Harmless Humor AND Humanitarianism

This year’s Red Nose Day, held on March 16, has everyone talking. Multi-award-winning writer and comedian Ricky Gervais is the fresh topic for bloggers for his comic relief act on saving Africa.

In his video, he pokes fun at celebrity endorsements—how they are only concerned with promoting themselves instead of actually helping—while he stages a trip to Africa. He pretends to be in an African village shadowing one of the poor residents.

The video is posted on many websites, and yes, of course it is on www.youtube.com.

Gervais has a way of making jokes out a serious situation, but it is no more than safe humor. He is not hurting Africans, and he is only speaking truthfully about celebrities who do not have their hearts in the right place.

C'mon Mr. Chief of Development!

Bob Geldof, known for his 1985 Live Aid concert, was crowned chief of development in Ajumako-Bisease, a town in Ghana, in 2004. Now the people and the town chief, Nana Okofo Kwakora Gyan III, are asking where the help is.

Geldof had promised numerous development projects. Among them was financing the building of a covered market with adjacent parking and roads leading to and from it and building a hospital.

After Geldof’s crowning ceremony, his responsibilities were given to him. He was told that he was expected to return to the town every August.

Is this so hard for him to do?

Why did he accept the title of chief of development if he hasn’t done much to build the town up?

Geldof has been helping Africa for more than 20 years. It had to have been genuine if he has been doing it this long.

His selfishness is making it hard for the true humanitarians to shine through.

Do Numbers Really Talk?

Well, it looks as if Bono IS trying to boost his image and promote his campaign after all.

According to the U.S. advertising trade magazine Advertising Age, the (RED) campaign only raised $18 million, while it spent an estimated $100 million on an international profile boost.

“Weeds” star Mary-Louise Parker jumped to Bono’s defense in the accusations. She said she is also a campaigner for AIDS.

In the press releases, Parker told critics to get off Bono’s back.

“It’s hard, and I’m sure people always have the greatest intentions,” she said.

Parker said Bono is a major philanthropist with good intentions, and I agree that he is certainly out to do something great for the good of humanity.

'Idol' Gives Back,huh?!

On April 24 your votes will count more than ever. Well, at least this is what American Idol says.
FOX, American Idol and the Charity Projects Entertainment Fund (CPEF) have teamed up on what they call “a historic event”—IDOL GIVES BACK.
The two-night special is to raise awareness and money for children of poverty in Africa as well as America. On the second night, Pink and Gwen Stefani, along with several other artists, will be performing on the show.
They say the money raised will equally benefit both areas of the world, and you know what?
I believe them.
I believe this event is genuine.
The CPEF mission—to use the power of entertainment to drive positive change to achieve its vision of creating a just world free of poverty—is convincing.
Though I don’t agree with using celebrity entertainers to persuade people to empty their wallets, I like the idea of American Idol getting involved.
Seems like April 25 is going to be a night of star-studded fun and I hope I catch it.

O, Oprah!

Building a Dream: The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy aired on ABC on Feb. 26. It is a special on how Oprah Winfrey built a school for disadvantaged girls in South Africa after a five-year long effort.
I missed the show, but I would have liked to see it. I believe Winfrey is real in her giving, but she seems prejudiced when it comes to the male population.
Her talk show is geared toward women. She gives up millions and millions of dollars to benefit them in every way imaginable.
Why is it that she doesn’t do so much for little boys, too?
Why isn’t her school in Africa for disadvantaged girls as well as underprivileged boys?
In his article on Winfrey’s talk show episode about child slavery in Ghana, columnist Yao Fiagbeto, from Ghana, refers to Winfrey as “Queen of Benevolence.”
This she may very well be, but she needs to realize that boys will become men one day.
Winfrey the humanitarian should consider the boys of the world and of countries like Africa that are lacking in education and other fundamental areas of living whenever she goes off somewhere to genuinely give.
Maybe then it will be considered as giving fully.

She's Back at it! Why Wouldn't She Be?

One of the biggest names in the “Help Africa” competition—Actress and Good Will Ambassador Angelina Jolie—is back in the running. This time, it’s not to adopt a child either.
Jolie took a two-day trip to Chad to visit refugees from the war-stricken Darfur region on behalf of the United Nations to keep an eye on the fighting catastrophe over there.
Will doing this give her the top spot on the “Who’s helping Africa the Most” list?
It won’t help. People want to see celebrities going to Africa to build clinics, to donate millions of dollars, to build water systems, etc.
If Jolie isn’t in Darfur to do any of these things or something of the sort, it will be seen as nothing more than a publicity stunt.
She did something worth mentioning while she was over there though. She was present at the International Criminal Court (ICC) where those suspected of allegedly assisting with the arming and fighting in the region were identified.
It’s just hard to look at situations like Jolie’s that give no detailed information as to exactly why she’s in Africa and whether the continent will benefit directly from her being over there.
I’m convinced that she is a genuine humanitarian, but in this case, she’s back in the news by “public demand.”
Of all the celebrity “Africa-helpers,” Jolie is among the favorites; everyone loves to see what Jolie, her “stud-muffin” husband and her two adorable kids are doing to help the world.

Doin' 2 much?

March 22 is internationally recognized as World Water Day. It was initiated at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).
Since then, people have been coming up with ways to deal with water scarcity in countries like Africa and executing their plan on World Water Day.
Rock legend Bob Geldolf, responsible for the 1985 Live Aid concert and 2005 Live 8 concerts to benefit Africa, is planning “Intellectual Aid”, scheduled to kick off on March 22.
“Intellectual Aid” is a series of debates on Africa—the development and the role of Western countries—with German intellectuals.
It’s no surprise that Bono wants to get in on the action also. Both celebrity musicians are interested in working with filmmakers and television broadcasters to increase awareness of the development of Africa.
We don’t know what the solution of the debates are going to be, and we don’t know what the two’s hidden agendas are, if any; but, I’m not convinced of their genuineness yet and I don’t know if I ever will be.
They are climbing the age pole; they need some way to keep their fame going strong while they still can. Africa, I'm sure they are certain, is the way to do it.