IN THE INTERSECTING WORLDS of celebrities and public causes, two opposing clichés are locked in competition for custody of our imagination: the celebrity as superhero and the celebrity as screwup. Both images are rooted in our notion that famous people are, in some profound way, not normal -- and which version we prefer at any given moment can depend on who's making the headlines. When we read, for instance, about George Clooney striving to bring democracy and health to Sudan, or Sean Penn appearing to carry on his shoulders all the troubles of Haiti as well as the rigors of overseeing a massive NGO, we can believe that exceptional people who have the power to attract exceptional attention can, under the right circumstances, do exceptional things. And when we look at Michael J. Fox's work for Parkinson's disease research, it isn't hard to construct a feel-good story of one man turning personal adversity into the kind of selfless dedication to a cause that, when combined with a high profile, really does make a difference.
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Author:Mark Harris
