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Considering Brad Pitt was paid $7 million for his super-idiotic Chanel No. 5 campaign, he must feel like he’s got some money burning a hole in his pocket. I mean, not that $7 million is that big of a deal to Brad – he’s reportedly worth in excess of $200 million, last I heard. Still, it’s nice to get a sweet paycheck for something dumb like that Chanel thing. So Brad’s conscience was weighing on him and he decided to write a check to make it all better. Brad has donated $100,000 to the Human Rights Campaign for their campaign against state ballot initiatives in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota and Washington that would ban gay marriage.
A longtime proponent of marriage equality, Brad Pitt has put his money where his mouth is.
The actor has donated $100,000 to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) to support the organization’s efforts in campaigning for marriage equality in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington State.
“It’s unbelievable to me that people’s lives and relationships are literally being voted on in a matter of days,” Pitt, 48, wrote in an email to HRC members and supporters on Wednesday. “If you’re like me, you don’t want to have to ask yourself on the day after the election, what else could I have done?”
Chad Griffin, president of the country’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, praised Pitt for his support and his donation, saying that his money “delivers vital resources into these campaigns.” Adds Griffin: “We’re proud to be working with him as we show that fundamental fairness will win at the ballot box.”
Pitt, who confirmed his engagement to longtime partner Angelina Jolie in April 2012, spoke out in July 2011 after New York legalized same-sex marriage, praising the state but noted that there was still much work to be done.
“It is each American’s Constitutional right to marry the person they love,” he said at the time, “no matter what state they inhabit. No state should decide who can marry and who cannot.”
I heard a Democratic congressman from Minnesota say the other night that their state’s gay marriage ban was probably going to fail, and Pres. Obama actually came out for the Washington State ballot measure and encouraged Washington voters to vote yes on the referendum to allow gay marriage in the state. I do wonder when Brad gave the money – it seems like it’s really late in the election cycle to donate this chunk of money, but it could be that the HRC made a direct appeal to their big donors because they needed extra funding for their GOTV work on election day. Or maybe Brad was just discouraged by the numbers and he was like, “F—k that, I’m giving a hundred grand!” I really don’t know.
Photos courtesy of Chanel and Fame/Flynet.
Written by Kaiser
Posted in Brad Pitt, Gay Issues
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Obama “came out?” Heh.
Good for Brad Pitt. I’m a fan of his charities.
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Have always loved him! Crappy Chanel commercials be damned!! And I don’t care why he donated to the cause – its clear from his statements and behavior in the past this is a cause he has always supported and will continue to do so, election or not.
And it’s a cause that deserves it because everyone should enjoy the rights that are so freely granted to married individuals and denied to non-married individuals… Even those who don’t fall under certain faith’s belief of “God’s” definition of marriage between man and wife. Not asking to get married in churches… It’s about RIGHTS and the HRC so aptly supports granting these rights to everyone.
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Awesome Sauce!
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The thing I like about Brad is to donate loads to charity, whether it’s grand or million.. He donates.
Still… That Chanel ad sucks
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And he makes SURE everyone knows it!
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Actually Celebitchy made sure everyone knows it.
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@ Jools
My God Brad how dare you tell us you donated money to charity. We don’t want to know that. We wanna hear about you cheating on Jen when you were married or about that alleged thresome you had with that model(yes this is sarcasm).
Whether he makes sure everyone knows it or not at least he’s donating. I don’t understand people who bitch about celebrities who don’t donate but for the ones who do they have a problem because that celebrity let it be known. We tend to only want to hear about all the negative things they do. I’m glad when a site like this can report on the good deeds as well.
Hey I’m not a celebrity but I make sure all my friends and acquaintances know that I donate to Autism Speaks and Breast Cancer in an effort to get them to doante as well. Damn give the man a break; he’s still trying to live down that Chanel Ad.
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And you know for SURE it was Brad himself who told the media, or was it the organisation? Assuming much?
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Dooliloo you said it!
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Dooliloo – I was looking for the “like” button . . . . : /
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This is cool. I love Brad.
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I actually think it’s kind of cheap. It’s like you or me giving a charity $1.
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One hundred thousand dollars is cheap? Really?! smh O.o
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Yes, Lana, it’s cheap. The dude is worth $200 million. Many people feel donating 10% of their income to charity is correct. In Brad’s case, that would be $20 MILLION. Even if he only gave 1% of his income that would be $2 million.
For Brad, $100k is the change under his couch. He would need to donate 20x what he did to get 1% of his worth! So, no, I’m not impressed.
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@Bluedog it’s donating 10% annually not each donation. Brad and Angelina each donate millions to multiple causes. Also I don’t know why you are so disgusted with $100,000. He isn’t giving it to you. So be thankful that you’re not stuck with a lousy $100,000. I’m sure the campaigne is very happy with it.
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Bluedog, they give a third of their annual income to charity. So what are you going on about?
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People should be free to marry whoever makes them happy. Two men or two women getting married won’t affect anyone but them. Let them enjoy the same rights that hetrosexual couples enjoy.
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+1
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Wow, we actually made it through FOUR comments before someone dropped the J-bomb. This is real progress, guys.
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Spot on Kitty! Some threads are so predictible. YAWN.
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ha, no kidding. they used to go together like peas and carrots.. now there is slightly less peas
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HRC released the info because he is matching donations.
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Wherever you go, there he is.
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Brad Pitt. Inevitable.
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I don’t even get the big deal about the Chanel ad. Everybody goes on about how Brad is dumb. Now you have actual evidence. Y’all should just hold hands and sing “kumbaya”.
I like the ad. Go Brad.
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He donated many times to HRC, including 2008 election campaign. It’s one of the causes he speaks about often and stands behind.
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Tax break.
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Is that why you donate to charity for the tax break? I appreciate him donating to a cause that half of Americans don’t support -marriage equality,including his mother. This is a civil rights issue.Separate is not equal. Civil union is not marriage
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Hate to break it to you Kim but that’s why the majority of people donate. I’m not saying that’s why Brad donated. I agree that gays have the right to a legal marriage. Don’t know what the big deal is.
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Hate to break it to you both, but the majority of people don’t donate to charity for a tax break. For one, you’ve got to spend that money to claim it back and then you don’t get it all back anyway so you’re still behind. Consult an accountant because you obviously don’t know what a genuine “tax break” is.
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Yeah, I claim my charitable donations on my taxes. So what? The amount I get back is always less than the money I give (which makes it a really inefficient tax break, if that’s your goal)… so I really don’t know what your point is.
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you are all a bunch of mudslingers
Donation to HRC is not eligible for tax break.
but don t let facts stop your hate against a decent human being.
If anyone wants to donate pls go to HRC website. Imo the discrimination against lgbt is as bad as racism
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Exactly. But facts have always been an inconvenient thorn in the side of truth to the Jen loons. Irrational hate, ignorance and hypocrisy is the only thing they know. Hey when your idol is the town skank who bangs on the first date, who breaks up marriages and relationships and most charity work she does is wearing a cancer tshirt and pimping out tap water in plastic bottles and now vanity hair products, its a given you’re not going to have a strong sense of morals or community spirit. They still don’t get why they continue to make fools of themselves, over and over again. Will they ever learn?
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Regarding his campaign ads for the perfume. What are they thinking? They should have used the setting just like the “Legend of the Fall”. Instead they made him look like he is in the wrong place. It looked like they just planted him there.
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I gotta say the guy is looking a little rough in that top photo. Maybe he’s supportive of gay marriage because Angie has decided now that she has children she wants to be with women only and Brad is her beard.
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Top pic is from a movie he is playing an overly tanned sleazy attorney.
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good casting!!
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I’m astounded they didn’t cast Theroux on that basis…..
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I see that botd is doing some ‘cyber bullying’ of her own there.
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Talk about glass houses…
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She took a day off in honor of her neice
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Desperate, much? I don’t see the Aniston hate stopping anytime soon with you and spinner egging it on, as usual. You are a real troublemaker botd and you have the hide to be stunned at the hate Aniston receives – well, DUH! Thankyou for proving the Brangelina fans point, that its always, always the Jen loons egging it on. I hope you don’t complain next time there is a JA thread, because I will be giving her hell for that. And the Jen fans will have you to thank. If Brad was anyone’s beard, he was Anistons. She is way too close to Handler (remember that intimate getaway for two, what was it, for Thanksgiving?) and to Cox, she clearly swings that way. Thats why Brad now has a real woman. If David himself hadn’t confirmed Aniston’s role in his marriage breakup, it would have been obvious with her clinging to Cox and now to Handler.
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Lol! Dont you think your taking this a bit too personal and serious?
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Like you took Liberty’s tasteful snark too personALLY and seriousLY? You called it ‘bullying’ (wtf), pmsl! You really are a hypocrite.
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I can’t hate on anyone who supports this cause – it’s way too important to me.
Good on him, and fuck the haters. This is a guy doing good work for a good cause – why bring anything else into it?
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It is seriously funny that people think Brad has bad PR over a commercial. He has done many commercials over the years.
I think some of you are reaching and it is really pathetic your need to think this man’s career is harmed over this. but I guess you need it.
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Interesting that this is in his name only – no jolie-pitt donation – just brad pitt.
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hmmmmm…I noticed this as well. Something is brewing besides the major distractions that are being fed to us.
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Yeah, he’s getting ready to ditch Angie and the kids and run back to Jennifer.
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He did the same thing in 2008 to fight for gay right in his name only no jolie-pitt donation – just brad pitt so I don’t see it as a big deal.
Here the link below.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/17/brad-pitt-donates-100000_n_127263.html
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IIRC, last week or so, there was this news about Angelina donating to Malala’s cause and there’s no Brad’s name anywhere on it.
of course there’s the cynical angle (after all there’s very little sighting of them both together after the Oscars, was it? can’t remember).
but, i think in addition to their Jolie Pitt foundation, they also have their own respective pet-causes. Angelina is women and children esp. in conflict areas, Brad is gays and architecture.
also, probably as a way to communicate that, “look ma, no hands! Angie didn’t make me do it. i did it alllll by myself.”
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@lower-case deb
They were seen many times together after the Oscar’s but thier has been very little photos of the whole family since Angelina was filming Maleficent in London.
Their were pictures of them together last month in France and in London with Guy Ritchie.
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I just donated to HRC from my checking account I guess my hubby and I are heading for divorce.
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Bad press for what the ad? And he been donating HRC for Mandy’s years try again.
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Good for Brad – very worthy cause.
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+1, I agree. Good on him.
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Well, now I feel guilty about laughing at his Chanel commercial. What a generous gift!
Sadly Kaiser, support/opposition to the amendment is running dead even according to a recent poll here. I’ve done some volunteer work (and plan to do more) for one of the major opposition groups and while I do think we have a good shot at voting it down, it’s going to be very close.
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Brad has donated to gay righs for years so claiming he’s only doing it because he feels guilty for the Chanel ad is ridiculous. It’s funny that nobody cares that Robert Pattinson is getting paid $12 million for Dior but people are raging that Brad is getting almost half that for his contract.
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Which is another reason why I think a lot of the argument going on both sides is unnecessary. Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties have no agreement on a light rail or true intermodal transportation agreement. Fans have habits and humans are naturally creatures of habit.
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