The news that immigrant children are being separated from the adults they accompany – who may or may not be the parents – has the progressive left in fits. The resistance has turned their efforts – or at least, their claims that Trump is literally Hitler – up to 11. Lest the Hollywood elite amongst them go unnoticed, The Hollywood Reporter released a list of stars who are helping “fight to keep kids and parents together.”
But how much good are these stars accomplishing, and how much do they intend? Are the highly publicized acts real charity? Or is it all just virtue signaling?
The Average Joe Rating
Let’s have a look at the special few The Hollywood Reporter decided to shower with praise. To determine the value of their “charity,” we’ll examine where the money goes and whether it actually helps the poor or supports lobbyists and candidates running for office.
To see just how much they really value the cause, we’ll examine the net worth of the giver compared to what CNN Money offers as the average for Americans in the same age range. This will give us our “average Joe” conversion rate, which we’ll then use to translate their seemingly massive contributions into regular folk money, hopefully granting a more accurate perspective for those dazzled by all the extra zeroes.
Jimmy Fallon
Number one on the list is comedian Jimmy Fallon. After telling The Hollywood Reporter that he didn’t mean to humanize Trump by goofing off with him on The Tonight Show, the president fired back at Fallon – via Twitter, of course – and told him to “be a man.” In response, Fallon tweeted that he would make a donation in the president’s name to RAICES, an organization in Texas that takes donations to provide free or low-cost legal services to immigrants.
Jimmy Fallon tussles presidential hair
We don’t know how much money Fallon gave, so the comedian is exempt from our “average Joe” comparison – this time. Instead, let’s explore where that money goes and whether it actually helps those who are less fortunate. RAICES does provide legal defense for those who otherwise might not have any while facing deportation by the government.
RAICES does seem to help people who don’t have the funds to help themselves, as they provide legal counsel and transportation to those facing deportation. Was this mere virtue signaling on Fallon’s part, or did he cleverly use what was otherwise negative attention to boost a cause he actually cares deeply about? You decide.
Evan Rachel Wood
Evan Rachel Wood in Westworld
Evan Rachel Wood, of Westworld fame, spent a couple of days on the border playing with the kids. Never mind money – she gave time and effort. That separates her from the virtue signaling crowd, right? Well, maybe and maybe not. Twitter shows no activity for the #EvaninTX “movement” since June 24, so it looks like this was just important enough to her for one very publicized weekend. Oh, and don’t forget her 24-hour hunger strike. Is anyone actually delusional enough to think that a mere 24 hours without food qualifies as anything more than a pitiful cry for attention, never mind an actual hunger strike?
So how much did Wood’s efforts help the children separated from their families? They got a weekend of playing with a quasi-famous person and some shoes. “It’s a small price to pay considering what families are going through,” she said. With an estimated net worth of $8 million, it certainly didn’t set her back much traveling to Texas. A small price indeed.
Judd Apatow
Judd Apatow
Producer and director Judd Apatow may not be a household name, but he has been quite vocal about his resistance to Donald Trump. In June, Apatow tweeted that he donated $10,000 to the ACLU. But does that ten grand actually help “the little guy”? The ACLU offers some free legal services – though some might argue only in cases that advance the “correct” political agenda and are newsworthy enough. They also spent $1,190,674 lobbying in 2017, and have given $23,985 in direct political contributions so far this year – exclusively to the Democratic Party and its candidates. Suffice it to say, much of Apatow’s “charitable” donation was actually political spending.
But let’s look at where this issue ranks in the man’s financial priorities. His net worth is around $90 million – that’s 900 times the $100,000 average for his age. So, what’s his average Joe contribution? $11.11. Yep, real important.
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend
In honor of President Trump’s 72nd birthday, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend donated $72,000 to the ACLU for each member of their family. Well, their combined $288,000 certainly registers a tad higher than Apatow’s $10,000. Were 32-year-old Teigen and 39-year-old Legend dead average, their combined net worth would be around $61,000. As it is, they come in at a whopping $53.5 million – 877 times the average. Their total average Joe contribution comes in at about $328. That’s a heck of a birthday present for the average 30-somethings, but what return do they get on this, aside from anti-Trump bragging rights? More political spending.
George and Amal Clooney
The Clooneys gave $100,000 to the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights – a ”champion for the best interests of children who arrive in the United States on their own, from all corners of the world,” according to their website. So what do they actually do?
“Young Center attorneys and social workers, along with bilingual volunteers, are appointed as Child Advocate (guardian ad litem) by the Department of Health and Human Services. Our role is to advocate for their best interests—from custody and release to the ultimate decision about whether the child will be allowed to remain in the U.S.”
Another group that actually works with the children directly, as long as they’re appointed by DHHS, a government agency that also pays for those services with tax dollars.
George and Amal Clooney
But, once again, it’s time to examine the money. George is 57 and Amal is 40. The average couple their age would boast a combined net worth around $232,000. How are the Clooneys doing? Amal is worth about $10 million and hubby George a whopping $500 million. Together, they’re doing about 2,198 times better than the average Joe and Jane. What’s their equivalent contribution? A mere $45 between the two of them.
Performing for the Cause
Tina Fey and Idina Menzel made the list for performing at Concert for America – though they were just two of 17. The money brought in through ticket sales went to four beneficiaries that offer support to those who have been or may be deported: ACLU Texas, Texas Civil Rights Project, Al Otro Lado, and the Florence Immigration & Refugee Rights Project.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, playwright and actor, raised funds for the Center for Popular Democracy Action, Latino Victory Project, Let America Vote, and BlackPAC – four leftist organizations vying for progressive policies and Democrat-won elections. Combined, the organizations have given a total of $177,918 to exclusively Democrat candidates so far this election cycle, according to opensecrets.org.
Crowdsourcing, Petitions, and Twitter Outreach
Several writer’s rooms for a variety of television shows are raising money with the #OneVidAtATime hashtag, pledging the money to RAICES and to directly fund bonds to get detained immigrants released. Like Fey, Menzel, and Miranda, they’re so kindly giving other people’s money. Unlike the aforementioned trio, however, they’re not really giving anything back in return, other than some Twitter time.
Natalie Portman started a petition, which she hopes will inspire DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Congress to stop separating families at the border, and “international ambassador” for UNICEF, Gigi Hadid, has done, well, something. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she made the list for meeting with UNICEF CEO Cheryl Stern and having been “vocal about donating to help children reconnect with their families” on social media.
True Charity?
So far, the entire star-studded list – save the Legend family – either gave what amounts to pocket change compared to their net worth, or, well, nothing. True charity would be giving – and doing so generously and happily – to actually help those in need. These sensationalized acts of “charity,” on the other hand, carry far more value in publicity for the giver than actual relief for the indigent.
Alyssa Milano
With the financial clout in this group – and the feigned outrage at the treatment of illegal aliens – one might think that at least someone on the list would actually do something about it. Perhaps help sponsor an immigrant by covering the costs of coming the legal way? Did no one on the list think to offer their own homes or pay for the housing of any of these poor souls?
The final entry on the list, actress Alyssa Milano, seemed to have the right idea. Rather than giving some paltry sum to impress the Twitter masses, she offered to open her home to the children who have been separated at the border, fostering them and providing “compassion, stability, and love” to them while they wait to be reunited with their families.
Now that’s charity. So, how many children has this angel fostered? Apparently none. There is no news about Alyssa Milano fostering immigrant children since the media practically deified her immediately after the announcement. Oh well, so much for true Hollywood charity from the anti-Trumpers.
