Crushable » Charity

Parenting Lessons From Teen Mom 2: Opposite Day

Natalie Zutter — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:41:18 +0000

For the most part, the fathers on this show are portrayed as useless schlubs who haven’t made an effort in their child’s life since the seven minutes it took to conceive him/her. But this week, things started to shift. Obviously Corey was still a shit, further upsetting Leah; but Jo showed surprising maturity in asking to meet Jordan, and Kieffer told Jenelle that he was willing to quit smoking pot for her. Meanwhile, Chelsea made the most out of her break-up with Adam by raising money for premature babies with the March of Dimes.

Even though at least one couple is headed for a break-up, I can still cautiously say that these kids did OK this week.

KAILYN

DO: Encourage a support structure for your kid

Kailyn’s worried because Jo told her he wants to meet her new boyfriend Jordan. I can see why she might feel awkward, especially since Jo’s reasoning is “I don’t want some weirdo around my son.” But what he really means is that he doesn’t want there to be a string of unreliable guys in and out of Kailyn’s, and Isaac‘s, lives. As the father, that’s his right and his duty, so kudos to him.

DON’T: Expect the worst

But as worried as Kailyn is, Jordan has no problem with officially meeting her babydaddy. They have this cute, lighthearted exchange:

Kailyn: “How does old boyfriend meet new boyfriend?”
Jordan: “I dunno, I’ve never had an old boyfriend.”

DO: Have your kid’s best interests at heart

Jo and Jordan seem to hit it off, but Jo understands the awkwardness of the situation enough to explain his motivations. “I want to be able to pick up the phone,” he says. “If [Isaac] needs something and I can’t get in touch with her, then I can call you.”

“There doesn’t need to be tension,” he adds. Does that mean that he and Kailyn are also dealing with their feud over child support? These kids mumble so much, it’s hard to tell which developments from last week have stuck around.

DO: Acknowledge your faults

Jo quizzes Jordan on if he smokes or drinks, with Jordan responding that he’s not into that stuff. “Better than me,” Jo remarks with a wry smile. Good for him!

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Kim Kardashian Only Gives 10% Of Her Charity Auctions To Charity

Jamie Peck — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:25:49 +0000

When you buy something from a charity auction, you usually assume that 100%, or at least a large portion, of the proceeds are going to charity. Stop doing this! According to Fox News, a handful of celebrities including Kim and Khloe Kardashian only donate a paltry 10%.

The vehicle for these donations is Ebay Giving Works, which lets people auction off items and donate up to 100% of the proceeds to a good cause. Although Kim, who is worth an estimated $35 million, promotes her page as “Charity eBay Auctions Supporting the Dream Foundation,” it might be more accurate to tag it “Charity eBay Auctions Supporting Kim Kardashian,” because that’s where the other 90% goes.

Items auctioned off are usually clothing and shoes, but Kim occasionally auctions off stupider things, like five minute audiences. For instance, before her birthday bash last year, she auctioned off a package for which “winner and guest will get to skip the line and be escorted in to the VIP room where they will get 5 minutes to wish Kim a happy birthday, take photos, and have up to 2 items signed.” (To be fair, she gave 25% to charity that time.)

Paula Abdul has also been fingered as a 10%-er. But in case you’re feeling sad now, you should know that lots more celebrities have done auctions where they give 100% of the proceeds away: Miley Cyrus, Sienna Miller, Steven Tyler, Barbara Streisand, and Charlie Sheen(!), to name a few.

(Via Fox News)

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Video: Santa Matt Damon Tries To Give Kids Water Bottles For Christmas

Natalie Zutter — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:48:07 +0000

Look at Matt Damon, getting into the holiday spirit! Yesterday he was on the Today show rocking an ugly Christmas sweater, and now he’s released a video for Water.org where he dresses up as Santa Claus. Too bad the kids on his lap don’t believe him when he says a water bottle is the must-have toy for Christmas season 2011.

At first I thought this was an actual stunt piece with unsuspecting people, but it’s most likely scripted, especially with the Ben Affleck jokes. However, I have to agree with Reddit that this video of Matt playing a similarly do-gooder version of himself (but with more expletives) on Entourage is funnier:

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Tony Bennett’s Nude Sketch Of Lady Gaga Could Soon Be Yours!

Jamie Peck — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:08:43 +0000

As you may recall, Lady Gaga stripped down for a photoshoot in January’s Vanity Fair so that recording legend (and duet partner) Tony Bennett could be photographed sketching her. Apparently, it wasn’t just some weird editorial concept; according to The Wall Street Journal, the finished product will soon be up on eBay.com/Celebrity, a site that helps famous people auction their things off for charitable causes. This might yet turn out to be the world’s most expensive piece of fan art.

Whose idea was it for a woman famous for her crazy clothes to get drawn in the nude by the 85-year-old singer? Not hers, judging from this quote from A Very Gaga Thanksgiving:

“I walked in and said, ‘Well, Tony, here we are,’ and I dropped my robe and I got into position. I felt shy and thought ‘It’s Tony Bennett, why am I naked?’”

To raise money for starving kids in Africa is why, Lady Gaga. Imagine how many kids she could have fed had she actually showed nip.

(Via WSJ)

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Justin Bieber’s Snake Now Available For Purchase

Jamie Peck — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:29:34 +0000

Have you ever wanted to own a little piece of Justin Bieber? How about his Johnson? By which I mean his…flesh colored snake? His flesh colored snake he likes to…fondle? I’m talking about his penis, y’all. BUY IT.

Just kidding, I’m talking about the baby boa constrictor he took with him to the 2011 VMAs, whose name is Johnson and who is currently being auctioned off to benefit Pencils Of Promise (heh), a non-profit organization that builds school and increases access to education in the developing world.

Oh, to be a celebrity, for whom “I don’t want this pet anymore” can be spun into a selfless and charitable action. (I was stuck taking care of an un-wanted guinea pig for a good year before I found a proper home for it. Someone give me a medal.) But isn’t it sort of weird to auction off a live animal like it’s some kind of toy? Never fear: the auction comes with the following disclaimer:

	Non-Belieber Has Beliebers Arrested For Beliebing in Bieber
	Video: Justin Bieber Pranks His Fans For A Proactiv Commercial
	Justin Bieber Treated His Fans To A Shirtless Skate Show
	Video: Reese Witherspoon Disses Justin Bieber
	Introducing Crushable’s New Daily Newsletter!

Please note: Keeping a pet snake is a long term responsibility. Before making any decision about keeping one please ensure you have the money, space, knowledge, time, resources and enthusiasm required to properly care for the species you intend to keep, for the duration of it’s life.

The winning bidder will be screened upon the close of the auction. The welfare of this snake is the sole responsibility of the adopter. The adopter agrees to give the snake good care which includes quality premium food, fresh water, sanitation and grooming, clean and secure indoor housing, clean and secure outdoor housing and overall safety. Winner must sign a Personal Injury and Limited Liability release, and must guarantee necessary vet care will be provided.

Do you hear that, people? If Justin’s snake bites you, it’s not his fault! Sounds an awful lot like what’s going on in the other Justin Bieber “snake” story currently circulating around the Internet.

(Via Buzzworthy)

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Video: The Music Video For Betty White And Luciana’s ‘I’m Still Hot’ Is Here

Jamie Peck — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:13:34 +0000

Remember that weird/awesome song that Betty White recorded with someone called Luciana? Well, now there’s a music video for it, and it’s every bit as great as I thought it would be.

“I’m Still Hot” opens with Betty at the LA Zoo, which, not coincidentally, will receive a portion of the proceeds from the single’s sales. Luciana rolls up in her car, and it. is. on. Betty sits on a throne surrounded by beefcakes, talks about how she’s “living life at the top,” and even recruits a body double for some break dancing. Adorable!

This is all lots of fun, but it also bears mentioning that the whole enterprise is sponsored by The Lifeline Program, which has hired Betty as its spokesperson. What this for-profit company does is buy insurance policies from the elderly and the terminally ill for significant sums (but less than the actual payout when the person dies). The elderly person gets to take a big chunk of money and have fun (or just, you know, avoid homelessness) in his or her golden years, and the company gets to keep the insurance money when they die. Basically, it’s for old people who’d like to enjoy their insurance money before they kick, rather than letting their ungrateful grown children enjoy it afterwards. And/or people who have no money and no other option. It seems like it could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending.

Anyway, dude, Betty White is rapping. Look at her go!

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Tareq Salahi Is Selling Michaele Salahi’s Used Underwear

Liana Maeby — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:15:46 +0000

Would you buy fame-pariah Michaele Salahi‘s used underwear? Because her cuckolded estranged husband Tareq Salahi is selling them — supposedly for charity, although that may be a bit of a sham. Meanwhile, Michaele continues to live the high life with her new boyfriend, Journey guitarist Neal Schon.

Tareq claims he’s donating the proceeds of the underwear sale to charity, but in reality only 10% of the what he earns will go to Make A Wish Foundation and Comic Relief, his charities of choice. So it looks like Tareq is actually just trying to make a quick buck — but will he even be able to do that? Who actually wants to own Michaela’s underthings? Selling off her used, vagina-scented unmentionables implies this some sort of aura of sexiness around Michaele, which, frankly, isn’t what’s notable about her. People pay attention to her (to the degree that people pay attention to her) because of her outlandish antics and not because she’s some sex symbol with magical pheromones.

Maybe I’m wrong and hundreds of people will bid on the undies. More likely, Neal Schon will snatch them up (ugh, pun not intended) as yet another way to one-up his nemesis.

(via HuffPo)

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Video: Amy Winehouse’s Last Single, ‘Body and Soul,’ Is A Duet With Tony Bennett

Jamie Peck — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:22:13 +0000

Amy Winehouse‘s last recording, a duet version of Tony Bennett‘s Body and Soul, was released today on what would have been her 28th birthday. In the video, she appears healthy and clearheaded, a far cry from her disastrous last performances. And as always, that voice is just amazing.

Wearing a sweater from her own line with Fred Perry, Amy flirts adorably with Bennett throughout the video, as one does when singing a duet with Tony Bennett. At one point, she kisses her necklace and points up to the ceiling…what’s she looking at? Is it a shout out to God, or someone in an engineering booth? It’s not clear. But when she hugs Tony Bennett at the end, your heart will melt, or at least it should, if you have one.

Not coincidentally, Amy’s posthumous charity, The Amy Winehouse Foundation UK, also launched today, and its first major proceeds will come from sales of the single. According to MTV News, the mission statement of the organization is to “support charities and organisations undertaking charitable activities in both the United Kingdom and abroad who help, support, or care for young people — especially but not exclusively those who are in need by reason of ill health, disability, ﬁnancial disadvantage or addiction.” Once you’ve wiped the tears from your eyes, you can go here to donate, if you feel so inclined.

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Someone Made An Ice Cream That Tastes Like Justin Bieber

Jamie Peck — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 17:11:07 +0000

Justin Bieber is so damn cute. Don’t you just want to roll around in his scent and then capture, kill and eat him, savoring every last bite? Ha ha, of course you don’t, that would be crazy. (Or do you? ARE YOU A TRUE BELIEBER?)

Rather than discourage these worrying impulses in fans, Bieber’s management has only stoked them, first with the Bieber-themed lady scent “Someday,” and now with a Bieber-flavored ice cream sundae. Sold at London department store Harrods for the equivalent of $32, the Someday Sundae supposedly tastes how the perfume smells, with wild berry and vanilla ice cream, fresh pear, lavender sprinkles, and edible glitter. (Justin Bieber loves edible glitter.)

$32 might seem a bit steep for a sundae, but all of the proceeds go to making sick kids’ dreams come true via the Make a Wish Foundation, so stop being so selfish. Do any of those dreams involve Justin Bieber? Chances are good. (Perhaps he should cut out the middle man and go around granting private audiences for free.) For anyone lucky enough to not meet the requirements for Make A Wish, there’s always the scent and the sundae. For tips on how to best enjoy it, see below.

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Video: Stephen Colbert and The Roots Perform ‘Friday’

Lilit Marcus — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 15:25:10 +0000

Stephen Colbert announced that he would join band The Roots to perform a cover of Rebecca Black‘s “Friday” if fans helped raise $26,000 for Colbert’s favorite charity, DonorsChoose. (Editor’s note: DonorsChoose is awesome!) Not only did viewers raise the money, but NBC matched the amount. Last night, the performance happened on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (the Roots are Fallon’s house band), and it was every bit as glorious as you thought it would be.

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