Last week, visitors to the popular Web portal Yahoo! watched in awe of their featured internet video: an advertisement from the ONE campaign, an activist organization whose causes include fighting AIDS and poverty. The video, currently housed at YouTube.com, features a camera rolling by a line of people waiting to vote - a line that includes celebrities such as George Clooney, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts.
To better understand why famous faces from the world of entertainment are also affecting our choices about social causes, volunteerism and charitable giving, the Daily sat down with Professor Susan Ostrander, who has expertise in non-profit and community organizations and who works with the Civic Engagement Research Group at the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service.
Tufts Daily: This week we saw the launch of the "ONE Campaign," which uses celebrities to promote the group's fight against AIDS and poverty. Why is looking at pictures of celebrities going to make Americans more civically active, or more aware of social causes?
Susan Ostrander: Celebrity culture has been around for a long time. What might be newer is the connection between celebrity culture and political engagement and civic involvement.
We're all looking today for good leaders, people who seem to be contributing to making the world a better place, who are doing something important. People that we see every day on our televisions and in the movie theater are the Matt Damons, Ben Afflecks, Madonnas, Bonos. You'd have to be asleep to not know who these people are, and most of us have some interest in their lives and what they're doing.
When they step out and do something to create a better society - and because we're looking for some sort of leadership and people who we can admire and who seem to reflect some hope and dream of a better future - we grab onto these celebrities.
TD: Historically, politicians have played a role in highlighting social causes and in organizing community action. What is the role of politicians today in social activism? Do you feel that politicians have dropped the ball, and celebrities have stepped in? Or is it that we, in our media obsessed culture, would simply rather turn to a movie star than a politician?
SO: I heard Barack Obama interviewed on the radio this morning. Barack Obama is becoming a celebrity, and he knows that. When Bill Clinton shows up at an event, the language of "rock star" is in the air. There are political leaders who are also celebrities.
Being a celebrity, being that charismatic personality, is becoming, or has already become, a requirement for being taken seriously, having influence, having a political voice. It's the issue of leadership. I'm concerned about celebrity culture leaking over into the world of elected political leaders.
TD: As Americans, we live very privileged lives, and some people would argue that we live in a "bubble" of wealth and comfort. What is it about a star like Angelina Jolie that encourages us to donate money to children in Africa, to a cause that may arguably not directly impact our lives?
SO: I hope it's because we are becoming more aware that we actually don't live in a bubble. We are deeply affected by what goes on in distant countries. People have always given money to starving children in Africa - the starving child is the icon of fundraising appeal.
I don't know that Americans are giving money or time any more for those issues than they ever did before. That's not new. What's good about celebrity philanthropy and celebrity civic engagement -and the stars know this - is that if they do something, it will get in the news. I've heard some of them say this when they are interviewed about why they are involved in political and social causes.
TD: Do you think that most Americans have the motivation to go and find causes themselves to support? Are civic organizations getting smarter by using celebrities to solicit our attention?
SO: Are civic organizations using celebrities, or are the celebrities using the organizations? Part of what has to happen in any relationship is a good match, a reciprocity where both parties benefit in some way. Just like with corporations that become involved in philanthropy, [celebrities active in social causes] can get positive publicity out of it.
When Angelina Jolie gets publicity [for her charitable work], that probably shows up in ticket sales for her next movie. On the other hand, she is introducing people to the importance of the causes she cares about, that otherwise we might not know anything about or pay any attention to.
There is already a fair amount of volunteer activity and philanthropic activity that is pretty empty. My view is that if democracy is going to be able to survive and for social improvements to happen, people have to be actively engaged and informed about pressing public issues. If celebrities can help with that, I'm all for them.
