We’re happy to see that more show biz luminaries are promoting selfless advocacies for the common good these days.
However, a number of them have not been as heartening and inspiring as originally thought—because it turns out on closer perusal that they are actually promotional activities for certain products, services or organizations, for which the stellar “advocates” are being paid.
With an increasingly sinking feeling, we see this “charitable charade” being played in certain media campaigns that ostensibly seek to help the poorest of the poor by “teaching” them healthy practices or cooking procedures.
Only later do we note that, after all of the lectures and demos, some specific products and services are involved in the “better” process, and that everything is being paid for by the usual “word from our sponsor.”
Another danger sign crops up when a star suddenly develops a great concern for a particular class segment or occupation, and expresses the desire to use his or her popularity to “enlighten” people about the need to help or honor it.
In some cases, it only later emerges that the star-advocate is making a TV show or movie about such people, hence the need to highlight them—clearly, a case of “mutually beneficial” motivation and promotion.
Some stars’ need and urge for self-promotion occasionally “colors” even their charitable endeavors.
Some luminaries generously use their birthdays, not to make themselves happy by way of glittering celebrations, but by treating their fans or patients in a hospital to a yummy “birthday breakfast.”
Some celebrity celebrants, do this simply and quietly, but others are so “media-friendly” that the charitable report gets full, multimedia coverage.
A number of celebrities say they’re doing this to encourage, motivate and inspire others to be similarly generous to the least of our brothers.
But, perhaps some people can’t be faulted for suspecting that they’re also promoting themselves and boosting their image and visibility in the process?
Which is why we’ve come up with a rule of thumb for star-celebrants to follow: Given the user-friendly practices of some of their colleagues, everyone should agree to spend a lot for those free meals.
Not just the P20,000 or so that some pay, but at least P100,000! That way, if the “promo” factor does turn out to be a part of the equation or motivation, the cynical public won’t take it against the self-promotional donor because—he’s paid enough for it!
To be sure, there are some stars who are genuinely generous and boost their advocacies without calling attention to themselves.
For instance, a veteran star raises many hundreds of thousands of pesos by asking well-wishers to not send her birthday presents, just donations to a particularly worthy cause.
May her tribe increase and multiply in the biz—exponentially!