The public is always captivated by extreme news that constantly rocks the celebrity world. What Tom Cruise bought for Katie Holmes is completely irrelevant, yet it makes the national news networks for weeks.
The trashy magazines that line the aisles of all grocery store checkouts should never be printed, as they are 95 percent garbage. Americans need to stop being so obsessed with such trivial material, and need to instead worry about things that actually affect people. Little content in tabloids applies to the average citizen, and the immense amount of Hollywood gossip within these publications does nothing but distract from the good things that some celebrities fight for.
Recently George Clooney gave a speech to the United Nations, urging them to act on the genocide occurring in the Darfur region of Sudan.
""I think it is a responsibility as a human being to get involved, especially if you happen to be a celebrity and can get more attention brought to it,"" Clooney told ABC news. ""I'd be so ashamed if at the end of my life, if I didn't participate in solving some of the problems of the human condition.""
A man who played a doomed sea captain, Danny Ocean and Batman on the big screen suddenly qualifies to represent the United States on the world stage? How that happens is hard to say, but the fact that he continues to make a genuine effort to help the global community is commendable.
Celebrities have a pulpit to preach their beliefs to a global audience even with little experience or knowledge on a given topic. Yet, celebrities routinely do this because they know they have the power to make people listen.
Made famous in ""Spiderman,"" the quote ""With great power comes great responsibility,"" resonates perfectly with the modern celebrity. With millions of dollars in excess money, more free time than the average citizen and continual access to media forums that reach every corner of the civilized world, it is their responsibility to at least draw attention to the plights and tragedies of the rest of the world.
Americans try to help who they can, but ultimately the average person does not have the resources to make much of a difference in any given situation. Collectively, the good that can come from the general population is remarkable. Yet, without a spokesperson for people to rally around, little is ever achieved.
It often takes a celebrity to make something fashionable, and it is troubling that people do not notice an issue until a celebrity draws attention to it. However, it is encouraging to see some celebrities transform the heroes they play in their movies into real life difference-makers.
There is nothing wrong with a sports superstar or famous musician endorsing a certain product. If people want to be brainwashed to buy something because someone else bought it, that is their own prerogative.
But when it comes to news and politics, celebrities should solely be used to call attention to a situation; then, the general public should formulate their own ideas and react accordingly. To adopt an African orphan because Brad Pitt did is not a sufficient reason to do so.
Media emphasis on the escapades and transgressions of our country's elite is a waste of a celebrity's power. Celebrity media coverage should instead be devoted to celebrities pursuing the betterment of human rights, as this would continue to increase world awareness of such problems. Better yet, maybe average citizens could read newspapers and figure out the problems of the world for themselves, without a celebrity telling them what needs to be done. That itself would be newsworthy.
