Last week, the Today Show’s Ann Curry began tweeting photos of her trip to Sudan with George Clooney. She and George and a group of people were traveling either with or in tandem with a group from the UN Security Council – they were checking in with the Southern province of Sudan, which will soon have a vote on their independence. It’s a situation where everything could very easily go wrong, and there could be mass casualties. Clooney is trying to bring awareness to the situation, and this morning Ann had her formal interview with Cloons. He was shilling his new site, Sudan Action Now, amongst other things.
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He’s handsome and has a heart – what can’t this guy do?
With Sudan again spiraling toward civil war, George Clooney is calling for aggressive diplomacy to avoid another potential genocide in the Darfur region.
“I think it can be stopped,” the Oscar-winning actor and director said Tuesday on NBC’s Today show. “We stopped [the previous Darfur conflict] in 2005 with diplomacy. We didn’t stop it with soldiers. So, yes, if we get involved now, we have a shot.”
Clooney, 49, who traveled in Sudan recently, says there’s an overwhelming consensus that Darfur is primed to explode – you don’t have to take his word for it.
“It doesn’t matter what I believe, because obviously I’m an actor,” he says. “The Secretary of State said it’s a ticking time bomb. The CIA said this is the next genocide if we’re not careful – it is the biggest risk. The president has said as much.”
He adds: “Everyone acknowledges that this is what is going to take place if someone doesn’t moderate and mediate. … I’m just trying to say it as loud as possible.”
Clooney has set up a Web site, SudanActionNow.org, to continue his call for intervention.
[From People]
God, just what this area needs – another refugee crisis and more political instability. I’m glad Clooney is using his star power to bring attention to it. I just wonder if people’s reaction to this would be completely different if it was Angelina Jolie.
Sudan is such a critical issue. Your everyday person however has no idea what is going on there. More attention needs to be brought to the forefront,but I’m not sure if Clooney is bringing as much attention as he thinks. There is a lot of good work going on to help the people of Sudan by secular and religious organizations all over the world. If only more people were aware of the genocide instead of Jersey Shore things may be a little different.
Yes, it would be completely different, even though George Clooney has said himself that Angelina’s one of the people he most admires, for taking the ridiculous amounts of attention celebrities get and forcing that spotlight onto more important causes.
I’m going to be picky and point out that the everyday person has ot worry about the collapsing economy and making sure he/she doesn’t end up in the streets. If times were better, admittedly I would understand the need for promotion, but really, at the moment too many people are losing their jobs and homes and I think that should receive more attention.
I really hope another crises can be averted,hopefully they will stop what possibly may happen before it gets to that point.Hopefully everyone who is placed in “high power” will pay closer attention to whats going on in Sudan in the next few months and do what they can to help this country and its people in this desperate situation.I’m all for anyone trying their best to bring awareness to this possible upcoming crisis even if it is just an actor.Maybe George Clooney should team up with Angelina Jolie even though he’s been doing this himself for years her star power/contribution certainly wouldn’t hurt..Thanks CB.for posting this article and the other one as well! every little bit helps.
He needs to stop talking about politics – not an intelligent word comes out of his mouth and we all know Darfur is ticking time bomb-duh!!!
We have all known this for a long time George. Why does he think he is telling us something new? because he is celeb he knew this first? no
George is always outspoken about Iraq & how we shouldnt have gone there w US military but now he is asking for American government/military to get involved in Darfur? The people in both instances are dealing with maniac leaders so why is George so anti Bush for the fact that he went into Iraq but is asking America to go into Darfur and this is ok? He is such a hypocrite!
@Kim: He isn’t asking for the US military to get involved in Darfur; he’s asking for America to get involved diplomatically. Quite different than the Iraq situation where the US decided to preemptively strike a sovereign country that was erroneously believed to be accumulating WMDs and to have ties with Al Qaeda. Although you are correct to point out both countries are/were headed by MANIACAL leaders.
wow. only 7 comments. people could really give a sh*t, huh?
lmao 🙂
George is a really smart guy. He isn’t just a pretty mouthpiece. I respect that he uses his celebrity to bring attention to a really important cause.
I admire George for getting involved – I just wish he would come out of the closet
Sakota- “If times were better, admittedly I would understand the need for promotion, but really, at the moment too many people are losing their jobs and homes and I think that should receive more attention.”
Um, I’m sorry the impending war is inconvenient for you? Yes, the economy sucks here and now, but the rest of the world’s problem’s don’t stop just because we have some here. And have you watched or read the news lately? It’s all midterm elections and economy.
And now we are up to 12 comments. What a shallow bunch of celeb watchers we all are. George needs to get his celeb friends to put pressure on the politicians to do something before war and faminine happen again.
I agree with you Kim!
So, he was famewhoring for the paps in Italy at the Armani show the other week and now he is at the White House and we are expected to take him seriously? Sorry but he has no credibility anymore. What’s next? Paris Hilton addressing the G8 summit?
It is solely PR. He “cares” for a couple of days a year, gets his publicity blitz then traipses off back to his house in Italy or LA and doesn’t give it a second thought until he wants attention again and his calendar is clear of any film work. Interesting that he has no confirmed future acting job at the moment – only just the film is his going to direct early next year through his company. I’m sure this has nothing to do with getting media coverage and keeping himself in the press to help hustle for acting jobs and prove to the studios that he is relevant and worth the investment. It’s the same reason the girlfriend is still on the scene and being paraded before the paps at every possible occasion.
George should just go quietly about making his dull and boring films, his self-entitled lifestyle, the skanky girlfriends, shilling for dubious companies for the sake of bucket loads of cash and lose the holier than thou attitude up on his soapbox and leave the serious issues to the grown ups.
I am very impressed with George’s bipartisan approach and his continued commitment.
I don’t think he does this kind of thing for publicity. I think he is sincere in wanting to help these people.
@#3 sakota
the oil issue is prime mover in this conflict, and is another good reason to minimize one’s energy usage, besides the bills, whenever possible b/c that too would also help our economy. the niger delta being such a mess is probably good example of the potential here, b/c we do import some of our oil from there already [light, sweet crude].until the janjaweed were backed up by heavy artillery bought by the north from outside sources, they couldn’t move successfully into the south b/c of the Sudd swamp [full of deadly parasites]. the contracts/distribution routes for who wants the oil, along with the heavy artillery are what’s a matter of heavy diplomacy here. oil futures, basically, b/c one of the world economic org’s just mentioned today that oil usage in the world is forecasted to be going up significantly this coming year…so yeah, this actually does really matter. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_sudan and see 19 century, turkish sudan]
@ #14 bored at work
it would’ve be nice if he bothered to do even one single print/online/tv interview as to why he chose the role for ‘the american’. i, for one, wanted to know why he chose a role about a soon-to-be-retired narcissistic murderer [basically; i finally read the book] written by a former children’s book author [which i found interesting]. and i did sign the darfur petition.
@#1 EMV
you’re so right about the jersey shore reference. and given the history of this region, if those parasites in the Sudd hadn’t stopped the north until recently from invading the south so violently and prolifically [now] in our time, the area probably would’ve been already taken for oil, and gc would be dealing w/ another crisis, instead, and many people would still be watching jersey shore, instead.
Thanks George.
@abbs: “Yes, the economy sucks here and now, but the rest of the world’s problem’s don’t stop just because we have some here.” thank you for pointing out that it is more than just not worrying about americans problems…
i am fully aware of the issues here in america BUT i am not afraid that my mom, sister, nieces and female neighbors will suddenly be raped in a breakout of war… HUGE difference
good for clooney, ive donated and signed pledges and made calls so glad to see that at least 18 people care on here 🙁 [ive been overrun with work but try to catch up here!!]
Does anyone know if Waldo joins him on his humanitarian trips? If he does, how interesting. Hmmm…