Home Politics & Debate
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.
Read the community guidelines before posting ✨

Celebrities as campaigners

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I was watching that programme on the most annoying people of 2007, and it mentioned the fact that Al Gore spent $30,000 on electricity last year, in his 8 bathroom mansion. And who am I to question the BBC 3 research team, I'm sure they do an excellent job? It also mentioned supposed eco-warrior Trudie Styler who is also a frequent passanger in a private helicopter. The UNICEF children's charity campaigner also fired her chef for requesting maternity leave, which isn't the best example of someone caring about children to be totally fair. There are countless similar stories about other campaigners like Bono and the rest of them. So my question is do these celebrities who don't practice what they preach (and I'm sure there are some that do prove that it's possible) do more harm than good for the causes they represent, or do they still offer a valuable contribution to the cause just by putting their name to it?

And while we're at it, does anyone know of any celebrities who do practice what they preach?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    do they still offer a valuable contribution to the cause just by putting their name to it?

    generally yes since the number of people they can get behind them and the potential good that can do would probably out number any contribution they themselves could make. though your right it is very hypocritical of them. but then one person on their own doesn't really make that much of a difference.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Celebrities are good for creating publicity and getting the message out.

    When it comes to practicing what they preach thats a different matter. I don't think John Travolta does the climate change lobby any good by flying here in his private plane to lecture us about our carbon emissions.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    And while we're at it, does anyone know of any celebrities who do practice what they preach?

    Tony Blair being a middle east peace envoy? :confused:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bob Geldof really pisses me off...

    I love Russell Brand.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bob Geldof really pisses me off...

    I love Russell Brand.
    Yeah I've heard a lot about Bob Geldof.

    Leonardo DiCaprio made it on the front of the Ecologist, when no other celebrity ever has. He does a lot of eco-friendly stuff.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Namaste wrote: »
    Yeah I've heard a lot about Bob Geldof.

    Leonardo DiCaprio made it on the front of the Ecologist, when no other celebrity ever has. He does a lot of eco-friendly stuff.

    Yeah, I've heard that he uses commercial airlines whenever possible. But anyway, my opinion is that it's all about the right celebrities, and the environmental charities have got it badly wrong. For charities like medical research or children's charities you can't really go wrong. But with eco charities it should really be the likes of David Attenborough. There seems to be a fundamental problem that the higher profile the celebrity, the more likely they are to be contributing to the problem.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Jemima Khan was praised quite a lot recently when she campaigned for democracy to be restored in Pakistan. Her husband took a lot of risks during the state of emergency too, if I remember. I've no problems at all with celebs doing that. Nor have I got an issue with them helping out charities - I think that's something we should all do a lot more.

    However, there are certain times when it's plain inappropriate or hypocritical. For example, Al Gore saying we should all use less energy when his own electricity bill adds up to $30k a year. And I wouldn't take any lectures from someone like Lewis Hamilton if he told me to pay Gift Aid on my donations - from a man who doesn't even pay tax here anymore? He could shove it!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yeah, I've heard that he uses commercial airlines whenever possible. But anyway, my opinion is that it's all about the right celebrities, and the environmental charities have got it badly wrong. For charities like medical research or children's charities you can't really go wrong. But with eco charities it should really be the likes of David Attenborough. There seems to be a fundamental problem that the higher profile the celebrity, the more likely they are to be contributing to the problem.
    Attenborough is patron of a few eco-charities... Conservation I think, like the Thames River Trust.

    It does depend on the cause... I mean for all their faults celebrities reach out to people who normally would not care about environmental issues and make them more accessible. As much as I hate to say this (as I feel it's kind of selling out just a little bit), but the environmental movement can't just grow by always preaching to the converted as it does.

    It needs to change its language, to make it more accessible to people who haven't had the opportunity to access higher education and to minority groups as the language has not only been criticised for being classist, but also ethnocentric.

    As much as I hate to say it, but not as many people would have gone to the climate change iCount march last year if KT and Razorlight weren't there and if that annoying tool from Nevermind the Buzzcocks wasn't there. Whether or not some of these people went to Macdonalds after, then drove in their 4X4s to Majorca an hour after the flight... It makes it look like there's greater support and it's less alienating.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bob Geldof really pisses me off...

    I love Russell Brand.

    :lol:

    "Sir Bobby Gandalf." :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bob Geldof really pisses me off...

    I love Russell Brand.

    ahahaha he was quick there
Sign In or Register to comment.