Before He Cheats

Have you been reading the tabloids lately? If so, you’ve probably heard about what Jon did. Reportedly, Jon Goselin of Jon & Kate plus 8 has been cheating on his wife with a 23-year-old teacher. Is it true?

Jon & Kate Plus 8 is one of TLC’s star reality tv shows. It follows the lives of Jon and Kate Gosselin and their sextuplets and twins. (wow) The show’s fifth season is scheduled to premier on May 25, with more expected viewers than ever. Since the allegations of Jon cheating have started other rumors have arisen as well; that they are separated, and that Kate may have cheated. All this hype is sure to increase there numbers and make for a well-watched season. TLC isn’t shy about using this to their advantage, as they are advertising on their website that we can “hear it straight from them” during the season premier.

These accusations bring up ethical and moral issues. How will the kids be affected if he did cheat and (1) there is a publicized divorce or (2) she stays with her unfaithful husband? Jon and Kate say they are trying to give their children normal childhoods, but how is being reality television stars fulfilling that goal? The show is more an exploitation of the children’s lives for money and the entertainment of others. The kids are so young that most of their childhood memories will involve cameras and crewmen. Sure, they will have better home videos then the rest of us, but is that worth being able to read about your parent’s rocky relationship in old magazines or seeing their skirmishes on old episodes. I’m sure Jon & Kate saw an opportunity, a chance to be able to afford clothes, braces, and college tuition, and took it. (Whether they can afford the years of therapy will be another thing.) I just wonder if they realized how much was being compromised and the affect that the show could have on the kids’ ability to grow into well-adjusted adults.

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Jon & Kate are supposed to represent familial success, even through hard times. If they can’t recover from this scandal it will not only hurt their family but it will shake the confidence of millions of viewers and reinforce the idea that family values are being lost in the US.

Posted by Julia Cooch

Smoke Two Joints

In terms of international superstars, it’s hard to find a celebrity more popular this past year than Michael Phelps. His record setting eight Olympic gold medals was publicized across the globe, enrapturing viewers all over. After years of intense training and a series of near miracle finishes to perform possibly the greatest feat in Olympic history, Phelps deserves to relax and enjoy his life as a normal American. The Wheaties boxes, millions of dollars of advertisement money, and international fame were to be put on hold, as a national hero got some R & R to prepare for his next show of invincibility at the London 2012 Games. This is where things went downhill, as Phelps neglected his responsibilities to the public and decided to rip a bong in front of a camera at University of South Carolina.

Tabloids exploded with the news of the Olympic champion’s documented marijuana use. Phelps, a known party animal with a DUI already under his belt, was caught in the act, yet faced little serious repercussions. A few less sponsors and a short suspension from competitive swimming do not seem like a very painful punishment to the average Joe given severe penalties and potential jail time others receive for possession. Over and over, celebrities make the front pages with their drug use and promiscuous behavior, yet it seems that they thrive off the publicity and always get a second chance. Comedian/ former rapper Steve O has camera footage of him trying to get arrested and failing due to his celebrity status. Amy Winehouse refuses to go to rehab, yet seems to continually end up there. The evidence is plentiful to show that celebrities seem to get preferential treatment, and this just continues to justify the behavior in society at-large.

Phelps seemed to enjoy his extra leisure time during his suspension, making headlines once more for a more legal, yet arguably less safe activity. A stripper came out with a public statement stating that Phelps participated in a threesome with her and a friend, and that he also continued meeting up with her over the next few months to enjoy her company. She finally cut ties when she found out he was sleeping around with a number of other women, once again demonstrating Phelps’ lack of integrity. This double standard of morality mirrors that of legal issues, and it seems like it will not change any time soon.

Perhaps it is unfair to expect celebrities to act a certain way, though. Celebrity culture has a very distinct niche in society, providing entertainment and escape from the hassles of every day life. People like Michael Phelps rise to fame (usually not due to their superior intelligence) and are expected to act in a certain way because of their new status. After all, Michael Phelps is still just a young man who likes to party. A lot.

Posted by Julia Cooch

Golden Ticket

How many of you have ever found yourself with a ticket to an event—whether a concert, a sporting event, a play or show, or something of that nature—that you were unable to use? Interestingly enough, I found myself in that situation just last night. I was offered a ticket to one of the Stanley Cup playoff games to see the Washington Capitals play the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Verizon Center in D.C., but I had a prior obligation that I could not change. I also have a ticket for the Bruce Springsteen concert next week but I already know that, unfortunately, I will not be able to attend that either. There are so many of us out there; students who have tickets to school events, families and/or companies with season tickets for local sports teams, and other people who just have a ticket to something that they are not able to use. Our first probable instinct in this current economic climate is to sell the ticket, but what if you could donate your ticket and change one person’s life forever?

That is exactly the concept on which the non-profit organization, Most Valuable Kids (“MVK”) was founded. To be honest, the only reason I know about this organization is because its National Director is my family friend. She has been working for the organization, as one of its only two paid employees, since its creation about 6 years ago (the date is not provided anywhere on the www.mvk.org website but I was able to speak with the founder of Most Valuable Kids, Daryle Bobb over the phone and he told me they launched in 2003). Upon speaking with my family friend about the organization, at length, I continue to be impressed by its success in serving both the community and the people (celebrities, companies, teams, and “regular people” like you and me).

Athletes and teams, along with entertainment companies and performers, often have a certain number of tickets as part of their contracts. Teams and production companies likewise have unsold seats that go to waste and, as a business, subsequently portray a bad image in the public eye when seats are empty and arenas/stadiums/venues look dull. Recognizing this untapped resource, Daryle and Beth Bobb saw an opportunity. Mr. Bobb told me that, “[his] market research back in 2002 estimated that more than $30 million worth of tickets for professional and collegiate sporting events as well as cultural events go unused each and every year in the Washington D.C. area alone. …so [he] created this program [to allow] ticket holders to put their unused tickets towards a very good cause and receive a full tax write-off for the face value, and also fill those seats with less fortunate children who are both deserving and appreciative”. Most Valuable Kids definitely does just that. It provides an easy medium for these teams and their athletes, or for these producers and their performers, to fill stadiums, while doing "good" in the community.

We all know that live events are not cheap. Much of our community is not financially able to attend many of these live events, especially young children. Most Valuable Kids provides “boys and girls, 18 and under, through the numerous organizations that focus on children in low-income and underserved households,” with this opportunity. The organization started right here in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area but, based on the homepage of the website which has a drop-down icon in the upper right corner of the screen with links to different cities’ chapters of Most Valuable Kids, it appears to have grown to four other markets (Omaha, NE; Cincinnati, OH; New York, NY; and Cleveland, OH) with the main headquarters still here in Washington, D.C. The concept seems to be catching on and, with the right people to lead and run the various local chapters around the country; I bet it will only continue to spread across the nation.

MVK is successful in serving both the community and everyday people (again, these people refer to anyone who falls into the ticket donor category—athletes, celebrities, you, me, companies with corporate suites or season tickets, family season-ticket holders, and even the teams, leagues, and producers themselves). I remember seeing a sign at a Washington Wizards (D.C. NBA team, for those of you who don’t know that!) game a few years ago saying “Antawn’s Army of Most Valuable Kids”. When I read about the details of this promotion, I found that “as an NBA rookie with the Golden State Warriors, Antawn [Jamison] started "Antawn's Army," a charity ticket program in which he purchased tickets for numerous youth and student organizations every month, enabling them to attend a Warriors home game as his special guests. Antawn continued this program in Dallas when he played for the Mavericks and then in Washington with the Wizards. In 2005, Jamison teamed up with Most Valuable Kids with an Antawn's Army of Most Valuable Kids section in the Verizon Center. Jamison generously donates 20 seats to 20 home games for Most Valuable Kids, and the group gets t-shirts, meal vouchers, and a welcome on the Jumbo-tron."

Here is a perfect example of how an organization basically handed a professional athlete an opportunity to give back to the community. In this case, of course, Mr. Jamison was already providing tickets to underprivileged children on his own, without the help of MVK. But, for other athletes and celebrities out there, this organization provides a tool to make the act of giving a simple, easy and, seamless process. For more on how the process works, feel free to visit this part of the website. There are a few interesting articles and letters from recipient children linked to the “About MVK” section that are also worth a read…especially if you want to be touched and inspired!

The inspirational message one can take away from this can be different, based on which aspect with which you most identify. You may be inspired, like me, to donate just one unused event ticket and change the life of one lucky kid. You could have season tickets and you never attend every game. You may even be an employee at a local Boys and Girls Club and you want to become a recipient organization. You may be a teenager, reading this piece from your school computer, having always dreamt of attending a Redskins game or a Wizards game and you want to submit your name as a potential recipient. Are you an athlete looking to find a way to give back to the local community but you don’t want to have to give a speech or make an appearance anywhere? Here is your chance to make an impact on the lives of boys and girls who need your star power and resources to provide them with the full “game experience”. Or, even more inspiring, to me at least, is the story of Daryle and Beth Bobb, the founders of Most Valuable Kids, and their devotion to creating this amazing organization.

Posted by Stephanie Cantor

In da "Golf" Club

When I saw a group of four walking to the car with their golf clubs the other day outside of my dorm, I thought about how popular golf outings and, more specifically, celebrity golf outings are these days. The main reason I think this type of event has become so popular is that it combines the benefits of having fun, getting exercise, and raising large amounts of money for an organization. Once you attach a few “A-list” (or B-list) celebrity names to any charity golf tournament, people start lining up to join.

Since the summer months are upon us and, thus, more of the country is entering their “golf season”, it seems appropriate to discuss the growing popularity, and its related success, of celebrity charity golf outings. There are numerous charity golf outings taking place around the country year-round, but there is an obvious surge in the number of these events during this time of year.

Without seeming cynical about the motivation behind these events, it is important to recognize that, although there is some question about the motivation of the participants themselves, these events do still support some charitable cause and are still organized and managed by charitable foundations or events companies on behalf of some charitable organization.

That being said, it is still difficult to admit that celebrity golf tournaments are probably the highest revenue-generating charity functions out there. I was unable to find data or proven evidence to support this notion but, for the purposes of this discussion, we can all agree that golf outings are one of the most popular and well-supported charity events of which we know.
When trying to delve deeper into this issue, it is interesting to learn that blogs and websites out there definitely pay homage to this growing pastime, but it’s difficult to find information about the foundations themselves, or about other events and/or other ways to contribute to that particular cause.

There are books about “how to plan a successful golf outing” and a plethora of resources on the topic, yet one can find significantly and shockingly fewer resources about the actual charities/foundations associated with these events. Granted, these books and websites also provide help with planning or organizing other types of charity events, but again, golf outings, especially those that feature a few well-known celebrity names, are the most popular. There is even a website dedicated solely to listing a schedule of upcoming celebrity charity golf tournaments with the dates and information, highlighting the celebrities, of course, including a link to those sites. But it’s not as easy to find those foundations’ or community sites on their own, just as a simple ‘giving back’ Internet search. There are resources out there, even some helpful links in the above referenced “fundraiser help” website, wherein one can find other necessary information about charity events in general, but it seems clear that attaching a celebrity name to an event like golf, where people are doing something they would ordinarily do on that given day anyway, is the way to go. The issue I have with that, is that the participants, those who pay top dollar to play in these tournaments and pay that pricey fee just to be in the presence of these celebrities, are often doing so without ever knowing what cause they are supporting or, furthermore, that they are even playing golf FOR CHARITY that day.

At the end of the day, however, it is better to raise the funds and to support some good cause than not to do it at all. Maybe I should not focus so much on the way in which people choose to donate or how much they know about what cause they are even supporting that day, as long as they are supporting a cause at all. The fact remains that these golf outings are a huge success, no matter which way you look at it. If celebrities enjoy playing golf and help drive more support for a certain cause by doing it, it still fulfills some level of social responsibility with regard to giving back, and perhaps those celebrities, or the non-celebrity golf participants, would not have otherwise done so.

Posted by Stephanie Cantor

Surfin USA

The public eye has always followed, to the point of stalker paparazzi, celebrities’ movements. While some of them soak up the publicity, most wish to be left alone and have some sort of normalcy. So why all the sudden are they letting us in, by reaching out through Twitter?

Twitter is a cell phone application and website that allows you to post 140 character updates about what you are doing. It is a new form of mass communication. You can tell everyone you know that you are at the dentist, got a promotion, or in a bad mood. There is a certain amount of narcissism that goes into this, thinking that everyone should care about your every thought and action, but it looks like this is the sort of attitude that our society is heading towards. Apparently celebrities are just as self-important as we are (they have a reason to be though) and can twitter too. This way, Twitter not only allows you to stay connected to friends and family, but it lets you feel connected to celebrities.

Many celebrities have joined twitter because it is the “hip” thing to do. Most of them have motives behind it besides just loving their fans that much. It could be a big ego or to incrase their exposure and increase their popularity. Some celebs definitely use it as a promotional tool, to gain hype. Brittney Spears’s entourage writes her twitters and they supposedly generally read something like “Congrats on the #1 Album Britney!! We're all so happy for your here at Team Britney!” Like Brittney, most celebrities don’t actually write their own twitters. They are done by an assistant, which just shows that the celebrities themselves don’t actually care that much. Most are just using it for a little shameless self-promotion.

But of course could care less, because we just want to know what Dave Matthews ate for dinner.

Posted by Julia Cooch

I'm Too Sexy for My Shirt

Celebrities are hounded by the paparazzi all day long, no matter where they go. We get to see their kids, their significant others, where they vacation, and most importantly, what they wear. Celebrities’ outfits are caught on camera regardless of whether they are red-carpet ready or just going to the grocery store. By now the stars know that their appearance is being judged, no matter what the occasion is, which is why many stars are always dressed appropriately.

Whether we realize it or not most celebrities influence most of our fashion choices choices. When they wear certain brands and certain trends, we hear it and see it, and it becomes more fashionable to us. “That star influence plays out in fashion magazines, catalogs and store displays; which women feel more comfortable crediting, but ultimately it still goes back to the celebs,“ explains Kim Kitchings, director of research and planning for Cotton Incorporated.

Unfortunately this isn’t always a good influence. Celebrities aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. They try to be fashion forward and sometimes it’s a flop. Even though we think we may be good judges, or the magazines and blogs we read are good judges, we get confused too. Every era has had bad trends that were in some way celebrity endorsed. Ponchos, midriffs, shoulder pads, platform shoes, and rompers to name a few. They are created by fashion designers but brought to the public eye through celebrities. This trickle down effect can dilute the original intent of the style, and makes the public think that it can look good on anyway. Sorry guys, it doesn’t.

One of the greatest influences celebrities have is making women think it is okay to dress inappropriately. Celebrities often sport racy and over sexualized styles, to keep the attention of the public. Women and girls then think that they should dress this way as well in order to look hot and get attention themselves. Paris Hilton in a barely bikini is a prime example. Or Lady Gaga being way overexposed. Yikes, that’s just scary.

Celebrities and their stylists need to be aware of how the fashion choices they make affect the clothing market and the decisions of American women. Stay classy LA.

Posted by Julia Cooch

Juicy

Alex Rodriguez, more commonly known as A-Rod, has been a mega-star in Major League Baseball for years. However, his talent for setting an example on the diamond clearly does not carry over off the field. Recently, A-Rod has been anything but a role model for young athletes across the country hoping to one day make it to the big leagues. The release of 2003 steroid testing has tainted his legacy forever. Not to mention that in 2003, the year he tested positive, A-Rod was American League home run leader and MVP. You can’t ignore the fact that on numerous occasions when discussing other athletes caught doping, the prolific batter had explicitly stated that he had never used performance-enhancing drugs at any time in his career. And on top of all this, A-Rod had been dominating headlines with rumors of an alleged affair with Madonna mere months before. This all came out at the tail end of his divorce with his wife, who blamed Madonna. Not bad for a celebrity so concerned with protecting his self-image that he hired a consulting agent to help him maintain positive press.

 

A-Rod blames his steroid use on the immense success and fame he encountered early on in his career. He points to huge expectations and the weight of his bulky MLB contract. Making excuses seems to be the last route someone in Rodriguez’s shoes should take, but apparently his publicists think differently. Maybe it truly is the culture of professional sports, accepted in clubhouses, for coaches and owners look the other way. Maybe the trainers urged players towards juicing to enhance their play, and even administered some drugs to unknowing users. At the end of the day though, how can he be let off the hook? Alex committed the ultimate sporting sin, taking banned substances to try and give himself the edge over the next man. A little shrinkage and a few fits of rage later, he’s that much stronger than his opponent.

 

The problem isn’t just the self-inflicted harm, but the example that he is setting. With the millions of little leaguers following his every movement, it seems like a person in Rodriguez’s position should be very careful about the way he carries himself. Breaking the rules then lying about as low as someone can stoop as a role model, and the way he’s handled himself since getting caught is like watching a derailed train try to make it to its destination anyway. Rodriguez also verbally attacked the journalist who broke the story. Selena Roberts, a writer for Sports Illustrated, is now planning on writing a book detailing all of A-Rod’s past crimes, including allegations that he used steroids in high school. In his public confession on national television, Alex ranted about Roberts and claimed she had stalker-like tendencies. This PR mess resulted in A-Rod making what must have been quite the awkward call to apologize. Left and right, A-Rod is being the perfect model- for how not to handle oneself as a public figure or as a human being in general.

His saving grace, though, may prove to be what got him here in the first place- his natural talent for the game. After having hip surgery and missing the start of this season, Alex homered the first pitch he faced upon his return. Other athletes like Jason Giambi and Shawne Merriman have regained their image post-steroids through their play, and it seems that Alex may indeed do the same. This route doesn’t seem to be working out for him; he may be old news with the recent media circus surrounding Manny Ramirez’s steroid use.

Yellow

What started as a simple creative charitable idea by the famous U.S. cyclist and record-setting Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong, has not only raised millions of dollars and heightened awareness with its inspiring message, but the legendary yellow wristbands have become the must-have accessory.

The yellow band that started out as a simple fund raising tool has taken on a life of its own. This seems to be the ultimate example of how a well-known athlete used his name power and his public battle with cancer to create one of the most powerful foundations and charitable campaigns ever. What’s most inspiring about Lance Armstrong’s story is not just his battle with cancer, but his subsequent determination and inhuman-like dedication to overcome that battle and turn it into unprecedented athletic success.

As a tribute to Armstrong's fight against cancer, the Lance Armstrong Foundation began selling yellow wristbands engraved with his mantra, "Live Strong" in an effort to raise $5 million to help people living with cancer. The fundraising effort began in May 2004 and far surpassed the original goal, having sold “over 25 million wristbands” that year. The Foundation partnered with Nike and sold over 100 million over the course of the last 5 years, but the band has become “as much a fashion statement or status symbol as it is an icon of the Lance Armstrong Foundation's fundraising program”.

The promotion was so successful that the Foundation partnered with Nike stores across the country to sell the bands to help satisfy the overwhelming consumer demand rather than exclusively selling them on the foundation's web site. Eventually, we all started seeing those yellow bands on various websites, including e-Bay, selling the LiveSTRONG wristbands at inflated prices. Perhaps, at that time, the campaign lost sight of its initial goals of just supporting the age-old fight against cancer, and became bigger than just a nice token to support a charitable cause. I guess there was not much the foundation could do about that and they were not benefiting from the profits these third-party companies/websites were collecting from the resale, but they certainly became way more of a fashion statement and a trend than a symbol of social responsibility.

One of the reasons the yellow wristband program was unique and so successful was that the donation was only one dollar. But for a small donation, the wearer was able to identify himself with a world-class athlete who has reached global celebrity status.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation's Livestrong fundraising program started a mass production of copycat products. How many of us are guilty of wearing some sort of colored wristband at some point in the past 5 years? We all took part is this crazy trend in one way or another. If you did not buy a wristband of some sort for your favorite sports team or to support a random event or a cause you did not even know you were supporting but you liked the color of the wristband, you are probably part of the minority! It is a sad, but very telling truth. Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason to the success of a new fashion trend but, in this case, it drove the success of a very serious and powerful campaign. One will never know if Lance Armstrong’s amazing success in the Tour de France translated into supporters and fans wanting the wristbands or if the wristbands just became such a hot item that they really had nothing to do with that name-power of the athlete or the business sense of the foundations’ founders. At the end of the day, however, the campaign was extremely successful; everyone knows that. You don’t need to research the numbers or study the top celebrity foundations to know that Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong Foundation is probably at the way top of the charts. This is one successful story that may never be matched in terms of its undisputed success!

Posted by Stephanie Cantor

So Dangerous

Handsome, chiseled, skilled in hand-to-hand combat, and looks good in a cape. He’s everything your looking for in a man, but the behavior of this heartthrob has been on the fritz lately. With last years hit The Dark Night and Terminator Salvation’s anticipated release, Christian Bale has been having his share of professional success, but personally it’s be another story.

Christian Bale has been a fairly private star, not often seen in tabloids or celebrity news. His ability to keep this privacy has changed since his recent explosion (audio clip – explicit) on the set of Terminator was leaked to the public. Apparently the Director of Photography accidentally walked on to the set, ruining a scene, which triggered Bale’s harassment. If you listen to the clip you can tell there is no way the poor guy deserved that kind of verbal attack. After its occurrence Bale promptly released a formal apology citing the incident as “inexcusable.” This incident brought back memories of last years fight with his mom and sister, after they asked him for money. When questioned about the alleged assault, Christian Bale dismissed it as a family matter, and after some time it was forgotten.

So what’s his deal? Looks like somebody need anger management classes. Maybe all his success is making him suffer from an inflated ego, or maybe he is just a mean person. I have to respect him for his wish to remain private, and that he uses his talent, and not the media to gain fame. But if his behavior continues his personal issues will start to affect his professional ones. Studios won’t want to hire an unstable actor and audiences will be disappointed that they can’t stare at his beauty. Maybe we should know more about what’s going out with Christian, because chances are he isn’t just hurting himself.

Posted by Julia Cooch

Jump: NBA Cares

If you watch sports on television, whether you are a die-hard sports fan or not, you have probably seen at least some promos for each league hyping their involvement, as a league, in giving back to the community. It is easiest to examine the NBA’s community involvement because, believe it or not, when surfing the web for each professional sports league’s publicized charitable involvement, the National Basketball Association has the most information and resources out there. I found that surprising because, as a moderate sports fan, I know that I see more ads about the NFL and United Way than I think I’ve ever seen about “NBA Cares” or anything at all, for that matter, for either the NHL or Major League Baseball’s league commitment to the community.

It seems fitting that the NBA has the most available information because, due to their “bad rap” in the community with various fights, players with a history of legal trouble, and overall negative images, the league executives are continuously trying to create a more positive image as a whole. The NBA is, in fact, desperate for its fans to know how much it does for the community (and they should be!).

In 2005, in an effort to restore a sense of dignity to his league, commissioner David Stern issued a dress code that required “business casual clothing while players were engaged in team or league activities off the court”, and forbade many items “including t-shirts, hats, chains, or anything else that one might associate with a rap star.” The following season, the NBA instituted its NBA Cares community program.

Now, some could argue that the timing of the NBA’s launch of “NBA Cares” was self-serving (because it was right after the infamous fight in Detroit between the Indian Pacers and the Detroit Pistons which caused a media uproar about violence in the NBA), but that does not necessarily mean that the NBA isn’t ‘doing good’ in the community. In fact, the NBA has created some compelling programs with sufficient data and evidence of success to support them!
According to its website (and an article written after the NBA Cares announcement in 2005 ), the NBA, its teams, and its players “committed to donating $100 million to charity, providing a million hours of hands on service to the community and creating 250 places where kids and families can live, learn or play.” For the most part, the NBA seems to be making steady progress toward its goal. According to the website, players, teams, employees, etc. have already raised $62 million and have donated over 450,000 hours of their time. The league has partnered up with 38 leading charities (click for full list) including the American Red Cross, the Make a Wish Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and KaBOOM. Say what you want about the players lack of respect in the community, but these numbers and partner organizations are rather impressive.

Since the launch of NBA Cares, the updated numbers (as of this week) show that the league, players and teams have raised “more than $105 million for charity, donated more than 950,000 hours of hands-on volunteer service to communities worldwide, and built more than 415 places where kids and families can live, learn or play.”
Here is what they say is the mission of NBA Cares: “The NBA is dedicated to demonstrating leadership in social responsibility, using the popularity and visibility of its teams, players and the league to effect positive change around the world. NBA teams and players understand the responsibility they have to giving back to the communities that support them, and they do so through a diverse array of outreach programs and events. The larger NBA Family (including current and former players and coaches, parents, wives, referees, and league and team employees) is committed to giving back, motivated by the unique opportunity to make a profound difference.”

Some programs they support and discuss in the report include the league’s award-winning Read to Achieve program, which encourages young people to develop a lifelong love of reading; The Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA program that helps young people develop the fundamentals of the game with a focus on sportsmanship and teamwork; and Basketball without Borders, an initiative designed to bring international communities together through grassroots basketball and community building efforts. Through NBA CARES, the league also works with internationally-recognized youth-serving programs that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes. The NBA sends out monthly newsletters to its fans and/or anyone who expresses an interest, with updated information about the NBA Cares initiatives and what they’re doing each month. They really do have all angles and various levels of community outreach and support covered in this all-encompassing program, don’t they?

I am open to your opinions, thoughts, and/or findings beyond what I have been able to find about the other leagues. I would like to start an open discussion about the other leagues’ community involvement, in hopes of compiling data to compare the NBA’s, the NFL’s, Major League Baseball’s, and the NHL’s community platforms.

For now, however, this information is extremely impressive, no matter which way you cut it. Even though it seems to me that this entire campaign started out of desperation--in hopes of cleaning up the image of the NBA as a whole--it definitely DOES serve some good to the community in many, many ways. I have a hard time believing any of the other professional sports leagues have done as much or can show such measurable results as the NBA Cares program has in the past 4-5 years.

Posted by Stephanie Cantor

Party Like a Rockstar: Celebrities Use the Superbowl to Raise Money and PARTY

As with the popularity and the name power of celebrities, sporting events are a great way to draw attention and exposure to any given fundraising initiative. The most popular event, because it typically draws the largest crowds, I would think, is the Super Bowl. Other similar events which tend to host an array of charity events include; (but this list is, by no means, official or extensive as it is just off the top of my head), NBA, NHL and MLB All-Star weekends, the three major horse races (Preakness, Kentucky Derby, and Belmont), and others. I just know that we always read about the long lists of celebrities who attend the Super Bowl and its corresponding events, both for and not for profit.

Celebrities are using the Super Bowl to raise money too. According to the blog, Look to the Stars: The World of Celebrity Giving, actor Ashton Kutcher hosted a party in Tampa, FL to raise money for the Giving Back Fund during this past year’s Super Bowl weekend. Upon digging further into the whereabouts of this event, The Giving Back Fund’s website was able to provide all details. American Idol winner, Jordin Sparks, hosted two events during Super Bowl week in Tampa as part of her 2nd Annual Jordin Sparks Experience Charity Event. The New York Times article, Is Star Power Enough to Sell Beer in Hard Times? Two Brewers Hope So, reports that Conan O’Brien donated his fees from his appearances in an Anheuser-Busch Super Bowl commercial to The Fresh Air Fund.

Corporations jump on the Super Bowl bandwagon with their marketing as well: Pittsburgh-based FedEx Ground and the Pittsburgh Steelers created the Towels for Troops campaign in conjunction with Military Connections. "FedEx shipped thousands of Terrible Towels to Steelers fans who were serving in the military overseas." FedEx is a Pittsburgh Steelers corporate partner but it seems they build much of their campaign, both the charitable component and promotional, around the Super Bowl each year…especially when the Steelers are playing in the Super Bowl, as they did this year!

According to NFL.com’s Sponsor section, before the Super Bowl, Campbell's Chunky soups ran a “Click for Cans” Campaign. Fans were asked to "click" their team to victory on the Campbell's site. Campbell's Chunky soup and the NFL “donated 18,000 cans of soup to the winning team's local Feeding America food bank.” The Green Bay Packers won the contest but the NFL and Campbell’s reported that they far exceeded their expectations with the success of that campaign.

There was a publicized website available prior to the Super Bowl this year, which posted a schedule of all Super Bowl events, parties, etc. Included in that list, was a celebrity charity golf tournament wherein the celebrities could play for the charity of their choice, (wow, now they can play golf and then choose where to donate the money but they were forced to donate it!), a “Band Together” hosted by former NFL star Jerry Wunsch benefiting the Wunsch Family Foundation (yet, interestingly enough, just as with most of these events, I had a VERY difficult time finding information about the Wunsch Foundation and what, if anything specific, it benefited), and then you will read on and on to find that all “galas,” “bashes,” parties, extravaganzas, etc. associated with Super Bowl weekend all had SOME tie to charity. I guess this was a sneaky way for the foundations to attract the masses to their events and, more so, to draw sponsors for the event in order to defray some of the enormous budgets on which they inevitably operate. For a complete list from this past Super Bowl, click on this link.

My point is that, just as with many of the issues we tackle in these discussions about celebrities’ involvement in the community and in ‘giving back’ it is, yet again, clearly apparent that there is reason to question their motivation. Many use the excuse of the Super Bowl to host extravagant parties and then create some charitable component to justify the obnoxious price tag of the tickets for these events. In some cases, as it seems from various reports on Ashton Kutcher’s party, the celebrities really DO have a sincere tie to the cause and work hard, year-round, to support and promote that cause. In this case, they just use the Super Bowl as a way to tap into the masses and have MUCH better turnouts for the events. There was even an article about how celebrities were going “head to head” to fight for the audiences when charity events during Super Bowl Weekend took place at the same time. This is a good problem to have, right?! So many fans and potential donors flock together in one city every year for Super Bowl Weekend. They all want to attend the ‘hottest’ events. When a celebrity like Kevin Costner hosts a charity event at the exact same time as Ashton Kutcher (where, by association, you KNOW you are also paying to go see Demi Moore!), IF you can afford to pay the whopping $1,000 ticket prices, how do you decide which celebrity event to attend?

It seems there is an abundance of celebrity charity events surrounding Super Bowl Weekend and All-Star Weekends each year. It is up to the public to choose which events they wish to attend, which they can afford to attend and, hopefully, which charitable cause is most appealing. The only remaining question, on that note, is whether or not event-hoppers choose which events to attend based on the charitable cause to which it is associated or based on the celebrity hosts and attendees. This would be a very interesting study to conduct but the only way to do so is to attend next year’s Super Bowl myself, and poll the fans attending each event! Stay tuned…in February, 2010!

Posted by Stephanie Cantor

Clothes 'Em Up

Kim Kardashian is one of those celebrities that is famous for being an “it” girl. The curvaceous daughter of the defense lawyer for the renowned OJ Simpson case has filled the tabloids lately. However it has not always been this way. In fact, this celebutant essentially languished in obscurity until 2001 when the sex tape she made with her ex boyfriend and famous rapper Ray J. surfaced. As a result she is viewed as a salacious “bad girl.” It should be no surprise that she has recently begun to publicize her acts of charity.

She told tabloids "I do an eBay auction once every three months, and my whole family gets involved. If we’re photographed wearing something, we don’t typically like to wear it again, so we do these auctions, and I give the proceeds to the Dream Foundation, which is kind of like Make-A-Wish, but it grants wishes to terminally ill adults." However, what she didn’t make clear in her statement is that she is only donating 10% of the profits to the Dream Foundation, according to her auction site. Certainly this is better than nothing at all, but it seems that giving such a meager percentage is hardly worth all of the praise she initially got for these good acts in the tabloids.

Are those that purchase any of the treasured items from this icon’s closet really helping out the charity foundation? Or are the bidders mostly allowing Kim to continue to keep up her streak of never being caught in the same outfit twice? Is this really charitable or is it a “nicer” way for the celeb to preserve her status as a fashion icon? Is Kim emptying her closet to grant the wishes of terminally ill adults or is Kim freeing up some much needed space while picking up a bit of positive publicity in an attempt to tack on some respect to her name?

Kim did also tell reporters "This way, you get to do something good... and look good doing it.” Hopefully she truly is more concerned about the “good” itself that she could do with her fame rather than how she “looks” while doing it.

Posted by Stephanie Cantor

"Nobody's Perfect" But Miley Certaintly Comes Close

Miley Cyrus: so young, so famous, so charitable. Miley Cyrus, or more commonly known as Hannah Montana, is a pop singer sensation, acclaimed actress, charity founder, and only sixteen years old. Most teenagers are worrying about driver’s licenses and school dances at the age of sixteen, but Miley Cyrus is driving around the nation touring and dancing in concerts. Named the richest kid in the world by People magazine, Cyrus focuses on maintaining her number one spot on Billboard’s Top 200 albums, the rumors created by tabloids, her singer/actress career, and what to do with all of her money. At the age of sixteen, Cyrus does it all.

Cyrus uses her musical talent in order to help children who suffer from illnesses. Through the organization Musicians on Call Cyrus performs for children in hospitals at their bedside in order to bring them happiness, hope, and some entertainment. Furthermore, Cyrus performed in a benefit concert in which proceeds were given to this organization. Another organization that Cyrus devotes her musical talent to is City of Hope. This is an institution that is dedicated to cancer prevention, cure and treatment research. Back in 2008, Cyrus performed at a concert with The Jonas Brothers that benefited City of Hope. In addition, for every Hannah Montana concert ticket that was sold, Cyrus donated one dollar to the organization.

Beyond donating to and performing for organizations, Cyrus recently created a family organization of her own: The Pappy Cyrus Foundation. Pappy, Cyrus’ grandfather, passed away a few years ago due to lung cancer. The foundation uses its funds to support various charities in the United States that provides children with health care, education, and community support. Cyrus has taken an active stance in raising money for the foundation by auctioning off an evening with her as well as items from Cyrus’ wardrobe, autographed head shots, and autographed movie posters. And, of course, all proceeds go to the foundation.

At the age of sixteen, many may wonder how does she do all this? How is this teenager able to manage a million-dollar career, school work, a social life, paparazzi and still have time to devote to charity? If anyone has the answer, please let me know so I can be the next super teen. But, more importantly, the question that runs through my head is why? Why does Miley Cyrus devote her time and money to charity? While we may also never know the answer to this question, it is something worth pondering. As a teenager, we all know that peer pressure exists: peer pressure to wear the “cool” clothes, do drugs, and break rules. Is it possible that Miley Cyrus is experiencing peer pressure in the form of what other celebrities are doing? Why Cyrus does her charity work can be attributed to the fact that other celebrities are doing it, and thus she must keep up with them, no matter how busy her schedule is. Conversely, the answer to this question, why, can be out of mere generosity. It could be that Cyrus genuinely enjoys helping others, raising money for charity, and using her talent for the better. Whatever Cyrus’ motives, helping others is always a good thing to do with your time. And hey, “Nobody’s perfect!”

Posted by Stephanie Cantor

Sorry Ms. Jackson

Remember when there was a slight wardrobe malfunction at the 2004 super bowl? In their halftime performance Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson caused quite the stir when too much of Ms. Jackson was displayed. You probably had forgotten all about this, and for good reason, because it was five years ago. Unfortunately the irresponsibility of these pop stars had caused major problems for CBS and wasted plenty of taxpayers’ money through dragged out court cases.

 After the incident occurred back in January of 2004 the Federal Communications Commission fined CBS $550,000. By July 2006 CBS had taken the FCC to federal court to try and appeal the fine and in July 2008 it was finally appealed. Today the Los Angeles Times reported that the Supreme Court mandated that the case should be looked at again and was sent to the Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia, so CBS may end up having to pay the fine.

Is it the government itself that is wasting money and time pursuing this case? Maybe they are just doing their job. As much as we might feel that the “wardrobe malfunction” doesn’t matter that much, when it occurred the FCC had to do something. If they had not issued a fine there would have been even more complaints then the ones that we have today over why this is still continuing. It is unfortunate that the court system is long and arduous, but our appeals system allows more fairness and fewer mistakes. It is easy to want the government to just drop the whole thing and stop being wasteful, but they are just trying to be responsible.

Maybe instead we should be annoyed those who were being irresponsible – JT and Janet. Maybe CBS or MTV’s (they produced the show) told them to do it, the fact is that Jackson and Timberlake made a decision and it was the wrong one. Why weren’t Timberlake and Jackson held accountable for their actions? They offended the American public and caused an uproar that forced the government to act, which in turn used up the public’s time and money within the legal system. Today they seem unaffected as they continue to tour and put out new cds, but as the court cases continue their action continues to affect us.

Fly Like an Eagle

It’s a natural thing for children (and young adults) to look up to athletes, movie stars, musicians, and other celebrities who excel at a certain talent. Kids used to look up to doctors, lawyers, teachers, firemen, and police officers. They used to aspire to be just like mommy and daddy. It seems, unfortunately, that those days are long gone. Sure, there are still a small percentage of kids that dream about being a fireman, lawyer, or doctor but, with the millions of dollars being paid to athletes these days, being a professional athlete is the way to go. For all the attention, glamor, and multimillion-dollar contracts, there are thousands of kids that don’t make it big. Or, more so, that do not have the opportunity to make it big because certain resources are not available to them or they don’t have the means.

Athletes have always, and will continue to be put on a proverbial pedestal by society and, thus, by our children. For every athlete that makes it ‘big’, there is a little kid with his or her poster on his wall, his jersey on his back, and his signature shoes on his feet. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are spending a great deal of time designing their next model of the “LB Line” or the “Zoom Kobe Hyperdunk” but are they giving back to their communities or trying to make a different in one of those very fan’s lives?

At the height of Micheal Jordan’s career, everyone wanted to “Be Like Mike.” Kids went out and bought his Air Jordans, they ran out and bought his jersey, and whatever they could buy to dress like Mike or dunk like his “airness”. Fans religiously studied his stats and took pride in knowing how many points he scored in his last game. But did we see M.J. in the community helping those kids get to relish in some of the same opportunities and successes he did? Did or does Michael Jordan even have a foundation or give to any specific charities so that he can be a well-rounded role model and a model citizen in the community?

These questions are probably difficult for even the most devout M.J. fans to answer. In short the answer to these questions is yes; Michael Jordan has not only gone down in history as one of the greatest basketball players of all time but is also a great humanitarian in many respects. Jordan recently hosted the eight annual Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational (MJCI) at the Ocean Club in the Bahamas. Since its inception in 2000, this event has been a huge success, raising almost $5 million for charities such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Butch Kerzner Summit Foundation, and the James R. Jordan Foundation. Jordan founded the James R. Jordan Boys and Girls Club and Family Life Center, named for his father, in 1994. This establishment serves as a community center for citizens of all ages in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to this celebrity gold tournament and community center, Jordan gives back to the community through his active involvement in several charitable organization. For example he donates time and money to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, UNCF/College Fund, Special Olympics, and a variety of other charitable organizations that support children and families.

However, Jordan failed in creating his own charitable foundation. Jordan had to shut down his foundation in 1996, when it was revealed in the media, that little of what it raised reached charitable causes and that his contributions were minimal.

Professional athletes form a special group of prospective charitable givers. Many come into their money very quickly: one day they are living in ‘the projects’ striving to find food to keep them healthy enough to play, and, in a split second, they are signing contracts that put them in the national, and even international, forefront. Furthermore, because Michael Jordan is at the top of the top when it comes to famous athletes, does that hold him to higher standards of charitable giving? Just because he is flawless on the court does he need to be the same all-star in the “giving back” arena?

Posted by Stephanie Cantor

Rumors

Lindsay Lohan. You know who she is. You have seen her face on the cover of magazines, in films, on the news. You know about her change from Disney star to party girl, her family issues, her stints in rehab, her DUIs, and her girlfriend. Even though she had made it clear she wants to be left alone, we are still fascinated with watching her life unfold. Why does she have so much control over our attention and how has this obsession affected society negatively?

Lindsay Lohan was a child star that worked her way into our hearts starting with The Parent Trap. Girls like me, who were around her age and younger, followed her as she grew up, starring in several Disney Channel Original Movies such as Life Size and Get a Clue. Lindsay was our Miley. We followed her every move as came out with more feature films, dabbled in singing, and as gal-pal Hilary Duff stole her boy-toy Aaron Carter. And then we watched her slip, slowly at first, but then with speed, into a world where there 

are dresses with no panties, not enough food, and too much alcohol. She has been in a series of minor car accidents that occurred August 2004, October 2005, November 2006, May 2007, and July 2007. She was found driving under the influence on two occasions and possessing cocaine. Reports rose of her being unprofessional on movie sets and that she was suffering from exhaustion. She has been hospitalized multiple times and has spent time in rehabilitation centers because of her eating disorder and alcohol and drug problems. As all of this happened we were still watching, and she was influencing us, affecting the type of people that we wanted to be and the values that we held. Lindsay made us want to be skinny, tan, and popular. She showed us that you could get away with underage drinking and that you’re parents weren’t the boss of you. We trusted her and she led us astray.

It is easy to blame Lohan for issues such as low self-esteem, catty behavior, eating disorders, and stress, that plague so many teen girls today. But can the problems that affect a segment of society really be pinned down on one person? I also have to wonder if all her struggles are her fault, and if she has only had a negative influence. There are many places to lay blame for some of her problems. She came from a broken home and her father spent time in jail. She entered show business at a young age, removing a large amount of normalcy from her life. Lohan has done positive things, such as portraying a teen getting sucked in to a world of cliques Mean Girls, which cleverly brought to light the difficulties that face middle and high school girls. She has also supported charities such as ONE campaign and Angelwear. Her recent relationship with Samantha Ronson has mainstreamed a gay relationship without classifying her sexuality. Overall Lohan’s life has been a bit rocky, but according to her April 23, 2009 interview with Ellen DeGeneres she has shown that she is back on her feet and ready to move on with her life. She is producing a television show and is starting to shoot a new film in October. I don’t know if I believe everything she says about her personal life, but I will keep on watching to see what happens next.

Posted by Julia

Money

Celebrities have money and lots of it. And hey, there is nothing wrong spending it; it’s good for the economy, it keeps America booming. But when does a lot of spending become too much spending? Celebrities love to go big and do it right when it comes to homes, cars, vacations, clothes, jewelry, kids, and pets. More often then not they don’t know when to stop. Their obsession with material goods hurts the environment and reinforces the idea that material wealth means happiness.

We have all seen Jay Leno’s ridiculous car collection and Bill Gate’s tricked out house. But crazy spending doesn’t stop there. Does Aaron Spelling really need two Olympic size pools? Or does Nick Cage need three islands? Angela and Brad just spent over 100 million on a yacht so large it has its own helicopter pad. Ex-CEO of Tyco, Dennis Kozlowski, is known for having spent $6000 on a shower curtain (of money that wasn’t his. Don’t worry he’s in jail now.) and Jessica Simpson spent $75,000 on bed sheets. (And you thought Bed, Bath, and Beyond was a bit overpriced) Usher spent $7,500 on a birthday cake and Sean Combs spent $3 million on his own birthday party. (If only someone gave me $7,500 for my birthday) Brangelina is buying a $137 yacht that has a helicopter pad, pool, and full gym. They made sure to include environmentally friendly televisions, because that will make up for the amount of gas needed to run that cruise ship. According to Forbes, Brittany Spears spends about $241,020 a month. That’s five times what an average American family spends in a year. I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. Celebrities spend ludicrous amounts of money and ridiculous things.

Celebrities deserve the money they make and are allowed to spend as they please, but maybe they should think twice about before they purchase their third yacht that they don’t use. When they try and out-do each other with their bling and crazy parties and it makes us want those same things. Whether we like it our not celebrities are all role models, as we watch them their behavior rubs off on us, and their materialism makes the accumulation of goods more important to us. Yes, maybe it is our fault we are too easily led astray, but it can’t hurt if the stars put their money towards better things like saving the environment, donating to charities, or feeding a small country.  

Posted by Julia

More Than Just a "Piano Man"

Can we ever get enough of Billy Joel? He is such a talented musician, piano player and just keeps on going and going. The energy he provides for his career is also carried over to charity work and giving back to the community. Joel’s music career started in the 1970s and it was, an impressive eight years later that he was already putting his money to good use. In 1978, Joel started Charity Begins at Home. This organization raises money, through concerts performed by Joel, and allocates the funds to various charitable agencies in the tri-state area. Some groups that have been funded include domestic violence, cystic fibrosis and emotional disabilities. The organization just celebrated its thirtieth anniversary and Joel, even after all those years, still shows a devotion to his cause. So while initially this may have seen like a publicity deal, you know a new artist on the rise looking to get his name out there by doing something good, thirty years later, the facts are clear that Joel is in it for all the right reasons – helping others, rather than to get his name out there and be portrayed as a “do good-er.”Besides his own charity, Joel is a supporter of many other renowned charities including Soles4Souls, the Rainforest Foundation Fund, Farm Aid and MusiCares. In 2002, Joel was named MusiCares Person of the Year, in recognition of his work as a musician and humanitarian.

Joel’s most recent giving back began last week in New York City. Joel put up for auction an autographed baby grand piano in which all proceeds would go to music students in New York City. The proceeds will help to provide music theory classes, ear training and individual lessons at the Julliard School. Bids are being accepted up until May 6th. Click here if you are interested in placing a bid, and receiving a piano of the piano man.

Doing my research on Billy Joel, I must say I learned a lot. Joel is famous for his work as a musician, from "Uptown Girl" to "We Didn’t Start the Fire." Who knew he was such a humanitarian and devoted so much of his time and profits to charities? This says a lot about him. Again we see that Joel does charity work for all of the right reasons. The fact that his name isn’t all over the tabloids shows that he is not looking for publicity or to look good in the eyes of his fans. Just like an average American citizen, who doesn’t have songs topping the charts or making million dollars off albums, Joel donates to charities helping others and making the world a better place.

Posted by Stephanie Cantor

Dirty Work

Although it may seem cynical, it feels necessary to understand the motivations behind professional athletes’ involvement with certain charities, foundations, community events, and other acts of giving back. It is better to see these athletes having some involvement with those less fortunate. But should they bother doing so if their intentions are selfish or ill founded? Furthermore, why do we rarely hear about the good things our role models are doing in their communities and we continue to hear and read about their success on the court, field, pool, gym, or whatever arena in which they do what they do best? Media is partially to blame. We constantly talk about the “top 10 plays of the week” or, on the flip side, we are bombarded with stories and details about our role models letting us down—drug use, the never-ending steroid saga, and other serious crimes—but we never hear about Cal Ripken’s unmatched contributions in the community. If athletes received the same level of fame and exposure for their charitable contributions as they did for their competitive contributions, would they be more inclined to give more? When we actually dig into this notion of athletes and their social responsibilities, it raises so many questions about why and how they choose to accept this social responsibility of community and charitable involvement.

Nonprofit organization like Athletes for Hope, are constantly praised for helping athletes give back. But are companies like these creating more opportunities for athletes and celebrities to give back to their communities or are they, in essence, enabling these athletes to find easier ways to increase their public image and gain recognition for acts that, in actuality, should be done more frequently and without a need for praise or public acknowledgment? Athletes for Hope(AFH) plainly states in their official brochure they present to potential athlete members: “Everyday, many professional athletes make a difference by tackling a variety of national issues; such as cancer and health, education, youth development, poverty and equality. AFH seeks to increase public recognition of these efforts and highlight the important role that professional athletes play in their communities.” Is it really that simple? A professional athlete, because they are our childrens’ role models and are in constant public eye, should be able to show up at any event deemed “charitable” in one way or another, and AFH will put out press releases, media alerts, and will have professional photographers on-site to capture the moment and distribute to the Associated Press? In other words, if an athlete does the minimum service to earn a noteworthy public story, it will actually, in turn, make him even more money? That seems to be the point here. Or the pitch to the athlete, at least. In obvious business plans, the athlete is the product. The product needs to be marketed and sold so that it earns its optimal revenue and success. If an athlete is making millions of dollars for success at his given talent, now he must make millions as a marketing brand or icon too, right? So, in simple terms, the athlete attends one event, one time. AFH (or whomever; sorry that AFH happens to be the target for such scrutiny in this case because, after all, their intentions are, in fact, very admirable and well founded) promotes the appearance, sells the “good-humanitarian” piece to the media, and, in essence, builds the brand of that athlete by bettering their image in society.

AFH does not necessarily leave a good taste about the intentions that inevitably lead the select few athletes who do give back to do so. It seems to be an ongoing battle with no clear end in sight. The infamous Catch 22 of society’s role on encouraging today’s athletes to want to get more involved in their communities versus the social responsibility they have to fulfill and should want to, in one way or another, despite its potential business or personal benefits.

Posted by Stephanie Cantor