Angelina is TRASH, she moves in on another womans husband and we are all supposed to sweep it under the carpet. She adopts kids like they are a commodity. Tell me she is going to have time to nurture these kids while she is off being a star! NOT!!!!! Poor kids...... Get rid of the TRASH.

"She's adopted some children and that is a good thing but something that more than 20,000 Americans do every year and had done well before she did, including a lot of celebrities who were much quieter about it."

Very very true. I doubt you would find one Jolie supporter who would argue that. The reason her supporters are so defensive of her adoptions is because of the repeated comments about the supposed motivation behind them by people who could not possibly have any idea as to those, nor can they back them up with any credible reports that would indicate she is a poor mother. It is not to take away from anyone, not at all.
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"Are we to assume that because she's been so public about her adoptions that it's increased the rate of adoptions? If you contend yes, then please provide some proof."

//www.examiner.com/a-599188~Adoptions_from_Africa_on_the_rise.html

//www.futureofchildren.org/newsletter2861/newsletter_show.htm?doc_id=399298

//www.boston.com/news/world/africa/articles/2006/05/19/americans_adopting_more_african_children/

//abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=entertainment&id=3869926
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"Again, great that she donates money but first, it has been estimated that 80% of donations to large organizations goes to the actual running of the organizations and not the people in need. The other 20% is hit or miss if it actually gets to the people who need it because warlords will often seize it and use it to negotiate, bribe, blackmail the people who need it or simply keep it for themselves."

Let me preface this by saying that I worked in charity for a long time, so I'm speaking from my own experience and education: When donations are in a specific amount or they are of a larger than normal amount, they are typically given under the category as grants or they are earmarked for certain expenses. When that is done the money given can only be used for those expenses specified by the donor, nothing more. In the case of grants, reports are generally expected, sometimes quarterly, sometimes annually. Usually they are very detailed. There are also typically expectations and goals outlined with grants, if these are not met money can and will be lost. Operating costs are vital to the running of charities, as wasteful as it may sound when it is initially said, you need donations to pay an electric bill when you are trying to feed people, you need to pay the costs of shipping, office supplies, and sadly- in a way - you need to pay employees. Volunteers alone will not allow an organization to flourish on a large scale. I do think 80% sounds high though, even though I have heard of some reports of some being that high, I'm not sure it averages out that way. Do you have a source on that? Anyway, all that is to say that it is all needed provided you have a good staff, and you can earmark what you want your money to be spent on, even small donations can. Odds are Angelina does this, she often is out in the field with the UNHCR so many of her donations come from seeing an actual need.
******
"Second, while it's great that she donates, let's speak in relative terms and admit honestly that the guy who makes $25,000 a year and donates $100 is actually sacrificing way more than someone who makes millions per year."

Absolutely, but neither donation should overshadow the other. It's all needed. Yes, I would get more excited to open an envelope to see a check for a higher than normal amount, but it really was the smaller ones that touched me more, to see a retiree send in $25.00. No one donation should eclipse another.
******
"Third, has her donating caused an increase in donations? Again, if you contend yes, please provide evidence."

This would be harder to provide evidence for as charities each have their own way for tracking, as opposed to adoptions which can be shown through visa applications. From my own personal experience I can tell you a celebrity endorsement or any news coverage is a goldmine for appealing to new donors. You get local news coverage, you see unsolicited checks come in the mail. You have a celebrity endorse your organization with either a newsworthy donation or a charity drive of some sort, and you bring in tons more than you would otherwise. Sometimes you just need a hook. So evidence would have to come by annual reports from the individual organizations that would benefit from media coverage, but most groups realize what the endorsement brings.

//www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/2/rss20.xml

//www.casefoundation.org/spotlight/giveback/sweet_charity
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"...Angelina is certainly not the first to bring any of these issues to light..."
"That you may pay attention to them because a third-rate actress talks about them on tv. says less about her influence than it does your pathetic willingness to be led about by celebrities rather than your own brain."

Again, I don't think many think she is the first. To some she may be the foremost simply because they follow her out of admiration for whatever reason, be it her movies or her persona. The average person who has never donated or been involved with a cause of some kind, probably does not follow the reports of strife in other countries, or the reports of the kids in the neighboring city who have miserable educational resources, or the children who were rescued from being trafficked and now are in a legal system with no representation. A lot of people are just more concerned with their own, and for good and bad that is just the way it is. A lot of people don't donate until there is a tragedy like 9/11 or Katrina. How is that any worse than those who donate because a celebrity caught their attention? I can assure you that the people on the receiving end who are truly needy do not care why Joe Blow sent in his check. If a celebrity can get a person to donate to a needy cause instead of buying a trendy bag, it says something. If a person decides to donate to a a cause instead of buying the shoes the celebrity wore, it says something about them. Celebrities have endorsed goods for as long as there have been celebrities, from war bonds in the 40's to toothpaste now. Ridiculing a person because they may be less educated about something is not going to illicit any good.
Now I too think that the culture of celebrity worship is disheartening in a way. People are created celebrities anymore, instead of becoming one as a result of a talent that is admired for whatever reason (Paris, Britney, Nicole, etc.) and I think that has more to do with the celebrity overkill and the apparent influence on our culture than anything else. I think some of that influence comes simply from the constant barrage of media who have decided to report more so on controversial topics to get a viewer response instead of tamer movie reviews or personal relationships. It's not good enough to be famous, there seems to be a need to be infamous. It seems this would also affect the average person who would be influenced by a celebrities do gooding; when CNN is covering Anna Nicole and Angelina as much as Iraq, or they only speak of certainthings when they are popular for some reason, the average person might only see it then. The average person may get their news from their local 6:00 newscast. It sometimes takes digging deeper to become educated on the causes that some speak of and I think the average person may be used to getting their info from CNN. I think that the topic of celebrity worship and influence is one obviously related to a discussion about celebrities and their endeavors, but is also one that really stands on it's own.
******
"If you really want to do some good, educate yourself -and I don't mean by reading about celebrity charitable works in US - and chose a cause that is close to your heart."

I wholeheartedly agree about the education aspect. I'd suggest that if one is impressed by the work of a celebrity, take it to another level, look for a similar project locally, look for other needs in the foreign area that the celebrity is helping. Even if one can't help with donations or time (realistically some just can't and all the education in the world won't change that), forward the information to others, get them as inspired, and odds are they will want to share too. Just simply sharing information can inspire others.

All passion about Angelina on this issue aside, let's look at it logically. What good has she actually done? She's adopted some children and that is a good thing but something that more than 20,000 Americans do every year and had done well before she did, including a lot of celebrities who were much quieter about it. Are we to assume that because she's been so public about her adoptions that it's increased the rate of adoptions? If you contend yes, then please provide some proof. She donates money, although that has been contested as well. Again, great that she donates money but first, it has been estimated that 80% of donations to large organizations goes to the actual running of the organizations and not the people in need. The other 20% is hit or miss if it actually gets to the people who need it because warlords will often seize it and use it to negotiate, bribe, blackmail the people who need it or simply keep it for themselves. Second, while it's great that she donates, let's speak in relative terms and admit honestly that the guy who makes $25,000 a year and donates $100 is actually sacrificing way more than someone who makes millions per year. She could donate a whole year's salary and still live better than most. If Joe Schmoo did the same thing he'd be homeless and the one in need of the assistance. Third, has her donating caused an increase in donations? Again, if you contend yes, please provide evidence.

While I'm not trying to dismiss her sincerity in wanting to help people I am just saying that in all honesty Angelina is certainly not the first to bring any of these issues to light and if you really think she is you either have extremely short memories, selective memories or have never read a book in your life. People have written about the situation in Sudan for some time now. I've got a book on my shelf written in 1989 about the troubles there. The same goes for Cambodia, Eritrea, etc. That you may pay attention to them because a third-rate actress talks about them on tv. says less about her influence than it does your pathetic willingness to be led about by celebrities rather than your own brain. It also speaks volumes about the ridiculous amount of influence celebrities have in our culture. Angelina said it's so - so we all bow to the mighty cult of celebrity.

Problems have been around longer than she was on this earth and will continue to be long after she's gone. If you really want to do some good, educate yourself -and I don't mean by reading about celebrity charitable works in US - and chose a cause that is close to your heart. Then find a way to get involved. You'll feel more fullfilled, will actually be doing some good and can spend a lot less time worrying about the weight of someone you never met and never will and who, in all honesty, probably doesn't care two licks about you or your opinion.

How does a grown man compare himself and Angie to orphans when their father is still alive and they just lost their mother??? This is another desperate attempt by Angie to get good publicity - milking her mother's death - because the recent acquisition didn't give her as much adoration as she is used to!! THEY ARE BOTH UNBALANCED FREAKS!!

Nicely put Kristina... That is one of my biggest pet peeves, people who can't spell. I think every computer has spell check so please use it bet!

Haha...keep talking, please, you're only proving my point. I'll keep checking back to see what other stupid things you write. You've been great entertainment around my office!

bet - if you're going to post something do us all a favor and learn how to talk first. you're definately not helping your cause by sounding like a five year old

Angie doesn't really look any skinnier than any other actress right now. She's obviously a very highstrung type A personality, so it makes sense that she'd forget to eat sometimes.

my dad dies and I gain weight.... thank god I am a total unknown. not making any "give her a daughter a break" type comments but......

Everyone is so quick to speak up on how she's treating the death of her mother, and what she may or may not have been doing during her mother's sickness. I can say I personally could not be near my father when he was dying - not because I didn't want to be there for him, but because I didn't know how to handle it, and I know I'm not the only one to react this way. It's a very common method of grieving. How dare you judge another person's way of handling things? John Edwards and his wife, diagnosed with incurable break cancer are still continuing his campaign - do you think that's wrong too? I think it's wrong to, and I'm sure 99% of you have done, or reacted to things in ways you're not proud of. Lucky for you no ones plastering your exploits across the front paper. And how is she playing up to this? Should she hole herself up? At least she's not giving crotch-shots, dropping her baby, checking in and out of rehab like it's a hotel, slinging racist slurs and boozing around hollywood like many popular actors. Good for her for being honest about her sex-life. You think she didn't know she'd get slammed for it? Like 9:19 said, she's not really gaining anything from this. You all know how much her kids diapers are going for, don't you think if she had AIDS we'd know that too? It's not JUST promiscuous, reckless people that contract it, it's reckless people PERIOD, and it only takes ONE time. NO ONE should be judged because of their status, because NO ONE knows what happened.

To 5:57 - Apparently you haven't seen Bill Gates' home(s). They're the most expensive, lavish properties in the world, so does he spend $350 on a shirt? My guess is even if he doesn't, he is making it up in 1,001 other ways. Furthermore, to 6:59 - Lots of other stars give millions? Yeah, once every few years maybe. Plus, if you're going to harp on Ellen spilling the beans, I guarantee you it would have come out sooner or later anyway. When did she donate money other times? Perhaps we don't know, which is exactly the point. How much more high-profile is Angelina than Sandra Bullock? You can't even compare it - I'm sure Angelina doesn't phone up the papers everytime a dollar leaves her hand (How else would we even know they were $350 shirts, or an $8,000 suite?). The same way they know her personal finances, the same way they know her charitable ones. No one knows this woman, or her family, none of you know what really goes on, only what the papers tell you, and what edited pieces of film you get to see. Do you think the Real World is really real too? Poor things...why don't you all go get your GEDs, learn to spell, get a brain and then have a discussion. Funny how all the people so quick to judge here sound like pregnant 14 year old hicks. Are you all Republicans too? I'll bet you voted for Bush...Funny how no one seems concerned about what good she's doing, regardless of the motivation. Obviously it hasn't won her the good graces of much of the world. So I ask you, if it's for publicity, and she's getting such bad press, why continue? Logically, she probably just wants to do it because she's a decent person. She's clearly not gaining much out of all this.

Wow, the amount of misinformation on this site by the article and people posting about it is crazy. Let's start with the idea that James probably never gave this interview - at best it is a number of quotes cobbled together to suit the writers' purpose.

Second, this picture was taken after Angelina had been in LA to visit her mom and had gone back to NOLA. It is taken near Maddox's school, which is where she was when she got the call - picking up or dropping Maddox off at school (not 'stepping out to take the call in public').

Third, clearly Angelina wasn't so 'anorexic' that she couldn't get pregnant in the fist place. When women are anorexic they don't menstruate, let alone get pregnant. Some women get quite thin in the year after pregnancy if they are breastfeeding. Some women are naturally this thin and eat well - I've seen it firsthand!

Fourth, because Angelina and Brad have their own foundation, there are probably many donations made by them that haven't been publicized, because they can provide programs and run humanitarian projects through their own foundation. There could be many other donations that the media doesn't know about, but we hear about many celebrities making donations because it is the directors job of the foundation to issue a public thank you and draw attention to their cause.

Fifth, they didn't "release" this picture for publicity again - it was taken by a paparazzi and then sold to the highest bidder (ie. media outlet) who can then do whatever they want with the pic. Angelina doesn't profit from this kind of picture and sure as heck doesn't decide how it is used, where it is used, or how often it is used.

Sixth, Angelina probably didn't make anywhere near the $40 million mark last year as one reader claimed - she had a 20 minute part in The Good Sheperd that might have been worth $1 or $2 million at most. She filmed A Mighty Heart, produced by Plan B Productions, not a major studio, so probably a smaller amount. The rest of the time she was spending with her family (ie. Brad,children, mother, and brother) and doing some UNHCR work.

Seventh, she, Brad and the children spent some time with her mother and brother during the Christmas holidays and then went to Costa Rica on Christmas Eve. At the time her mother seemed to be in remission and was probably encouraging Angelina to live her life to the full. When you have a parent that has been battling cancer over the course of several years, in and out of the hospital multiple times, you do what they ask you to, believe me. It was a complete shock to Angelina and everyone when her mother was readmitted to the hospital and died after a few days. Again, it can happen this fast - I know.

Lots of misinformation and misconceptions floating around here.

Ordinarily, this story would not be important. But in this case, Angelina Jolie has very much set herself up, through years of shrewd press manipulation and publicity-hogging self-aggrandizement, as a role model for young women. She has even gone on record admonishing other women to eat with such astonishing hypocrisies as "eat real food," and "skinny's not good when the lights are low." And yet, when it comes to Hollywood eating disorders, she is one of the worst. Remember, the camera adds 10 lbs. She has always been shockingly, appalling thin. She has admitted to past eating disorders. I think she never recovered. I think she organized her entire life to enable her own eating disorder, running around like crazy after kids and charity projects so that she never has a minute to sit down and realize how hungry she is. She is no role model for anyone.

11:29 PM Anonymous -- DONT U EVER TELL ME WHAT TO DO. ILL BREAK YOUR DAMN LEGS #ITCH.

4:30 have you seen lara croft? those curves.