Leo, Kate And James Give Money For Titanic Survivor - Celine Takes A Pass
Although I think Kate Winslet Leo DiCaprio and James Cameron could have given more money to the last Titanic survivor, at least they did give something. Celine Dion must have decided that the only person who matters in the world is herself and I think she spends all her money on trying to somehow make sperm from an 85 year old man viable.
Anyway, Millvina Dean is 98 and was 9 weeks old when the Titanic sunk. She doesn't have any money to pay her bills and so has resorted to selling her autograph to make ends meet. Well, a photographer named Don Mullan started selling a photograph of Millvina signing an autograph and has been selling prints of that picture to help her pay her nursing home bills. He challenged the stars who made so much money off the movie to match him dollar for dollar. They did and contributed about $30,000 to match the $30,000 Don raised. Umm. Seriously. They could have done so much more. $10,000 each from those three is just absolutely nothing. It is like one of us giving $1 to a homeless guy on the street. Actually it is probably more like giving him 50 cents or a quarter. But, at least they gave. Celine was also asked to contribute and has declined to do so. So, make sure you don't spend another buck on the chest slapping shrew until she does.
The picture above shows Millvina. She is the baby in the blanket.
23 comments:
Not that I ever bought her albums before. She gives me the willies.
I really can not think of one opportunity to tell anyone I know to ban the shrew either.
If I meet some Canadians on the street maybe I will tell them...do my part.
Celine just got this months' water bill.
You took the word out of my mouth, amazonblue.
awww, god bless ms. millvina.
Celine kind of creeps me out. Just sayin'.
But having said that -- why should ANYONE feel morally compelled to give money to this woman? Why should she get money as opposed to the thousands upon thousands of OTHER old people who are poor and can barely afford to house and feed themselves? Arguably, this woman deserves it less, because she's actually got a source of income -- the photos -- unlike the vast majority of the elderly poor.
Is it because she was on the Titanic? Hey, I survived the Northridge earthquake -- can I have money too?
What if this woman, say, had a $40,000 a year cocaine habit, and that's why she has no money now? Should we still feel like Celine Dion has to give her money because she's broke?
This, to me, is everything that's wrong about charity these days. These celebs are being shamed into giving money to someone who's a sympathetic case, but far from the worst-off of her lot, merely because of some tenuous connection that means they "profited" from her "misfortune". It's not like this woman was their acting professor, and gave them the tools with which they became fabulously wealthy. At least then you can see some sort of moral or karmic obligation on their part to return the favor. But the only connection this woman has is that she was on the Titanic, and they made a movie about the Titanic. And she was an infant at the time, so it's not as if the people in question coopted her story for their own profit. She's absolutely a representative case of all the elderly poor who struggle on a daily basis, but she's been singled out for special treatment for completely arbitrary reasons. Why? Why does she DESERVE to be given money (because by condemning Dion, that's explicitly what you're saying)? What if Celine Dion gave money to other elderly charities, but not this woman? Is she still morally at fault?
I applaud Cameron, Winslet, et al. for CHOOSING to help this woman, who apparently needs the help, out of the goodness of their heart. But I strongly object to demonizing anyone who doesn't choose to help her, unless you're also arguing that this person (let's call her Celine) doesn't give anything back to the community via charity or such. (I honestly don't know what Dion does as far as charitable work goes.) Cases like this make it easier for celebrities -- people who could do a lot to raise awareness of social problems and generate a lot of charitable contributions -- to just wash their hands of it all. Moral extortion is still extortion.
Celebrities can't say yes to every single person who asks them for money -- and I'm sure all of those people need the money, too.
Giving back is paramount and obligatory in my opinion, but you can't give it all away. There is always going to be some deserving person out there, but at some point you have to say no.
I don't think this makes Celine Dion look bad at all, although her PR people could have really milked this for her and thrown a lot of publicity her way. So I really AM surprised she passed up this opportunity.
Pimp Named DaveR -- we posted at the same time, and I am in complete agreement with you, obviously!
One of my most treasured possessions is a tattered old Titanic book that my Grandmama had that was published very soon after the ship sank. It is in rags but I leafed through every page when I was little like it was a Bible or something--it was filled with fascinating photos like this one and many political cartoons from the days and months following the wreck.
What a sensational way to be famous at such an old age--being the "last" of something so monumental!
I'm glad people at least stepped in to help her.
All old people should be revered and helped as much as possible.
Really, the White Star Line who built the damn boat were totally arrogant and in their competition with the Cunard Line they fudged on materials and consequently, basically killed everyone who died in the wreck. But that's another story...
And I believe all charity should be private and not for any reasons other than those special to the giver.
I agree with Pimp Named DaveR. It isn't our business who donates money to whom. I wish all celebrities would keep their charitable actions quiet UNLESS they believe it can get others to donate to a cause (rather than a publicity stunt).
Pimp, is your real name Rene?
Just kidding.
ITA, I think Celine does a lot for charity. I know the one time I went to Canada she was on TV hosting a game show (Deal or No Deal). I don't understand French, but was told that the proceeds were for charity.
I give money to the causes and homeless people I choose, why shouldn't Celine?
Not singing ever again would be charitbale enough to last a lifetime for every human and dog out there.
in fact, we could prob get MORE money for charity by asking every Canadian to donate a dollar to stop this yortling yahoo. fuck i'll throw a twoonie on that.
Well said, DaveR
LMAO @ "chest slapping shrew"
Agree with Jax...I'll throw a twoonie in to make her go away.
I read it as Celine taking a piss... so this story took on a whole different meaning for me.
Yeah charity is tricky. I donate a lot to causes I feel passionate about, so when friends send me random emails asking me to help their causes and I politely say no, it makes me look like the Grinch.
Nobody is under any obligation to give donations, they choose to do so at their discretion. Many celebrities do give tons of money to charitable causes. Somewhere one has to draw the line, otherwise one will end up giving to every charitable organizations out there in the world. I think its lovely that Leo, Kate and James Cameron gave to this 98 year old Titanic survivor. How much more can one give to a 98 year old lady anyways?
selenakyle-
thank you for bringing up the white star line. they were at fault and KNEW they were at fault, they even changed the design of the (britanic?) even though they swore they didn't (they said the titanic never broke in half). which is why they said there were not enough life boats, blah, blah, blah.
now, THOSE are the people that who SHOULD be guilted into helping this woman.
@tinamtl2000: you'd be surprised how much a 98 yr. old woman can cost you! my grandma will be 101 in august. she's sharp as a tack, and gets around with a walker. no IVs or anything. lives in a nice assisted living facilitie. just the room and board costs over $1300.00 p/month. god love her!!
and y'all beat me to the celine water bill jokes!!
Damn .. you would think Cameron would have given well above that measly sum! How much money did that prick make off the corpses and victims of the Titanic?? Shame on him, for sure.
Celine .. well .. part of my family is Irish/French Canadian and shall I just say they are CHEAP!!! ; ) I am too frankly .. but damn!
Don't know about you guys .. but I am gonna get some American Express Travelers Checks and send them on to Millvina - the bank can convert them to Pounds from dollars. You can send donations to:
Name: The Millvina Fund. Bank: National Westminster Bank Ltd, 446 Warrington Road, Culcheth, Warrington, WA3 5QS, United Kingdom. Sort Code: 01-02-46. Account Number: 24075922.
Yet another reason to hate Celine.
I'm sending money to her, and I make a hell of lot less than these three. Pimp and others: I didn't hear any "demonizing." How hard is it to understand that these people essentially got filthy rich off a horrific tragedy? Put down the Ayn Rand. Enty is right.
p.s. Hope you're never down on your luck! You might discover that there are truly generous people out there and have to take a good long look at yourselves
I have to agree with A Pimp Named Dave R. Celebrities (and other wealthy people) are entitled to donate to whatever persons or causes they choose.
Cameron, DiCaprio and Winslet's accountants are probably having cows over even these small amounts - or at least DiCaprio and Cameron's. In the US, you can't deduct a "donation" for tax purposes, just because someone is needy or the cause is "nonprofit." For tax purposes, the donation has to be designated as a 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service.
Unfortunately, I'm sure there are many elderly - and young - indigent persons out in the world who've survived one disaster or another. If the Titanic movie had told the baby's story specifically, I might feel inclined to think the studio that made the movie was obligated to compensate her, but that would be a legal issue.
@LetLoveRule:
I took Enty saying that "they could have done so much more" and "make sure you don't spend another buck on the chest slapping shrew until she does" as demonizing, but I understand if you think it was only slight criticism. But I totally disagree with you when you say, "How hard is it to understand that these people essentially got filthy rich off a horrific tragedy?" Per their respective imdb listings, DiCaprio's salary for Titanic was $2.5 million, and Winslet got $2 million. That's not exactly filthy rich, and I don't believe anyone exploited Millvina Dean, least of all the actors.
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