Several weeks ago, in a post about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie shopping for Shiloh’s fifth birthday, I threw in some quotes Brad had given about the tornados and floods in Missouri, and specifically the devastation in Joplin. I just cut-and-pasted from Fox News, and many of you pointed out that Brad might have made a mistake, or perhaps Fox News made a mistake, because it seemed like Brad was quoted talking about “JOPPA” Missouri. Which doesn’t exist. Anyway, I just wanted to apologize for that mixup. I still don’t know who made the mistake.
Anyway, Brad grew up in Missouri, as we know. And Brad and Angelina have ended up using their charity, The Jolie-Pitt Foundation, for both domestic and international causes. When the foundation makes domestic contributions, it’s almost always in and around Springfield, MO, where Brad’s parents and much of his family live now. His brother Doug is a prominent businessman, and his parents are very active in the Springfield community, and Brad (and Angelina) have supported many local causes (to see some of our coverage, go here and here and here). Now that so many Missourians are struggling in the wake of flood and tornados, Brad and Angelina have once again made a substantial donation:
Through their foundation, Springfield native Brad Pitt and partner Angelina Jolie on Friday contributed $500,000 to the Community Foundation of the Ozarks, to bolster the recovery effort in Joplin.
“Rebuilding after a disaster is a long process,” said Brian Fogle, President of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. “As our neighbors in Joplin begin to deal with the devastation, this donation from the Jolie-Pitt Foundation gives them the hope and confidence they will need to rebuild their lives, homes and community.”
The money will be used to support mid- and long-term rebuilding efforts in the storm-ravaged city.
“With the devastating loss of thirty percent of the city, the Joplin community faces great challenges ahead. Having spent much of my childhood there, I know these people to be hardworking, humble and especially resilient,” said Brad Pitt. “The locally based Community Foundation of the Ozarks will be working shoulder to shoulder with these Joplin residents for the long haul as they rebuild their lives. We, too, hope to further help with these rebuilding efforts,” Pitt said.
Added Jolie: “Our hearts go out to the families in Joplin who have lost so much.”
The CFO fund now stands at more than $1 million.
[From KSPR]
I know some people are going to bitch about this, so whatever. I’m not even going to rise to defend Brad and Angelina to people who froth at the mouth over literally ANYTHING they do. For those of us who find it interesting, I’d like to point out one of the many reasons why I love Brad and Angelina’s pattern of giving. It’s not JUST the amount of money they donate, or the people that they’ve helped, or the attention to vital causes that impresses me. I’m consistently impressed with the fact that they not only donate to draw attention to emergency situations, but they also focus money on long-term rebuilding and recovery projects. They don’t just think about what people need this week (although they do give extensively to emergency crisis situations) – they’re also putting money into projects for people in need months and years down the line. I love that.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
well said kaiser
Brad’s grandparents are from Joplin and he said Joplin by the way. I admire that they took their time and looked into which organization to support as he also said and that it is a long term group that looks to help for the long haul. Good on them.
Their donations always get published. There are celebs like Spielberg who donate without contacting the media about.
oh Lala give it a rest already
“When you do something, you should burn yourself up completely, like a good bonfire, leaving no trace of yourself.”
~Shunryu Suzuki~
This is why all of their “very generous donations” mean nothing. First of all, $500,000 is a tax write off for them. Secondly, just as Lala said, they call the paps every time, to alert them of their “kindness”.
I guess they demanded a plaque in their honour as well.
@ 3
So tell me, how do you know that Spielberg donates without it being contacted some way somehow by the media ?
Just because the media pick up the donation of the Brange (because, duh, it sells) doesn’t mean that others who donate don’t get publicized.
All donations are getting publicized wether through their spokeperson, their site ect. I personnaly know most of Bill Gates and his fundation donation, especiall those funds that are directyl put in the medical research.
Every fundation publicizes their donation. The ENTERTAINMENT media just pick those who will get them more noticed because of the name attached to it, hence more money for THEM.
That’s not the Brange’s fault and that’s a petty selfish concern of you to begin with and doesn’t belittle the deed nor the gratefulness the people in need would feel. After all it’s about them not about how you perceive the deed or your personal feelings.
It’s just obscene to talk about publicizing or not when it’s about helping people. I know you are not the one in needs of that money, otherwise you wouldn’t b*tch about the donation being picked by the media instead of the actual money helping some of your countrymen in needs.
I agree complete with you kaiser,it amaze me the length some people go to criticize this two.
They can’t win with the immature idiots who criticize literally everything they do. If they spend time on foreign issues they hate America if they announce a donation in the US they are famewhores. I’m sure the people in Joplin appreciate the help that’s all that matters.
i am glad that they can donate and do donate
no matter how much benefit in terms of publicity this earn is intended to earn the jolie-pitts, its going to benefit joplin residents even more… i am also certain the residents of any devastated region where jolie-pitt infused their money are not going to turn their noses up on ANY added help [be it from hollywood hussies or saint virgin marys]
man, i thought i was a cynical biotch!
and if this generous donation wasn’t publicized, some of you would be screaming about how they didn’t do anything to help out in Brad’s childhood backyard.
Usually donations are publicized to bring attention to the charity. I hadn’t heard of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks before. Now I have. And I’ve looked into it a little and think I will funnel some of my fundraising there.
They didn’t announce the donation. The organization announced it once the learned the JPs had made it. They called this group right after the tornado hit. They did their research first so they knew where the money would go. UNLIKE many.
But of course because it is them there is some silly negative. I recall during the Japan situation, there were all these nasty little snipes saying why had they not done anything. Well they are dammed when they do and dammed when they don’t. YOU never hear these people scream at the likes of other celebs that spend money like mad.. living a large life so excess. Never hear these people asking why they are not front and center.. I recall Sandra Bullock making several donations that have been made public.hmmmm why no negative. These same people go on about how generous she is, same with Gwen when she made her donation public.
and yes some of these people with this over the top hate need to get some help.
They are more saint than Jesus and all the rest. They make me sick cos I’m more than sure that they are sociopaths.
@Lala
They are celebs that do a lot of good and wasn’t brad the only one that really did something after katrina?
Their hearts are in the right place, don’t knock it, they could be spending it on themselves and still get a tax write off Lala by buying property ya know
Well done guys. I applaud that. More people should give back, here in America. Hope the money helps them rebuild!
I commend them for it.
But I always laugh when I hear about celebrities ‘raising’ or ‘donating’ money because it’s usually a mediocre amount compared to their annual income. I’m not in the news for donating $1 every time I go to PetsMart, am I?
That’s pretty much what it amounts to for most of them.
I know people like to claim they are famewhores and just do it for tax write offs and attention. Blah, blah blah.
Who the f cares if people in need are benefiting from it?!?! Seriously?
They are out there saving and helping lives and people want to bitch because they think that Brangelina has some kind of ulterior motive. I’ve seen firsthand what small tornados can do and that’s bad enough! I can’t even imagine the devestation from the larger ones. I’m glad the people of Joplin are getting the help they need.
@ Angi
Try looking up the definition of sociopath. I’m pretty sure it is someone who thinks that ‘cos’ should be used this way in a sentence. Unless you were actually using it as a noun which means lettuce. Is it the lettuce making you sick or your capacity to hate.
Not a big fan but good for them; what surprises me – it really shouldn’t, and what hasn’t been commented on a lot – is how little many of these young celebutards/reality famewhores etc. donate to anything; angelina has also contributed to orgs helping our military personel while most of young hollywood has steered clear – for obvious reasons – and you don’t and shouldn’t get political when helping or dontating money to such orgs. This also has received little comment in the media.
Regardless of anyone’s opinions on the motivations of Brange, I’m sure the charity must be thrilled. This donation doubled the amount of money they have to work with.
If it helps you haters out there, keep the focus on the struggling folks/recipients in Joplin and then maybe you can make peace with the idea of money from Brange.
Agree with Lianna that this brings favorable attention to the charity. Brange is known for picking well run charities. Madonna needs some schooling on this! 🙂
Also dont hate on the amount, pretty much anyone that gives that amount will be relentlessly invited to the annual fundraisers and would be expected to contribute again. I doubt 500K is the final amount, I bet they do it yearly. Frankly giving yearly is better to monitor how its being used. ie future gifts are dependent on the charity continuing to be well run. Haven’t any of you given a nominal donation and then found yourselves on the yearly fund raiser invite list?
If the Brange PR team is trying to manipulate me by doing charitable work I say, carry on!
Well done, Brangelina!
Here come the loonifers! Angi, look closer to your home to see a sociopath!
Whatever the reason, publicity or no, it’s obviously well needed, and am glad for the people there, for their sakes. I work in a nonprofit that helps low-income people, and not all donations/grants are completely ‘selfless’. Often there is some kind of motivation for the corporation, or whomever gives it. Whatever, I’m always happy to use it to further our purpose – to help low-income people become self-sufficient. It all spends the same, regardless of the person/corporation’s motivation.
Complainers time for you to hit the door and not look back. The point here is that once again they give and keep on giving. BRAVO!!! I read the article in the local paper and it said that Bad’s Mom grew up in Joplin, graduated from local schools, and that the local foundation was first contacted by the Jolie-Pitt Foundation on MAY 23RD asking what help was most needed and then more calls and then the gift of ONE HALF MILLION DOLLARS arrived for long term recovery efforts.
The donation was announced by the local group, not by Brad and Angie, that is how aid groups function. Spielberg and eveyone else’s donations are made public to attract attention and more donations. This is reality.
Angelina makes unannounced visits to the military with the USO and gives $1000 gift cards, family members tell this on facebook, not Angelina. She and Brad have given ONE MILLION DOLLARS to the USO for military kids programs, the USO announced this they did not. Like one commenter here said, where are the rest of the celebs doing any of this, showing they care, nowhere!!!!!
Some of you appear to be still so filled with bitterness toward this couple for being in love and happy with caring hearts. This is not normal or rational behavior toward strangers to you who have caused you no harm. They are not responsible for any of the serious problems some of you must possess in your own lives.
Please move on. There never was any triangle, you have let tabloid lies invade and pollute your minds. People break up all the time because they are not meant to be together, that is just life. Almost 7 years of self induced tabloid based misery that has nothing to do with your own life is too much for anyone.
Very nice thing to do. I’m glad they didn’t just give to the Red Cross, or the United Way, both of which I’m sure we’ve all heard bad things about.
Here is my take on this: If there is no news on Brad and Angie donate money to Joplin’s recovery, people will bitch about them not doing “anything”, that they are fake and lots of talk. Now they donate (and it could be this is public news) and so it became known to all, it becomes they are “publicity/attention seeking”. Can it be that damn if they do and damn if they don’t? No matter what, they are positive role model and thay back up their beliefs with actions. Can you say that about the lot of other Hollywood players?
@jc126: They research an organization before they make a donation to it. It’s a smart move. Before giving to any charity, I usually check out http://www.charitynavigator.org to find out how much money goes to actual program activities and how much to administrative expenses (directors’ salaries etc).
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@imabrat: Go find a rock to crawl under, honey, the hate’s getting old and cold.
Two weeks ago in CB the same kinda people bitching today were bitching about the JPs for not helping there.
Now they are bitching about it because they want the donation to be made on their therms to meet some kinda of moral ground and validation from THEM. All this, so that it will give them some kind of moral ground to still live in their little fantasy la la land pretending the JP’s don’t help to have a legitimate reason to bitch about it.
They are more upset about the JP’s donation going public instead of focusing and commanding the help duty because what’s important to them is the preservation of their shattered ego and that legitimate reason, a daily duty to bitch about ANYTHING related to the JP’s.
Hijaking a good deed to do so just reeks of shame and desperation. So lame !
@nnn: you rule!! Love both of your posts, well said, love it.
Some Celebs are givers: The Brange, Sandy Bullock, and Stephen Speilberg are mentioned here and there are definately a ton of others we don’t know about. Every single day some Celeb might be donating money and we don’t even know it. IT’S AMAZING.
If I was rich like the Brange or super rich like Bill and Melinda Gates, I would go around donating all the time to all sorts of worthy causes and people.
Helping feels good. It would be so intense to be able to write a check for 500,000 or a million bucks to help people in dire straits. It would be awesome.
they donated $500k!!! why does there have to be anything else behind it and who cares if it’s a tax write off? think of the good the money will do. sheesh!!
*blinks slowly*
Let me try to wrap my head around this..
http://www.celebitchy.com/160953/angelina_jolie_complains_about_the_american_educational_system/
There are a slew of comments there criticising JP for not donating inside the US.
http://www.celebitchy.com/159325/angelina_jolie_brad_pitt_go_shopping_for_shilohs_fifth_birthday/
Commenters there decided to point out how they were shopping instead of helping in MO or donating.
And now we have a donation announcement from the foundation, and they are nothing but attention famewhores.
Got it.
nnn:
June 11th, 2011 at 2:13 pm
Two weeks ago in CB the same kinda people bitching today were bitching about the JPs for not helping there.
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You noticed that too (yes i went back and checked some names… and no i dont have a life. Im a broke student who cant find a job)
I am not a fan of these two, but I give them credit for their donation. Even if its a “tax writeoff” for them, at most, they would earn back 40% of what they’ve given away. Which means they’re still giving away a lot of money. Money is money even to the rich and some rich people are too greedy to give anything away. Good for them! I will give credit where credit is due, especially when it helps the folks in the state immediately south of mine.
Good for them & the people of Joplin!
that i think she is the prittyest girl in the world.she makes good movies to luv ya…………….. ??
Well said, Kaiser. I, too, find these two interesting, and I love the way they step in and help. My respect for them keeps going up because they are truly doing good and it’s not just for publicity like other celebs who just talk the talk but disappear when it’s time to walk the walk.
I couldn’t with the ridiculous comments…read maybe 7 or 8 and had to stop. Some people! My God.
I believe all celebrity should give a donation because it is a tax write off,as the haters say. Brad and Angelina have better things to do than let the haters take their shine. They will be rewarded for their kindness. God bless them and their children.
I’m sure that if all Brange haters live in Joplin they WILL turn up their noses to any JP money and WILLINGLY will dig up a trench to live in till they scrap the money on their own and will feel the whole time moraly superior. Suuure.
Good on them.
@Kaiser- well said. I agree with you.
I like these two. I like that they put their celebrity/money to good use.
As others have mentioned, I knew that the same people who attacked them for not donating would attack them for donating when I first heard this story. But now the attacks are just stupid. I can’t believe people are complaining that it’s “only $500,000” and meaningless. I’m sure that the charity and people who will benefit from it wouldn’t say that. Also I don’t know why the haters refuse to believe that charities publicize celebrity donations. Everybody donates to the Redcross and United Way. Smaller charities like Community Foundation of the Ozarks probably stuggles for money. So of course with such a high profile donation they would want to publicize it. Plus this donation came from Brad and Angelina’s foundation, which is of public record. The donation would have come out very shortly anyway. The media always watches the donations from their foundation.
@Brittany: You’re not famous so your comment for not making the news for donating a $1 is ridiculous. But I’m sure if you were Brittney Spears and donated a $1 it would make news because it’s such a small amount.
All celebrities should copy their good will. Hip hip hooray!
Glad to see anyone helping.
I know Taylor Swift did a big fundraiser and I think there have been a few benefit concerts, but beyond that not too much. Many put out ways to help on their twitter feeds though, which I think is an excellent use of that resource.
jc126, I agree about the Red Cross general fund, but you can donate directly to the local chapters in affected areas, and designate what the donation is to be used for.
It would be nice to see people being able to post differing opinions without being personally attacked though…
Angie thought she was giving 500k to the Janice Joplin recovery effort — all hail heroin chic.
what a wonderful, generous, gesture, that’s why i admirer this couple, beautiful on the outside as well as the inside. thanks for leading by example and talking the talk while walking it, ignore the naysayers as always.
Personally, what I like is that they give money and are very rarely high and mighty about it like some -cough- sean penn -cough- so I don’t care. As long as celebs give money it’s good … just like when they adopt or do anything. I honestly don’t like picking on people when they do something good … even if their motive was to get attention MO still got money that it needed so who cares?
before posting i did not read the comments, afterward i started reading, i wonder where and how can some people find negatives in something so positive?, every one wins here, these folks, brad/Angie have done this for years, it’s not new, if it bothers you for what ever reason, maybe just skip over, again… this is a good thing.
God bless them both for helping Brad’s home state.
Wow, does anyone pay taxes? 🙂 A tax write-off does not mean you get more money in your pocket. The money that would go to the IRS is diverted into that charity. Basically, it’s sending your money elsewhere.
Plus, there are limits to deductions. In fact, international donations (with no US offices) do not count. Also, there is a cap on how much you can deduct, and it’s 20% of your income or thereabouts. The whole “tax write off” thing is not that big an incentive to donate unless you really dislike the IRS spending a portion of your tax money and would rather spend it on the charity of your choice.
@kasper, nice judgmental rant. now go take your chill pills… about a 100 of them.
go B&A, you’re AWESOME. this is a lovely gesture. i’m sure Joplin appreciates. keep doing ‘you’.
Two people give half a million dollar to charity and comment 3 is already hating, while 5 is finding excuses to hate.
Bet both of you didn’t give half a dollar.
Desperately needed, and greatly appreciated. Have you SEEN pictures of Joplin? “Devastation” doesn’t even begin to cover it. “Blown off the face of the earth” is much closer to the truth.
@ cheyenne – I do the same research.
On another note, where are the big corporations contribution ? The oil enterprises, the ICT enterprises ?
Actors are not the ones who make billions of profits, corporations are.
Where is Oprah who is worth $2+ billions ?
I know the banking system could also assist but only within a financial plan made within certain conditions and asked by the government.
In any way, even if the US is virtually bankrupt and work more with foreign money it has still some liabilities and its strong economy to get the money and rebuild.
Usually it’s the banking system that lend the money that does it after the insurance company intervention.
In the meantime the private sector gives donations for a starting impulse and to cater to the immediat relief efforts cause the political body doesn’t pull its weigh rapidly in the US.
I bet the japaneze devastated areas will be rebuilt entirely before New Orleans and Joplin would. I really don’t know why New Orleans is still in dire straight and doesn’t benefit some sort of mini Marshall Plan from the federal.
that’s not true The Newman’s own foundation probably donated to disaster relief as it always does. but unlike Brad & Angie who do it for good press Newman & his widow Joanne Woodward did it because it’s the right thing to do and she still does granted both of them were raised during the great depression and he served as a 3rd class radioman during world war II
@Courtney , why would you say Brad and Angelina donate” for good press”? As you know whatever they do they get both good and bad press, yet they continue to help, think about what you are saying. They are those who say whatever they donate they write it off on their taxes. If this was true, then a lot more people would donate and do a tax write off.
Its a wonderful thing that they gave to such a worthy cause, on the other hand, it was a tax write off, and why did they have to announce it??? The only reason you don’t hear about the other celebs giving, is because they don’t tell the world every single time..Im just saying!
If I give lets say to a friend who has just lost a child do I go around and tell everyone Hey I just gave 100.00???To me they could do this without letting it come out…There is always a reason behind when they Donate……..
Courtney I love your posts, I am going to assume you are just joking. Do you really think the Newman Foundation they are a private / publicity free organization??? Paul Newman’s face is in everyone’s grocery stores for heavens sakes. And no one can say one persons’ motivations are better than another’s especially when it comes to charity. Storm victims were helped by the money and I am sure the foundation that actually announced the donation will get more press and money do to the association with the Brange. And if it was all about ‘good press’ they would have stopped long ago. It seems like they get more bad press/contempt for their giving which they have been doing for a mighty long time.
@katie
YOU are so right. Thanks for saying this.
There is ALWAYS A REASON BEHIND WHY THEY DONATE..
IT IS TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED..WHO JUST SURVIVED TORNADO THAT DESTROYED ALL THEY OWNED AND WORKED FOR..
wow.. how more devious and underhanded can Brad and Angelina get. To actually have an agenda in mind. Shit.. helping people.
What the hell is the world coming to.
(maybe you can get on uncovering the agenda of all the other celebrities and whoevers that are photographed daily on coffee runs, exercise dates, RC events that have nothing to do with them, or showing up at all the places the paps frequent. Please clues us in on their agendas because they are sure as hell not stepping up)
@someone interesting that you are putting them down for announcing…
Back when Sandra Bullock donated to Japan Tsunami Relief there was no such talk about tax write offs or press releases. You just called her a class act..
http://www.celebitchy.com/146221/sandra_bullock_donated_1_million_to_the_red_cross_for_japanese_relief/#comments
someone: The only reason you don’t hear about the other celebs giving, is because they don’t tell the world every single time..Im just saying!
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I’m just saying, your double standard is appalling, not to mention ridiculous. If other celebs did not announce they were giving anything, how would you know about it? As mln said, you have no problem with any other celeb’s donation being made public so what is your problem with these two?
BTW, Brad and Angie did not announce their donation — the organization announced it when they received it. You have a problem with that, take it to the CEO.
You sound as if you are hell-bent to hate on this couple for any specious reason and if you can’t find one, you’ll invent one.
“There is a sort of philanthropist who seems humanly repellent not in spite of his charity but because of it: on some level you can tell that he views the recipients of his charity not as persons so much as pieces of exercise equipment on which he can develop and demonstrate his own virtue. What’s creepy and repellent is that this sort of philanthropist clearly needs privation and suffering to continue, since it is his own virtue he prizes, instead of the ends to which the virtue is ostensibly directed.”
David Foster Wallace
Although I really appreciate people who are commited to such tragic causes, there’s that feeling in me that no words can describe better than D. F. Wallace’s words do.
I’m sorry to say that, but that’s how I feel towards those people (NOT just the Branges) who can’t shut up on the money they donate.
Haters gonna hate, no matter what.
Well done AJ and BP.
The funny thing is if Angelina wasn’t mentioned everyone would be praising Brad for the donation.
Well done! Interesting that you never see other celebrities like Courtney Cox follow suit.
@Sakyiwaa – you may want to look up the definition of “rant”. i know, i know, big words can be so confusing.
pebbles: Interesting that you never see other celebrities like Courtney Cox follow suit.
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Maybe charity isn’t Courtney’s thing, either.
Haters, look at this way. Let’s say for arguments sake that The Brange just does all their money giving for publicity. Or an ego boost. Whatever floats your boat.
If that were true and all you haters are right: THE CHARITIES WOULD STILL GET THE MONEY.
So who F-ing cares? Jesus, save all your sanctimonious bullshit for the annual meeting of Haters Inc.
@kasper; Aww, pardon me there… As a bilingual person, I’ll be the first to admit that English is not my first language and “RANT” is probably as hard a word for me to understand as the descriptive phrase “HEROIN CHIC” is for you to comprehend.
Rather, it was a somewhat cynical, borderline judgmental ‘opinion’ of sorts, that ‘heroin chic’ comment you made was… yeah… That’s much better.
Words…words… they make us all a-flutter sometimes, don’t they? 🙂
Anyway, with that settled, are you through with your insane delusion yet… “pleeeeeeeeeeeease” with a cherry on top? 🙂
those pills are not gonna take themselves…
@Solveig. You’re not from Joplin. You can sit behind your comfy screen in Italy and believe David Foster Wallace all you want…
If I recall several months ago brad and angelina donated million dollars to a hospital in Missouri I believe they build a wing of the hospital dedicated to his Mother.
So I wish people would do their reSearch regarding the amount of their donations in the us. I love this couple because they continue living their life to the Fullest. They Are now in mAlta
now give them publicity
@Brittany: “I’m not in the news for donating $1 every time I go to PetsMart, am I?”
But now you’re published on Celebitchy as donating a $1 every time you go to PetsMart. Mission accomplished, eh?
@sakyiwaa — all this foaming at the mouth because I dared mock your cherished brangelina? i take it back — please apologise for me at your bedside brangelina alter.
I think their charity is genuine. I googled them; most of their charity is unpublicized. They donate to a huge number of causes yearly–most of which–never makes the news including a girl’s school, some foundation in Namibia, a Missouri children’s charity, a wildlife center in Cambodia, an orphanage, etc. You’d think if they are such fake famewhores, that they would heavily publicize all of their charity work. But they don’t.
And, what do they gain out of this kind of publicity anyways? They are hugely famous people. Their movies have already been released. And, will anyone go to see a movie simply because someone gives to charity? The whole fame argument makes no sense to me. If it was so, more than likely, they would have stopped doing it long ago. Most fakers don’t have the stamina to keep the fraud going. Witness: Paris Hilton and her whole “I want to help the world” quote after her prison release. How long did that last? Not too long.
Anyways, some people feel the need to criticize the Brand, esp. when they do charity. Nothing makes their detractors more upset than their charity! 🙂 How dare their charity make the news? Don’t they know that the internet folks say they should live like monks, stay put in one location, never go outside, and donate privately! Don’t they know that? Too funny. 🙂
min76..Its so nice that you remember all my posts, makes me happy. fact is I really like Sandra, Brangalina…not so much..besides, they pretty much announce every dime they donate.
Cheyenne?? This a celebrity blog site, so if I don’t like them I have a right to say whatever the hell I want about them, if this was another JJ..I wouldn’t be commenting at all.
Do you people think that a man who had millions of dollars wouldn’t donate to the town his family is from when it was struck by a tornado? Really? You think he did it for publicity?
I really don’t believe they are as big fame whores as you all claim. They live their lives. Are they never supposed to step outside with their family? They can’t live that sheltered of lives. They spends their time with their family, travel the world to donate their money and fame to help causes they believe are important, and other than that are kind of low key when they don’t have to promote their movies….which, if you weren’t aware, is a part of being an actor.
So yes, obviously this was a publicity stunt and not just a way of helping a town close to brads heart.
I know this site is about being snarky most of the time, which is why I come here. Part if the time its to just report on the activities of celebrities….that’s when you bitches need to calm down
What a great thing to do. All the complainers needs to stop complaining and make a donation to the community foundation of the ozarks. Who cares that there donation has been made public, it’s still a great thing to do.
They done so much good here in the U.S. and abroad, and they seem to stick with their projects over the long haul, Pitt is still in there pitching in New Orelans for instance, long after the news media lost interest. I’m glad they’re out there doing their thing…
This is a great tax write off for them.
“47.kira: June 11th, 2011 at 10:42 pm Wow, does anyone pay taxes? A tax write-off does not mean you get more money in your pocket. The money that would go to the IRS is diverted into that charity. Basically, it’s sending your money elsewhere.
Plus, there are limits to deductions. In fact, international donations (with no US offices) do not count. Also, there is a cap on how much you can deduct, and it’s 20% of your income or thereabouts. The whole “tax write off” thing is not that big an incentive to donate . . .”
Nice to see someone gets it. If people with large assets really did get such a great financial benefit three would be more charitable giving at that income level. In any event there are lots of more effective ways to protect your assets than donating to charity.
Also the money came from a charitable foundation which does not pay taxes.
How clueless can you be to think Wallace was referring to someone like Jolie?
@someone: Relax, hon. I just pointed out to you that your double standard doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Plus you seem to be fixated on a mistaken notion that Brad and Angie shout about every donation they make from the housetops, whereas the fact is that they don’t announce anything; the organizations they donate to make the announcements. But you believe whatever you want to, if your illusions make you feel any better.
@kasper: you can drink all the foam that you see frothing at my mouth, through your ultra telepathic lens, off the nice, tall, chilled mug of beer that you’re gonna use to take your chill pills…
as your friendly law student on a really idle summer vacation…
you can count on me for your hourly chill pill prescription reminders…:)
@Kat M. the Wallace believer is referring to Pitt, not Jolie. it’s like he divorced ‘her’ seven years ago…
@someone; So glad you said that. See, fact is; some of us really like Brad and Angie. Other celebs, such she-who-shall-not-be-named…ummm, not so much.
This is a celebrity blog site, so if a person doesn’t like something you said about Brad and Angie, they too have the right to say whatever the hell they want to say about your opinion.
If this site were another FF…I also wouldn’t be commenting at all. 😉
Just another PR Fax. Please go away now, BRAND-Gelina !
Just another PR Fax. Please go away now, BRAND-Gelina !
The people who are spouting TAXE WRITE OFF like a leitmotiv are not very bright to say the least.
I am sorry to busrt your bubble, but the money you give is still money you lose and the taxe write off that still going on as a consequence (if you haven’t already reached the maximum allowed) won’t cover your loss. You lose money, you became poorer with or without the tax write off. FACTS !!!
You don’t need to be an economist or an accoountant to know that, you just need to know basic mathematics, substraction and addition. You substract BIG you gain a little more through paying less taxes, you still lose more than you gain, you still lose more than if you had keep that money to you and pay more taxtes, much much more than if you had put that money in some untaxable assets.
If donation were the traditional means used to pay less taxes, big corporations, the Hiltons, the banks (they are still financial enterprises paying taxes), the consortiums, the oil companies would be the firsts in line to pay billions each year to causes like that. New Orleans is still in a mess, where are there ? Why don’t they donate to benefitt of those big taxes write off ?
The way to pay less taxes are multiple and are the work of us financial persons (financial analysts, accountants, ect). The thing is : declare less, put your money in assets (gold, bonds,paintings, gaz concessions) that could easily be sold with extra benefit or better yet ship them all in tax havens. There are many not very far from the US but there are others.
Some people in here talk like they never ever heard about NOT DECLARING ALL your revenues and hiding some revenues as the only way to pay less taxes. Each and every year some people are busted (including actors) because of that. Sofia Loren made a year or so in prison in Italy because of that. A donation is always official because the one who received it, an organisation or an individual must always declare it when its huge amounts the same as the giver. You must trace where it comes from and if it’s not ‘dirty money’. It put the focuse on the actual revenues of the giver whose revenues are checked evenmore to determine if that money was ‘clean’ money. That’s why enterprises rarelly make donations, they don’t want stranger eyes looking at their financials, nobody in their place would.
Bill Gates does donations on his personal financial account. Michrosoft doesn’t do it..
No balance sheet of an enterprise gave 100 % the real situation, we find ways to make some of the revenues invisible to pay less taxes. We don’t donate so that the IRS will focus on our revenues and what is declared or not, duh !
Sakyiwaa
Sakyiwaa:
June 12th, 2011 at 4:47 pm
@Solveig. You’re not from Joplin. You can sit behind your comfy screen in Italy and believe David Foster Wallace all you want…
_____
There’s no need to be in Joplin to understand their tragedy, and I believe you’re not there either. Thus it would be more respectful of you if you didn’t act like you are suffering their suffering.
You’d better try to read properly in order to post a solid opinion, anyway.
As usual SOME of you rabid fans don’t understand that there are people with different opinion, and SOME of you are more involved in what is a fight against the so-called haters, instead of being interested in the issue (Joplin distruction, in this case).
And for the record, I don’t believe in what David Foster Wallace wrote, I think that what he said describes my feelings towards those people who are philantropists just to please their inner need to be helpful.
Finally, you totally forget this:
“Although I really appreciate people who are commited to such tragic causes,[…]”.
Brangelina (and other celebrities’) mission accomplished: we’re talking about them and not about Joplin.
Enough said.
@ someone You don’t like the Brange??? I never would have guessed*rolling my eyes through the computer screen*
My point wasn’t to stalk you but to show how the fact that you don’t like the Brange was the only reason why you were criticizing them not what they actually did. And you have a right to your opinion but don’t post a public one if you don’t want to be called out when you are full of it. Sandra and Brange committed the same action. A fair minded person would treat them the same despite their biases when it comes to something like charity. A hypocrite would only choose to see the negative in the actions of a person they dislike instead of giving them the benefit of the doubt.
Even if they do want their contributions to be recognised publicly, SO WHAT, they are doing something positive.They SHOULD be proud ,not feel ashamed about it.
Wow – pocket change. That’s like .00005 percent of their big movie salaries. They give millions to organizations in other countries. You would think they could cough up a little more for Brad’s home state.
@Gal How much did you donate?
At least they donate a significant amount of money. I don’t see any of the other celebrities donating. Charity organizations would love to publicize any celebrity donation they get because it gets their name out into the world for more donations. Have any of the complainers donated at all?
Regardless how you feel about them they do donate alot of time and money to great causes. Whether its for publicity or not who cares. The bottom line they are giving money to needed causes and if they want some publicity for doing so – i guarantee you the folks of Joplin dont care.
Guess what… I get a tax write-off for donating to charity too! So will you! Doesn’t mean that’s the reason I do it.
*sigh* I really don’t understand why some people are so bitter. They did something good to help other people – can’t we leave it like that.
Why not use that bitter energy for something more useful, like helping other people?
Coming from Missouri, I hoped they would donate to Joplin relief. Happy that they are so generous once again! Thank you Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
Someone, of course Angelina announces things, she is a UN AMBASSADOR, she HAS NO CHOICE. How many times must you be told this? Its her job description, she must liaise with the media. She has NO CHOICE in it being announced.
@Solveig. When you have a ‘feeling’ about something someone said, it could very well mean you ‘believe’ it. you believe what Wallace said was about people like Brad and Angie (not just them, you added) who can’t ‘shut up’ about their donations… actually, it’s the organizations that can’t ‘shut up’ about it but hey, whatever…
I’m in America right now and I watch the news. I’m human. I can’t help being apathetic to all the disasters in Joplin and even the recent fires in Arizona, etc. I love that Brad and Angie can help Joplin and have helped out with their donation. I ‘believe’ in anyone that can help another in need…that does…whether I hear about it or not.
But of course, we can’t impose our ideas and beliefs on each other so; have a nice day. 🙂
Make sure everybody knows about it, Angie.
Jolie-Pitts=Making the world a better place