Celebrities as Spokespersons

(Artist Credit: Julia Watkins)

Are celebrities as spokespersons for various causes, good choices? Why do some people have a problem with celebrities speaking up about causes or issues they are passionate about?

This is something that's been on my mind today and I'm curious to hear from other people, their views on this.

Personally, I don't find it any different than you or I speaking up about an issue we are passionate about. And if someone is using their "celebrity status" to bring more awareness to a cause, I say more power to them.

I can understand it if someone famous speaks up about some issue, then turns around and talks, behaves, or otherwise contradicts what they were supporting or publicly speaking out on. However, it's been proven that in a number of cases, without the status of someone famous, an issue might otherwise have not been brought to the public limelight.

The more education we can spread about the causes and issues we feel are important, the better off it is, for both the cause and the people it may affect.

That's my belief anyway.

So when someone on Digg calls Hayden Panettiere an "airheaded celebrity" who is speaking up against the Japan whaling and their killing of dolphins, well it irritates me.

You don't have to like the celebrity, their movies, their shows, their books, etc .. but if you believe in the cause and you want more people to be aware of that cause, then I say kudos to the likes of Ms. Panettiere for taking the time to get involved and to help raise awareness.

Hayden Panettiere continues her attack on Japanese government

Hayden Still Saving the World


People like Magic Johnson, Arthur Ashe, Ryan White, and Rock Hudson put a face to the AIDS crisis. The likes of Judith Light, Garth Brooks, and Jennifer Beals have been outspoken in supporting equal rights and non-discrimination for the Gay Community. Folks like Pierce Brosnan, Matt Damon, and Ted Danson have brought a lot more awareness to preserving and protecting our oceans and marine life. There are many examples like these for many different causes.

I, for one, appreciate what they do, the time they put into their passions, the money they donate to help support these causes, and the heightened awareness they help spread.

It bugs me when some people feel the need to harp on certain celebrities about their causes and accuse them of either grandstanding or using their celebrity status for publicity. Now that may be the case sometimes, but I prefer to give them the benefit of the doubt and appreciate the end result more.

Negative energy breeds darkness. Positive energy breeds lightness.

I don't know about you, but the latter sounds like a recipe in contributing towards a better future and a much better world.

Mahalo,

Dolphin