#14: The Id, Ego and....Beyonce?

As many of you probably know, Hollywood is gearing up and coming together for Haiti. We have the Supporters, the ones who think its 'wonderful' or 'absolutely amazing' or 'touching' that this group of people can come together for such a great cause. Then we have the Naysayers, the ones who think they're just trying to 'boost their ego' or 'help their careers' or 'benefit from this terrible tragedy'.

There are at least three recordings out that benefit Haiti: Hope for Haiti Now, We are the World, and Everybody Hurts. All of which have notable performers (We are the World has Barbra Striesand in the cast. I know this is going to sound terrible, but that's the primary reason I bought it. Sue me.) and all of which will benefit from the publicity from this. Arguably, they get more publicity when they do things for charity, get knocked up or they royally screw up. And just a side note, at the risk of sounding like a callous bitch, the last like 2 minutes of both songs is just repetition of the main chorus. I get it We are the World and Everybody hurts. End the fucking song already.

Well I know ya'll are wondering 'How does Ms. Wilson see it???', seeing how that's the title of this blog. Well Ms. Wilson see's it like this:

Their hearts are in the right place, they really do seem genuine about this cause they are fighting for. Honestly they would have to be a bunch of selfish, cold-hearted bastards to not feel something about this terrible tragedy. The thing that bothers me is the publicity they get, it kind of plucks my nerves. I was always under the impression that humility and charity go hand and hand; the most wonderful people in the world are the ones who silently fight the battles and donate their time/finances to the cause that they are most passionate about. Publicity is great for getting the word out about your charity but I really don't give a rats ass about how much money you've donated or how many kids you've adopted, saving them from 'certain death'. News flash: There are hundreds of people out there who adopt and save kids from 'certain death' everyday. You're not special just because you have eight of them. That doesn't make you special, that makes you stupid.

The artists I respect are the ones who silently give their time and money to organizations and causes that matter to them. The only go public just to get the word out and that's it. No 'So and so donated $3405834058469574068 dollars!!' I would rather see them do one of two things: donate anonymously or get out there and volunteer.

At least that's how I see it.
Check out the websites below and see what YOU can do for Haiti or otherwise:

Wyclef's Yele Haiti
Shakira's Barefoot Foundation
1GOAL
Mercy Corps
UNICEF
VDAY
JoinRED

#9: Brave folk

Yes I know. I haven't posted in a while. Personal stuff, but now I'm back on track!

So the recent earthquake in Haiti really has me thinking about the human spirit. How people have the ability to overcome incredible or 'impossible' odds and prove to us that phoenixes are real.

Haitians are a very proud people, they're a very artistic people; they have shown us time and time again how strong that a person can be. They've also shown us that no matter where you come from, you can make something of yourself. This does not overshadow the millions of children who die from lack of food or clean drinking water, the women who are beaten and raped or the government that is almost non-existent.

So text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross(http://www.redcross.org/) or you can text UNICEF to 20222 to donate $10 to Unicef (http://www.unicef.org/)

But that's not what this post is about. We've heard lots of sad stuff lately, so I thought I would remind everyone that there is a lot of good stuff too, and that human beings (for all of their shortcomings and imperfections) are really amazing creatures. We have the ability to be compassionate, to love, to heal, to feel, to give aid, to take risks, and create.

Now don't get me wrong, our troops are some of the most heroic risk-takers out there, and yes there are some notable risk-takers that have made history books. But what about people who take risks everyday and go unnoticed? People like police officers, firefighters, EMT's, etc. They take their lives in their hands everyday in order to protect us. Granted some police officers don't deserve a badge, however lets not let a few douchebags shine a poor light on those that do.

Now we all know that I am a HUGE supporter of the arts, particularly the theatre. I don't talk about the risks that the actors take enough. In the words of Patty Duke: "Actors take risks all the time. We put ourselves on the line. It is creative to be able to interpret someone's words and breathe life into them". Lets not forget sacrificing time with family, and living in a crappy apartment surviving off of raman noodles and coffee, shivering under a blanket because you can't afford to turn up your heat beyond 67 in the middle of January. You think I'm kidding? Ask anyone who's been acting. Chances are they've been there or close to it or they've known someone who has been there. In these economic times, with shows closing left and right theres even more uncertainty. When you sign on with a show, you don't know if its going to last 3 years or 3 months. So really, you don't know how long this paycheck is going to last. That my friends is why I whole-heartedly support actors in their pursuit of a career in the theatre. Because we all know that the theatre fulfills whereas the cinema is empty.

While we're on this kick of average-joe risk takers, lets look at you. How many risks have YOU taken in your life? Do you take risks at all? Yes, there's a lot to loose in taking them, but trust me you'll loose so much more if you don't

There are so many other aspects of the human spirit that inspire me. The passion and ability to see hope in the darkest of times; along with the risk-takers, the ones who are willing to sacrifice a lot in order to fulfill their dreams. Those are the sparks of tomorrow. Don't put them out, encourage them.

At least, that's how I see it.
Cheers!