more about why he's so scared of Sarah Palin. He caps it with an appeal to register to vote and the deadline (which in some states is sooner than the 6th, so check for yourself.) Who do you think is scarier — Sarah — or Diddy?

List of Generous Stars Shows Oprah Makes Biggest Give

LibertySugar — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0700

Oprah spent $50.2 million for education, health care, and women and children advocacy last year, topping The Giving Back Fund's list of celebrity donors.

Oprah has not one, but two foundations to help her share her estimated net worth of $1 billion — Oprah's Angel Network and The Oprah Winfrey Foundation.

She topped a few other lists this year, too. Oprah came in as the highest paid person on TV, and No. 1 on Forbes Most Powerful List. It's refreshing to see that the most powerful person is also the most generous star!

To see the top four runners-up,

The Stars Came Out at the Democratic Convention Last Night

CitizenSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:01:28 -0700

Citizen: After the spectacular roll call vote (I'm a sucker for the real party business) and equally spectacular sunset, the celebrities and luminaries descended upon the convention arena. In a bizarre game of "animal, vegetable, or mineral," it was "celebrity, politician, or media type?"

It's harder than it looks! Let's just say last night you would have seen me shamelessly tailing Aisha Tyler, Jurnee Smollett (of The Great Debaters) Alan Cumming, Joe Scarborough, Al Sharpton, and Gayle King. I will say I'm singularly responsible for Aisha getting a seat last night. The usher asked me if it was her (after seeing my not-so-subtle camera) and then promptly let her in. Though Liberty may take the prize for celeb-hounding. . .

Liberty: There wasn't a seat in the house during President Clinton's speech, so I watched with a large group around one of the many flat screens throughout the place. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid just happened to watching at the same TV! After the speech I got a chance to break it down with SF Mayor Gavin Newsom and his wife Jennifer. We all agreed that nobody can talk economics like Bill Clinton. And after it ended, Obama surprise and all, I caught the Clintons leaving their seats, and giving hugs to Jesse Jackson! Check out the view from behind the scenes in the video below.

To see the rest of the pics and the video

Meet a Celebrity Lobbyist Committed to Star-Powered Activism

CitizenSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:45:08 -0700

Parked in the intersection of politics and pop culture is the celebrity activist. There all kinds of ways celebrities get involved in causes from serving on boards to inspiring laws on Capitol Hill, and Tom Sheridan knows how to harness that fame and make the issue the real star. A lobbyist based in DC, he represents Bono and his work on the ONE campaign against global poverty. We sat down with him this week ahead of the big ONE event Kanye is headlining to benefit the organization here at the convention, and we couldn't have been more impressed. Tom Sheridan is using the intersection of fame and charity to inspire real change and a legion of committed issue advocates.

Can celebrities distract from an issue or a message? What are the hallmarks of a happy marriage between celebrity and activism?

It really comes down to two Cs. One is commitment and the other is credibility. I think if we go with alliteration and add in celebrity, I think that is where people will discern the difference between a celebrity using an issue to distract and/or promote themselves. There may be a fair trade in that but it doesn't always sustain a cause, and it doesn't get to the level of a policy change that we look for celebrities to engage in.

Well, we see celebrities speaking out on issues all the time. Is that enough to motivate change?

To see his answer,

Not Superdelegates . . . Look Who's Starring at the Convention!

CitizenSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:00:37 -0700

While there will certainly be party luminaries in Denver next week for the Democratic National Convention, there's a whole army of stars slated to be there too, partying it up in their own way. Concerts, parties — it's easy to forget there's a real party agenda amid all the fun. While I'm most looking forward to all of the wonky goodness, every vote, speech, and balloon drop, check out who else will be there besides the usual (Nancy Pelosi, Caroline Kennedy, Al Gore, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and many more!) political suspects. It's a cavalcade of stars.

Paris Hilton Ad Helped Internet Fundraising, McCain Campaign Says

CitizenSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 08:55:59 -0700

Paris Hilton Ad Helped Internet Fundraising, McCain Campaign Says On a Friday morning conference call with reporters, McCain campaign manager Rick Davis revealed that the Republican nominee pulled in approximately $27 million in July. But Davis also gave a hint that the August numbers — which will be released next month — should shape up well, too, in part because of the infamous Paris Hilton/Britney Spears "Celeb" ad that drew so much media attention last month after Barack Obama's world trip.

Obama's Celeb Ad Adopts McCain Line of Attack

CitizenSugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:07:56 -0700

Comeback? Obama's Celebrity Ad Adopts McCain Line of Attack For good or for ill, the "celebrity" meme is here to stay in the presidential race. After McCain's campaign attacked Obama on the grounds that he's too popular for his own good, Obama's ad makers have responded pointedly. As IMDB shows, John McCain has guest-starred or lent cameos to four dozen different television programs, and not just those of the news variety: Saturday Night Live, WWF Raw, and Entertainment Tonight have featured the Arizona Republican, as have all the major late-night comedians.

Celeb-Gate 2008: Someone Else Pulled the Paris-Punch First!

CitizenSugar — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:00:01 -0700

OK. I promise I'm about to get with the program and Move On (without the .org, thanks all the same) but I could not let this slip by: John McCain was not the first one to compare Barack Obama to Paris Hilton. (!!!) Especially since Liberty and I went head-to-head on the celebrity issue, this PS-revelation is too good.

Kathy Hilton also came out with an albeit brief retort about the McCain ad, calling it, "a complete waste of the money John McCain's contributors have donated to his campaign." Well, maybe — but at least the campaign didn't spend money coming up with the idea — that was handed right to them.

Wanna know who said:

Andy Warhol said we all get our 15 minutes of fame. I've already had an hour and a half. I mean, I'm so overexposed, I'm making Paris Hilton look like a recluse.

To find out,

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon Proved Globally Via Text Messages

CitizenSugar — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:06:41 -0700

Hey, don't I know you from somewhere? According to this new study, chances are, yes. Using records of 30 billion electronic conversations from 180 million people the world over, researchers have concluded that on average, any two people are only separated by 6.6 degrees of separation — meaning they could be linked together by seven acquaintances.

Kevin Bacon eat your heart out.

The researchers say, "to our knowledge, this is the first time a planetary-scale social network has been available to validate the well-known '6 degrees of separation' finding by Travers and Milgram." Within the study two people were dubbed acquaintances if they had zapped one another a text message. They then calculated the minimum chain lengths it would take to connect 180 billion different pairs of users in the database, finding it to be 6.6 hops.

Is it a small world after all? To see the study that started the six-degrees game,

She Said, She Said: RNC Rolls Out Obama/Celeb Quote Game

CitizenSugar — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:45:59 -0700

The game rolled out by the RNC today called "Who Said It? The Celebrity Edition" takes a quote, and makes you choose who said it between three Hollywood-famous types and Obama, my favorite quote being: "Who knows what a hitch ball is? This is a hitch-ball cover. We don't know what a hitch ball is. Anybody know?" It's harder than you'd think.

Given the prevalence of the big c-word this week (that's celebrity, dirty minders) and the fun-meaning yet controversial nature of the game, Liberty and I found ourselves at odds on what to make of it, so here we go: She Said, She Said: Obama vs. The C-Word.

Citizen: Perhaps the question is not what a celebrity is, but the behaviors we associate with someone seeking fame — rather than someone seeking service. Lest we forget, that's the essence of all of this. This game is designed to be a lark (and it is) but truth under it remains: famous is, as famous does. There are scads of people who behave as, and we follow as "celebrities" who don't follow any definition of celebrity — but because they act the part, and we respond accordingly. "Celebrity" is not tied to wealth, or fashion, or time on screen. Celebrity is the cultivation of adoration, plain and simple, and Obama has that in spades.

Anyone seeking fame knows they have to be seen by as many people, as often as possible, regardless of propriety — and the stunt of giving his nomination acceptance speech in the Thunderdome-setting of Denver's Mile-High stadium, affecting rock concert rather than party business, is an appalling display of hubris that completely circumvents the meaning of humbly accepting the nomination to serve one's country. There is a difference between political showmanship, and spectacle bordering on farce.

How many covers of Us Weekly and People has John McCain graced? None have crossed my desk, but I know of at least two Obama covers, (including the issue that hit the week before this ad was released) plus a fashion spread, plus debuting his kids' first interview on Access Hollywood. Not Meet the Press, not C-SPAN — but a show specifically designed and devoted to following celebrities. Ahem. I call your Maria Menounos and raise you a Scarlett Johansson. Obama is, and carefully curates, that very celebrated image.

Don't agree with me? You're in luck. To see what Liberty has to say,

Celeb "Burma" Campaign: Condescending or Commendable?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:45:25 -0700

Though this Spring's cyclone brought Myanmar crashing into our consciousness, the front page ink is drying — and along with it awareness for what is an extended situation for the Burmese to bear. Ah but first, is it Burma or Myanmar? The military regime changed the name from Burma to Myanmar (a short version of the name of the country in the local language) in 1989. The change is recognized by the UN and France and Japan, among others, though officially the US and UK don't. It's a question of does one let the country dictate the name, or does accepting the title bestowed by an undemocratically elected junta become a tacit approval of the regime? Even newspapers vacillate on what to call the country — the AP Stylebook uses the M-word, though it seems locals when writing use the formal Myanmar, but when speaking say Burma. That said, there are still movements out there trying to call attention to the human rights abuses in Myanmar. Chief among them, this: a celeb-filled ad on behalf of the USCampaignForBurma. I don't know quite what to make of this campaign, but I will admit, initially it got under my skin. Sarah Silverman pointing at a map telling me what the cue card says she should say I should know about, and Tila Tequila teaching geography amid her own mountain range? At least Sylvester Stallone cops to his previous ignorance about the problem and seems sincere. But watching it again, the ad does highlight vital info about the jailed prodemocracy leader, and the need to care long after the the initial glut of info following the cyclone. But something about it seems so unnervingly casual and flip. Honestly, what do you think? Is this a great ad?

Celeb "Burma" Campaign: Condescending or Commendable?

Condescending. It's a music-video look at a serious topic treating the viewers like idiots.

Commendable. The stars and humor grab you; it's the best way to spread the message.

I don't think it bothers me either way. What's the big deal?

Other. I'll tell you my opinion in the comments.

Obama Controls Stars, Puts Together Constellation of Bucks

CitizenSugar — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:10:10 -0700

What do Cindy Crawford, Seal, and Dennis Quaid have in common? Nope, it's not a movie remake version of Three's Company (I wish). They were just three of the celebs who came out to a pricey, glitzy Obama fundraiser last night in LA.

For the crowd of 900, Seal performed "A Change Is Gonna Come," while the campaign sang all the way to the bank. Estimated take from the shindig where VIP dinner tickets went for $28,500 per couple? About $5 million smackers. Not bad for a night's work — public funding does seem puny when your own public is the fabulously wealthy.

Other luminaries included Don Cheadle, Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Beals, and Lost producer JJ Abrams. Quaid introduced Seal's performance saying, "he's here tonight to sing for the superman for everyone — Barack Obama."

Is Barack snapping up the center square for the win in this money game of Hollywood Squares? It would seem so. To find out how,

How Much Is Too Much? Celebrity Death Tributes — Too far?

CitizenSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:00:26 -0700

For every lash, there is an equal and opposite lash in the reverse direction: a backlash if you will. So it is with a seemingly irreproachable story like the tribute paid to the passing of Tim Russert. After his shocking passing last week, the news hasn't been shy with coverage. From the moving tribute held during the usual Meet the Press time slot, all the way to today when MSNBC will broadcast the private memorial service at 4 p.m. EDT. Some are saying it's too much. In Debra Saunders column yesterday she acknowledged the Meet the Press tribute was appropriate, but then said: Overall, however, the hours and hours of tributes across the cable spectrum show the news media at their worst. For me, the Russert Weekend only served to confirm my suspicion that in 2008, cable TV stations can only do one story at a time -- and then they overdo it and beat it silly. . . An outstanding journalist of Russert's stripe rated more than a nice sendoff story. But there is another tenet of the profession that Washington TV news bureaus seem to have forgotten in the shock of Russert's passing: We are not the story.

Over on Slate, Jack Shafer had this to say: I wonder whether the media grievers gave a moment of thought to how this Russert torrent they produced played with viewers and readers. Did the grievers really think Russert was so important, so vital to the nation's course, and such an elevated human being that he deserved hour upon hour of tribute? I wonder whether any of the responsible journalists paused to think, "Hey, this is really weird. We're using our unchecked editorial power to soak the nation with our tears about our friend, and that's unseemly!"

Gawker went one step further and created the "Scale of Celebrity Death" ranking the impact of surprise celebrity demise. Princess Diana, incidentally, ranked a 10. Are celebrity death tributes, and the wall-to-wall media coverage surrounding them, too much? Do we need them to mourn those characters who've touched so many lives? At what point does a tribute become ghoulish?Source

How Much Is Too Much? Celebrity Death Tributes — Too far?

Not at all! Celebrities are people who've touched a lot of us — a group mourning is good.

There's a line between coverage and tribute (Russert) and what happened to Anna Nicole.

Yes. A story is one thing, 24-hours of coverage is too much and almost disrespecful.

Other. I'll let you know how I feel in the comments.

Tom Hanks/ Prof. Robert Langdon Not Welcomed in Church

LibertySugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:30:21 -0700

Tom Hanks is a persona non grata in all of the churches of the Vatican and Rome. The Vatican has banned the filming of Angels and Demons, Dan Brown's sequel to The Da Vinci Code because it is "an offense against God."

The head of the Vatican's Prefecture For Economic Affairs said:

[The stories] turned the Gospels upside down to poison the faith. It would be unacceptable to transform churches into film sets so that his blasphemous novels can be made into mendacious films in the name of business.

The Church did not even read the script, as the name Dan Brown was enough to merit a ban. In The Da Vinci Code, Brown suggests that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children, and Angels and Demons paints a picture of corrupt leadership in the Catholic Church.

I'm still trying to decide whether viewers are sophisticated enough to distinguish between fiction and accepted theology. Still, while modern moviegoers may wish the Catholic Church lightened up for the sake of art and entertainment, it's hard to imagine the Church freely giving its stamp of approval. Would it not lend credibility to the theology created by Dan Brown? Do you approve of the Church's disapproval?

Source

John Cusack Gets His Move On in New McCain-Is-Bush Ad

LibertySugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 00:00:30 -0700

Actor John Cusack has filmed a fast and furious political TV ad, challenging viewers to explain how John McCain is any different than President George W. Bush. He brings up issues like the GI Bill, ties to war profiteers, and children's health care. Check it out below.

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Move On wants supporters to help raise $70,000 to put the ad in front of swing voters. Do you think John's message can influence swing voters?

With President Bush's approval ratings at an all time low, will voters be able to form an opinion of Republican John McCain? I wonder why McCain doesn't do more to separate himself from Bush on the issues.

Source

Ashley Judd Speaks Up For Victims of Human Trafficking

LibertySugar — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:00:23 -0700

The UN General Assembly met yesterday to discuss human trafficking, an annually $32 billion illegal industry.

One star shined some light on the dark issue. Actress Ashley Judd, a board member of Population Services International, went to the UN headquarters in New York to speak about the cause she adopted after a 12-nation public health tour.

In her words to the General Assembly, Ashley explained:

I have been to 12 countries worldwide and spent a great deal of time in brothels, slums, hospices, youth drop-in centers, in both public hospitals as well as rural clinics. It is very difficult to leave behind people I know are victims of human trafficking. I defy anyone to walk out of a brothel or to walk out of an orphanage leaving those people behind. So I have been making a series of sacred promises: "I will never forget you" and "I will tell your story." I know that the unheard are helped when they are heard.

Right now about 2.5 million people face forced labor of sexual exploitation. Over 56 percent of these victims live in Asia and the Pacific. The UN estimates 1.2 million children are trafficked each year. When those with first-hand experience like Ashley share their stories, do you feel more connected to the victims and hope for a more urgent solution?

Source

Iran Bans Celeb Pics, Reese and Nicole Arouse Desire

CitizenSugar — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 03:00:26 -0700

Hot on the heels of Iran's parliamentary elections, Iran's Culture Ministry has just closed nine movie, celeb, and lifestyle magazines for publishing pictures and stories about the life of "corrupt" foreign film stars and promoting "superstitions."

Waiting until after the election (counting is still under way, though it's expected that the conservatives will retain power) was a move some suspect would discourage retribution at the ballot box. To see the official reason for the shuttering of the pubs and what this means for the future of Iran,