First published on 01.01.2011.
One of the most under-recognized areas of celebrity activism relates to who advises this category of performers in what roles or issues they should take up.
The traditional answer focuses on institutions. When we look back to early celebrity activists the UN acted as the core mentor organization. UNICEF stands out for the efforts of such pioneers as Danny Kaye and Audrey Hepburn.
Jeffrey Sachs, an economist and professor at Columbia University, with Angelina Jolie and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd. (Business Journals)
This approach continues to operate with a breadth of operation that is impressive albeit some issues of quality control. This route is still the first option for many stars when they want to get involved. A good indication of this attraction is the choice of refugee issues for Angelina Jolie via UNHCR.
What is fascinating over the last few years however has been the fragmentation of this advisory role. Although it is still important the UN no longer has a monopoly. Major celebrity activists have been influenced by advisors with backgrounds in other forms of organizations notably NGOs. The relationship of Jamie Drummond, the Executive Director of ONE, and Bono jumps out because of their prior involvement with the Jubilee 2000 ‘drop the debt’ campaign.
But the phenomenon that bears more scrutiny is what can be termed free-lance advisors. Some of these are extremely well connected Hollywood insiders. A prime example is Donna Bojarsky, a political consultant close to the Obama administration, who runs an influential Foreign Policy Round Table, encouraging the entertainment industry’s leaders to be engaged with international affairs and the US’s role in the world.
Another strand comes from experienced foreign policy experts who straddle a number of advisory roles. A good illustration of this type of person is Morton Halperin. Long associated with a set of leading Washington DC based think tanks, such as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Brookings Institution, Halperin acts also as a consultant to George Soros’ Open Society Institute and as a board member of ONE.
Some other consultants focus on specific issues. John Prendergast is arguably the best known of this type of advisor, coaching and navigating a number of celebrities (including Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Javier Bardem and Ryan Gosling) through the complexities of dealing with African issues such as Darfur.
And finally we return to Trevor Neilson who has mentored a large cluster of stars, including Ashton Kutchner and Demi Moore in the campaign against child sex-trade trafficking.
Neilson’s work links back up to the theme of mentor organizations. The difference is that unlike the UN or NGOs, Neilson’s firm (Global Philanthropy Group) is explicitly commercially oriented with a fee for service.
If the implications of this trend open up additional questions, the diversification does point to the widening prospects for recent graduates in international public policy programs. Instead of having to wait to move up the ranks of more formal organizations, or work towards becoming a go-to expert, the rise of firms such as GPG offer a different and quicker type of attractive opportunity: a hybrid apprenticeship linking the worlds of wonks and celebrities.
