Sandra Bullock and Demi Lovato Donate $1 Million to Japan
Sandra Bullock and Demi Lovato donated $1 million of their own money to the relief effort in Japan. Sandra Bullock sent her donation to the American Red Cross this week to help with the earthquake and tsunami relief efforts.
“This contribution is vitally important as the Red Cross works to provide critical assistance and essential relief items in this time of urgent need for so many people in Japan,” the relief organization said.
Overall, the American Red Cross has raised about $47 million in the United States since the earthquake and tsunami struck Japan last Friday. The U.S. organization has passed $10 million of those donations on to the Japanese Red Cross for work on the ground in Japan, it said.
Not sure whether or not Lovato’s million went to the Red Cross but there’s a good chance it did. Whatever the case, Demi went a step further and stood around LA holding up a Japanese flag with “Please Help” written on it in an effort to get fans and oglers to donate.
Meanwhile, the Chicago Sun-Times asks why Japan’s natural disaster hasn’t generated the kind of fund-raising other disasters such as the earthquake in Haiti have. You’d think more celebrities would be jumping at this considering how much money they make from their films, TV commercials and print ads in Japan. For example, Softbank Mobile once paid Brad Pitt and Cameron Diaz $1.7 million each to star in a campaign.
“Where’s Julia Roberts? Where’s George Clooney? Where’s Jamie Foxx? Where is Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt?” asked another Hollywood honcho.
The efforts so far haven’t matched the celebrity outpouring that followed the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the 2004 tsunami in Thailand and South Asia, the Haiti earthquake or the Darfur tragedy.
“[Stars] all make millions from those commercials for liquor or cigarettes that only air in Japan and in Asia and are never seen in the U.S. … Plus Japan is one of the largest markets for our films. Stars love to run over there to promote movies. They should now be doing everything they can to help those people in this terrible time of need,” added the second source— who requested anonymity, “since I may work with some of those actors in the future, and don’t want to piss them off.”
That’s a good question. You don’t see people like Sean Penn rowing a boat in Japan scooping up water with a toy pail or pitching a tent and claiming to live there for an entire year.
Although that’s not to say no one has donated. Mark Hoppus of Blink 182 set up an eBay auction selling memorabilia, Lady Gaga is selling bracelets she designed and raised $250,000 already, Jack Johnson donated expected profits from his canceled Japan tour and Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park is designing and selling t-shirts.
Don’t forget Charlie Sheen as well. His two live shows are projected to fetch $300,000 and he’s donated $7,500. Wait, what? Oh.. right. He’s broke with porn stars to support.
One of the richest countries on Earth would actually lose face by getting too much outside help. There are individuals low on the totem pole who need emergency help right now: rental for hotel rooms because their homes are gone, replacement clothes, food, etc., but Japan is not poverty striken like Haiti — there is no comparison. There were no hotel rooms to move the homeless in Haiti to. In fact, Haiti needs more help today than Japan does, still. Just running from crisis to crisis, never really solving any problems behind you, is not any kind of solution to… Read more »
In other words: rich people don’t need help. So if we come across someone dying in the street, let’s first ask how much they make. Then look around to see if there are hospitals nearby. If there are, we should ask them why they aren’t dragging their bleeding asses over there. Sounds like you grade suffering on a point scale. Rich people need no help and the poor need the most. Since America is the richest country in the world, no American should ever receive help from anyone. Right? And Japan doesn’t care about losing face right now. They’ve accepted… Read more »
Chewy, I will take your spew more seriously when you link to the website that records how you came to the rescue of the Katrina victims. I don’t need any self-appointed bosses telling me that I have to do this or that, and I am old enough to make my own decisions about who warrants my charity. Probably George Clooney is old enough too.
@ The Liann. u so right
You don’t want to help, that’s fine, but don’t expect Japanese people flocking to theaters watching your films. Don’t expect to receive invitations to make multi-million dollars appearances in the future. These celebrities wanted to be treated like “saviors” in improverished regions, but they don’t want to lift a finger to help those who helped putting millions into their pockets. I’m not Japanese, and I don’t have friends from Japan. But, this is one of the worst disasters in the history, and this is what these so-called humanitarians do? These big hollywood stars don’t need to donate much money, just… Read more »
The people who might benefit from a futile gesture can’t get any benefit from it. The power is out, they can’t see the news, they are sleeping on mats in gymnasiums. Their cell phones went dead days ago. Some Hollywoodite waving from a comfortable Beverly Hills address is not going to be seen by them — they might as well save their gesture because it’s only (awww shucks) heartwarming to people who have heat in their homes, or have homes, who can see it. Hollywood is not the appropriate first responders here. Send your $5 or $1-million donations to Red… Read more »
I agree . The point is:
Hollywood has no problem taking money from Japan, but is unwilling to help.
No one’s brought up the point that maybe they don’t help b/c of the whole WWII, Pearl Harbor thing. They’re like politicians, not wanting to offend any of their constituents.
When it comes to earn good money in Japan all celebrities are eager to show their faces on TV commercials and so on. When it comes to help Japan when its struck by a massive disaster only few responded. Where is Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt, Angelina etc…
We dont want to see their faces in any Japanese commercials anymore!
They do commercials in Japan b/c no one will call them out for selling stuff like beer and coffee. The commercials will never be shown in America and they can collect their fat fees without answering to anyone.
At the very least, they should just donate money for selfish reasons. Japan will see them as wanting to help, will feel tremendous loyalty to them and will pay even more money to have them sell their products in the future.