Another Brangelina rant!

[Laurie]

Yes I don't like them! It's been reported everywhere that Brad and Angelina are such givers! People, CNN and others are reporting how big they were to donate 7 million dollars this year to charities.

OMG people Brad Pitt makes 30 million dollars if not more a movie as does Angelina I'm sure--7 million dollars is nothing compared to their yearly salaries!

You want to be givers? Then how about donating all your salary for an entire year? How about buying your clothes at Walmart or KMart so you can donate your salary. How about eating at home and not eating out and donating the money you'd save doing that to charity? How about selling your bazillion homes and living it just one and donating all that money to charity!

Brad Pitt is not God! Angelina is nothing more than a skinny skank who fornicated with a married man then gladly wants her children to know that's how mommy and daddy met!

UG!!!!

 

[tunes]

Well Laurie, they ARE doing their part after all. By the time she's done, she'll have a child from every province of every country in the world. That should surely count, shouldn't it? I'm sure each of those 60 or 70 children will receive all the best care (if they ever learn to walk, of course) and attention that money can buy.

I can't stand these two. I am as sick to death of them as I am of Jon and Kate. Go away already. Stop trying to make everything you do get in the headlines. I'm sick of looking at you.

I agree with you. While 7 million dollars to one of us poor slobs is mind boggling, to people like that it's not even remotely a drop in a bucket. She's the highest paid female actress in Hollywood (and God only knows why) and he's right up there with the top males. For 6 months of work, if that, they get $30 or $40 million dollars and we're all supposed to melt because they gave some pocket change to charity. I appreciate that they are trying, but to me they are nothing compared to the quiet dignity of Denzel Washington writing a check for a brand new rehab unit in Texas after he visited the troops there. Or, and I know you don't like him, but Michael Jackson doing the same thing at a hospital he visited that needed a burn unit. They both saw how much it was needed and they stepped up to the plate. But you didn't see it splashed all over the place so they could grab some publicity.

 

[Megan]

They both saw how much it was needed and they stepped up to the plate. But you didn't see it splashed all over the place so they could grab some publicity.

So well said! It's those that donate, and dont EXPECT or WANT the public attention that I admire. These two simply donate, get themselves all over the headlines--and more public attention.

Not "donation" but a pro football player recently attended a highschoolers homecoming(I believe?), unannounced. The kids father was a coach at some time for the football player. He ended up passing, so the pro player showed up at the childs game and walked him onto the field--standing in for his father. Never told the reporters etc, didn't try to take away the shine from the kid as it was "his big night". THAT is something from the good of someones heart. Didn't want, and didn't try to get publicity.

So whats it really for...more publicity?

 

[3CsMommy]

My question is, are they really hounding for publicity or are their publicists, managers, 'handlers' and the paparazzi doing it for them? I don't envy the life of a very famous actor, even with all the millions of dollars and "lives of ease" they get. I don't know anyone of that caliber fame, but I do know plenty with some type of local acclaim, and it's really pretty awkward to be sitting in Applebee's with your boyfriend and be unable to eat your meal because 4 different groups of other diners just HAVE to come tell him how wonderful he was in that night's play... and then stay to bask in the joy of meeting someone "famous". Finally I just gave up and asked the waiter to box my steak and make the dessert order to go; I couldn't stand it any more, and neither could he. Then multiply that by the millions of camera flashes, screaming photographers, demanding fans, and pushy staff that need you to *stay* famous so they can make a living off of you, and I'd rather stick to the obscurity of live theater tech. I can easily see how trying to do something good with the fortune you've been blessed with can be turned into a publicity stunt, even when you don't want it to.

Happy Turkey Day everybody.

 

[Midwest Exotics]

Seriously, dont get me started. I honestly could care less about any public figure. I dont care what they eat, how they dress, what movie they are in, etc. Take away my tv, magazines, etc because i simply dont care. I also dont get why 7 mill is so much when they make SOOOOOOO much more than that. But of course, if they did more than that they wouldnt be able to have their cally home, paris home & god knows where else. Their kids & themselves wouldnt be able to have fashionable clothes & of course living like the rest of the world(to a degree possible for them) would be out of the question.

I also feel for them not having a real life, but being able to not only provide for their family with the money they make was their choice. I do think paparazzi do sometimes go too far, but its all in the cards you choose, love it or get the heck out of dodge. So many other stars keep out of the light by choice. Brad & Angie (and a lot of others)just see that as money in the pockets, they know where to go to have photos taken & where to go not to.

 

[tunes]

My question is, are they really hounding for publicity or are their publicists, managers, 'handlers' and the paparazzi doing it for them? I don't envy the life of a very famous actor, even with all the millions of dollars and "lives of ease" they get.

I absolutely believe that the press is out of control when it comes to celebrities, but I also believe that the celebrities play a large part in that. There are many, many celebrities who live low key lives who rarely, if ever, appear in print. The ones who do certainly seem to put themselves out there more than the ones who don't. Every single thing they do is "leaked" to the tabloids and magazines, as another opportunity for attention (any attention is better than none, right?) and then they get all up in arms that someone took the wrong picture or printed the wrong quote. Don't constantly put yourself in front of the camera and don't talk to the press, then these things won't happen.

As Kate said, this is their job. They chose to be a celebrity. With celebrity comes the stupidity of the press. Live with it, or leave it behind. They certainly don't have to work another day in their lifetimes. They've already got more money than God anyway.

 

[CTChin]

I think we need to stop paying attention and discussing stars like they are our own personal property. If the media didn't have a huge following, they wouldn't keep hounding these people. Obviously they know who is selling magazines and upping ratings on tv. Let's all stop paying attention to them so much.

Now it is the Tiger Woods crash story all over the place. I DON"T CARE! If it was an argument gone bad between a husband and wife...well isn't it their freakin' business? I like to watch him play golf. I'm glad he is o.k. but I don't care what he does at home! The people eating this stuff up are so ridiculous.

 

[CTChin]

I once worked with a gal that told me that she believed everything that was written in Star magazine. Can you believe it? LOL

 

[Riven]

I think it's amazing that people ***** about people who actually give back... opposed to those who give nothing. Okay, lets be generous and say they net $60M a year, after taxes and other fees they probably pay. $7M is over 10% of their income they're donating, so any of you guys donate 10% of your income every year?

I love how people just find things to ***** about....

 

[tunes]

I don't Nicole - do you? I don't have 10% to give to anything at the end of the year. I'm too busy trying to keep my family afloat. I drop money in every collection bin I see (Humane Society, a kid with cancer, whatever), and I swear the Salvation Army has a direct line to my change purse this time of the year. Where is my press? Where is my atta boy? It isn't much to give, I understand that, but it's all I've got to give. If I had more money to give, of course I would, but that's the best I can do.

The point wasn't b*tching about what they gave, it's the fact that the press acts as though they are Gods for giving it. You totally missed the point by jumping to attack Laurie's post, hence the reason I brought up Denzel Washington and Michael Jackson. They gave, from the heart, without expecting a pat on the back from the public. No atta boys were required. THAT is selfless giving, giving because you care, not because it gets you good press.

 

[3CsMommy]

I honestly think that there's a line between whoring yourself for publicity (which Brangelina have been accused of long before now) and actively hiding from paparazi etc. (was it Keefer Sutherland that decked a guy for taking pictures of him with his kids?). Example: Kid Rock, whose music really isn't my thing, heard about a pizza delivery guy getting mugged in a town he was playing in and reportedly told one of his handler-types to write the pizza guy a check. True, it was a moderate amount (,$1,000 IRC), but that would probably cover his lost wages for the time he was in the hospital. Did he send more later to help with medical bills? I don't know. Did the guy's friends and family start trying to fundraise? I assume so. But for a "hard @$$" often portrayed as selfish and self-indulgent, it was a very nice thing to do, and not exactly what his detractors would expect. And, personally speaking, I'd be uncomfortable as an individual accepting a gift of thousands of dollars from a total stranger-- even one as rich as Kid Rock, Denzel Washington, etc.

 

[Laurie]

I donate all I can to breast cancer research. I hope someday no one else ever has to lose a sister to breast cancer. I can't help but wonder if we didn't stupidly pay skankola a zillion dollars a movie and male whore Brad, a zillion dollars a movie that we might already have a cure because of the money we saved paying for their cars, houses, nannies, clothes and cigarettes.

 

[Riven]

I personally don't think these people go out and brag about it, the press does. There are tons of people who make a lot of money and don't donate anything, ever. Very few stars say man... I can't wait until I'm so famous the press sits outside my house and stares at my kids and watches to see what color my crap is. If people didn't care, the magazines wouldn't sell, and they wouldn't worry about people at all because it wouldn't bring in business. I am actually not a huge Brad Pitt fan, I like Angelina Jolie just fine. I remember how they had press parked as close as they could, even flying over and taking ariel pics before their kids were born... did they ask for that? No, they didn't otherwise they'd let the press right in. It is a part of fame yes, but chin poo is a part of being a chin owner and I don't know of anyone who says... I'm going to get chins because I LOVE their poop.

What about money we are spending to pay for people on welfare, for them to have kids and eat... I don't see people complaining how that could be used for anything better like cancer research ( not directed at you Laurie, just as an example ). I know a person who is literally a baby machine... she had three with 3 different guys, and guess what... then she got " cervical cancer" ( or so she says ) but you'll never believe what, before that could even be treated she was pregnant again... by ANOTHER GUY! Do you know who pays for all of those kids to be born, and their medical bills? Her "cancer treatment"? Her FOOD STAMPS to feed all these kids? She has nice clothes, her nails done, and goes in just to get her hair fixed to go out at night. At least these stars actually work for their money, whether people want to think it's "work" or not, they only earn as much as they bring in for the movie companies, who get the money because people CHOSE to watch those movies. This girl I talked about, is real, she was my best friend in high school, who grew up the same way her parents lived, they still live that way... and so will she, and her kids... I'll bet any of that have kids who are responsible will be paying for her kids to have more kids just like 'em.

It is NOT these people's choices to get paid a lot of money, they get paid that because people ENABLE them to get paid that much. If someone offered you 10 million to do your job that you enjoy doing... wouldn't you take it? And I bet very few of us would turn around and donate it all to a charity, or even HALF to a charity... And just because the press throws out that they donate say 10% doesn't mean they don't donate more and we just don't hear about it.

I just get so irritated at how people love to bash people who they don't really know anything about just because they don't like them, or they heard a rumor about them or read something in the papers about them. Papers are in business to make money, not tell the truth, sad but true. If you don't like an actress... don't watch movies she's in, it'll gross less and her "value" will go down. People love to criticize people for doing things they don't or wouldn't do themselves. It's easy to sit there and say... if I had the money... until you have it. I know personally, it happens every year at tax time, I'm going to pay the bills, I'm going to pay the bills... then I get the money and I pay some bills and end up buying other things too and still having bills I should've/could've paid. There are tons of people with money who don't help at all, but no one is complaining about them. I don't pick up every paper with Jolie on it, but in any interview actually seen from her I've never seen her brag about always giving... so unless someone actually heard it from them really it's just a rumor now isn't it? Large donations are often noted, and any charity usually offers public records of who donates what. Should they be ashamed and not let people know they donated and make every donation from "anonymous donor"?

 

[Riven]

I just wanted to add to my "mega rant" there... why not look up some famous people you do like, see how much they gross and how much they actually donate. I looked up one star I thought would be popular and couldn't find them donating any actually money, "supporting" a group with visits and "set passes" but not actually offering any of their earnings. It's a lot harder to rag on someone you do like, than someone you don't...

And for everyone's info, I adore DiCaprio, and he is a mega giver, with a lot of environmental and humanity donations as well as charities he's actually founded himself not just been a spokes person for.

 

[minrex]

I personally don't think these people go out and brag about it, the press does. There are tons of people who make a lot of money and don't donate anything, ever. Very few stars say man... I can't wait until I'm so famous the press sits outside my house and stares at my kids and watches to see what color my crap is. If people didn't care, the magazines wouldn't sell, and they wouldn't worry about people at all because it wouldn't bring in business. I am actually not a huge Brad Pitt fan, I like Angelina Jolie just fine. I remember how they had press parked as close as they could, even flying over and taking ariel pics before their kids were born... did they ask for that? No, they didn't otherwise they'd let the press right in. It is a part of fame yes, but chin poo is a part of being a chin owner and I don't know of anyone who says... I'm going to get chins because I LOVE their poop.

What about money we are spending to pay for people on welfare, for them to have kids and eat... I don't see people complaining how that could be used for anything better like cancer research ( not directed at you Laurie, just as an example ). I know a person who is literally a baby machine... she had three with 3 different guys, and guess what... then she got " cervical cancer" ( or so she says ) but you'll never believe what, before that could even be treated she was pregnant again... by ANOTHER GUY! Do you know who pays for all of those kids to be born, and their medical bills? Her "cancer treatment"? Her FOOD STAMPS to feed all these kids? She has nice clothes, her nails done, and goes in just to get her hair fixed to go out at night. At least these stars actually work for their money, whether people want to think it's "work" or not, they only earn as much as they bring in for the movie companies, who get the money because people CHOSE to watch those movies. This girl I talked about, is real, she was my best friend in high school, who grew up the same way her parents lived, they still live that way... and so will she, and her kids... I'll bet any of that have kids who are responsible will be paying for her kids to have more kids just like 'em.

It is NOT these people's choices to get paid a lot of money, they get paid that because people ENABLE them to get paid that much. If someone offered you 10 million to do your job that you enjoy doing... wouldn't you take it? And I bet very few of us would turn around and donate it all to a charity, or even HALF to a charity... And just because the press throws out that they donate say 10% doesn't mean they don't donate more and we just don't hear about it.

I just get so irritated at how people love to bash people who they don't really know anything about just because they don't like them, or they heard a rumor about them or read something in the papers about them. Papers are in business to make money, not tell the truth, sad but true. If you don't like an actress... don't watch movies she's in, it'll gross less and her "value" will go down. People love to criticize people for doing things they don't or wouldn't do themselves. It's easy to sit there and say... if I had the money... until you have it. I know personally, it happens every year at tax time, I'm going to pay the bills, I'm going to pay the bills... then I get the money and I pay some bills and end up buying other things too and still having bills I should've/could've paid. There are tons of people with money who don't help at all, but no one is complaining about them. I don't pick up every paper with Jolie on it, but in any interview actually seen from her I've never seen her brag about always giving... so unless someone actually heard it from them really it's just a rumor now isn't it? Large donations are often noted, and any charity usually offers public records of who donates what. Should they be ashamed and not let people know they donated and make every donation from "anonymous donor"?

Hear, hear! I definitely know that it's easy to sit here and say "oh yeah, if I had X amount of money, I'd do this!" But when/if I actually get that money, it can be easy to get "distracted" by other things and then forget all about those lofty goals I once had. Any way you slice it, $7 million is a LOT of money. There's no way I could ever sit here and judge someone for donating any amount of money to charity, whether it was a quarter in the Salvation Army bucket or $7 million dollars, especially without knowing that person's entire situation.

 

[Nancy]

I don't think the press is all to blame for the stars being constantly in the public eye. The stars themselves have a lot to do with it. There are many that are rarely shown and many that donate and nobody knows about it. They aren't plastered all over the rag magazines or internet. Jon and Kate vs the Duggars and the little people whose name I forget. Jon and Kate are very visible because that is what Kate thrives on. They are in the news because she wants it. Same with many of the others that are very visible. They thrive on the attention. Yes there are those that don't want to be that the press go after.

It's the same with the fans. Personally, I could care less what these people do. I rarely have a clue who donates what or does what unless someone tells me, it's on the evening news, or I read it on here. :hilarious:

 

[tunes]

Hear, hear! I definitely know that it's easy to sit here and say "oh yeah, if I had X amount of money, I'd do this!" But when/if I actually get that money, it can be easy to get "distracted" by other things and then forget all about those lofty goals I once had. Any way you slice it, $7 million is a LOT of money. There's no way I could ever sit here and judge someone for donating any amount of money to charity, whether it was a quarter in the Salvation Army bucket or $7 million dollars, especially without knowing that person's entire situation.

You can honestly say you would get too "distracted" when you were getting paid $150 million or more a year, to be able to give to charity? How is that even possible? Because you need another villa in Italy or another Porche? Both you and Nicole seem to forget that being distracted with a $2000.00 tax rebate is not even close to someone pulling in millions and millions of dollars a year.

Nicole - I'm not seeing a parallel here with someone having a bazillion dollars and donating to charity with a chick having babies on Welfare. There are tons of people having babies on welfare, and they aren't all scumbags. There are people who actually need Medicaid to pay for their cancer treatments because otherwise they would die. Even if this girl worked at McDonald's, thereby "earning her keep" it still wouldn't even touch cancer treatments, or any other medical catastrophe either. Yes, having another child was incredibly stupid, but then she better get in line with all the other stupid people who have done stupid things.

I don't think the press is all to blame for the stars being constantly in the public eye. The stars themselves have a lot to do with it. There are many that are rarely shown and many that donate and nobody knows about it. They aren't plastered all over the rag magazines or internet.

Exactly Nancy. After September 11 happened, the movie stars were pouring money into the coffers to try and help the firemen, the policemen, the victims families. Where was their press? Where was their "OMG, aren't they wonderful" moment. It wasn't there because they didn't seek it out. They genuinely wanted to help, not get a pat on the back.

I think this is just going to have to be one of those agree to disagree things, or it's just going to continue to be one long rambling rant after another. You're right though, I don't like Brangelina, and I wouldn't go see one of their movies if I was offered free tickets and popcorn to go with it. I think she's a total skank for screwing with a married man (not to mention her entirely disgusting "relationship" with her own brother) and I think man whore is exactly the right term for a guy who jumps from bed to bed more often than most people shower.

BTW, I just wanted to add so that it's not misunderstood, that it's great that they gave money. I just think that others do more with less (or no) credit and less hoopla surrounding it.

 

[InkedupTara]

My 2 cents here. To me personally, I dont care WHY they are giving, whether to be nice or for publicity. They are giving quite a chunk of change, anyway you split it.

So I guess I just shrug and say, if they need a pat on the back...pat pat.... they can have it. That 7 Mil will go to good use regardless of why it was given

 

[Riven]

Famous people also have expensive "normal" people don't, it would not be ideal to send their children to a public school because of the press, they need security and protection from crazies.

I just think it's amazing people complain about people donating money to charities... it's a DONATION, it's not a required thing. They work for their money the same as the rest of us, no one should tell anyone else how to spend their money, I know I sure don't want anyone telling me how I should spend mine.

Many stars actually "hide" from the press as well just to avoid the attention, many of these people can't live a "normal" life.

I thought from Mr. Mathers...

" but at least have the decency in you to leave me alone when you freaks see me out in the streets when I'm eatin' or feedin' my daughter, to not come and speak to me, I don't know you and no I don't owe you a MF thing"

About welfare, I don't believe people on welfare should be having children, and a lot of these people can't take care of themselves on welfare let alone needing to be having children. This person in particular was on welfare since she had her first kid over 8 years ago... well before she had any "cancer". I think people on welfare should be on birth control and get drug tested, because that's a lot of money that could be going to something better like cancer research... or donated to a charity, and at least this is our TAX money, and not money that people actually earn for themselves.

 

[AZChins]

I think that you are all forgetting what matters...

That is...these rich people need to give me money.

I'm just kidding. I never even pay attention to any of it...famous people are famous for just a little while. Then they get forgotten, it's a little sad. Probably messes with their brains. In 20 years everyone will be like "remember Brad and Angelina?" and half the people won't remember. There will be more famous people to take their place later.

But really, I could really do a good job managing $7,000,000. Heck we could retire completely and I could build animal rescue facilities for a lot of different species. Come on Brangelina! Give me some money!!