--- In [email protected], TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: <snip> > I can think of a few things that a few people on the list have > done to "put energy back into the system," and use their celebrity > status to bring public attention to issues that really *deserve* > people's attention. But it's really a few. Oprah has put her money > where her mouth is, as has Steven Spielberg and Angelina Jolie and > Johnny Depp and a few others. But the rest? Was it all "payoff" for > having hit the Big Time, spent on fancy houses and cars and bling > and investments, or did some of the fame and its benefits get > "recycled" and invested in helping others?
I'd be willing to bet that you couldn't find a single celeb on the top 25 list, at least, who hasn't been involved in some sort of charitable activity (some prominently, some more quietly). I'm aware of such activity on the part of about half that list. (Well, Tom Cruise is iffy, in that his most highly publicized activity has been on behalf of Scientology, but *he* thinks it deserves public attention.) I'd guess that if a celeb is big enough to have a publicist, they'll be involved in *something*, if only because publicists recognize the luster charitable work adds to a celebrity's name and reputation. It's pretty much a requirement. Pick a couple of names you're dubious about, and I'll see what I can find: > 'Rank' 'Name' 'Pay ($mil)' 'Web Rank' 'Press Rank' 'TV Rank' > 01 Oprah Winfrey 260 1 7 1 > 02 Tiger Woods 100 16 3 3 > 03 Madonna 72 2 1 6 > 04 Rolling Stones 88 7 14 20 > 05 Brad Pitt 35 15 9 12 > 06 Johnny Depp 92 32 21 39 > 07 Elton John 53 18 18 35 > 08 Tom Cruise 31 8 10 7 > 09 Jay-Z 83 10 47 50 > 10 Steven Spielberg 110 45 33 51 > 11 Tom Hanks 74 34 42 55 > 12 Grey's Anatomy cast 33 37 25 16 > 13 Howard Stern 70 59 58 5 > 14 Angelina Jolie 20 13 13 13 > 15 David Beckham 33 25 6 42 > 16 Phil Mickelson 42 81 12 18 > 17 David Letterman 40 60 32 10 > 18 Bon Jovi 67 21 57 53 > 19 Donald Trump 32 28 27 8 > 20 Celine Dion 45 20 59 65 > 21 Simon Cowell 45 74 43 38 > 22 U2 30 6 11 46 > 23 Kobe Bryant 33 66 28 30 > 24 Michael Schumacher 36 37 8 88 > 25 Shaquille O'Neal 32 52 20 33
