The Associated Press
MIAMI — Just hours before taking the stage, pop singer Britney Spears made a surprise visit to a group of sick children at Miami Children's Hospital.
The 27-year-old Spears posed for photos with the children on Saturday.
She's also donating $100,000 to the Big Apple Circus Clown Care program, which brings clowns to young hospital patients.
Spears played at the American Airlines Arena in Miami as part of her "Circus" tour.
The tour to support her hit album of the same name kicked off last week before a nearly sold-out crowd in New Orleans.
Spears' last toured in 2004.
While it is very nice that Ms. Spears donated much needed funds to the Clown Care Unit I still think that the American circus, as an art and as an industry, needs Ms. Spears and her tour like a fish needs a bicycle.
13 comments:
I have just found out through other reports that the "visit" was a photo op that lasted about 10 minutes.
Meh, as long as the check clears...
weird irony. Today, March 10, 2009, is the last day of the Seattle Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit. After 10 years, it is ending.
yes, but you have to admit a fish on a bicycle is a great act.
Although not so much if you're talking Abe Vagoda on that bike.
I think what Britney did was wonderful. I also think it was at least partially motivated by the need for good publicity.
I agree with all of your comments, my friends... but the ONLY important thing here is that many sick children will benefit from that money, and we should all be VERY thankful to Britney Spears because of her donating that money to the Clown Care Unit instead of giving it to Scientology, as so many brainless and heartless "artists" do. Here, at least, the money will be used to make sick children happy, isn't that wonderful?. Really, please put sarcasm and disbelief aside and let's be thankful. As clowns, and if we really love children, we should be very appreciative of her gesture, no matter her hidden intentions (if she had any).
To many people, Britney is 'cool' and she's giving attention to the Circus. I see nothing wrong with it. I'd rather have her making people think of the circus,than 90% of the clowns I see!
True before 1976 when I was 20 years old and working in the fist Circus that I had ever seen, my expatiations of a Circus was that 90% of what people think the Circus is because it is mostly presented to them by the 90% Jam face clowns who invade society like Zombie body snatchers armed with squirting lapel flowers and smelling of a mixture of Old Spice and baby powder. I haven’t seen Britney’s show and probably never will because at this time in my life I seem to be looking for HOT babes in the AARP magazines. But let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth, we might see Madonna’s lip stick there.
$100,000
was this the only monetary exchange for Britney's promo at Big Apple?
If yes, then Big Apple gave away the store.
$100,000 is a fireman's salary in NYC; and not nearly enough for using the Big Apple equipment (which is non-profit?) for such a disrespectful tie-in.
The exposure (oldest line in negotiating) was not worth the association.
How many times have we heard, "We don't have a big budget but there will be tons of exposure because all the media is coming."
Now if she was donating the money to a group buying bicycles for fish, I would agree with you. I don't think we should be bailing out fish at this time. They should buy their own damn bicycles.
However, as distasteful as it is for celebs (or just random rich people) to use charities for their own gain (to raise their profile or rehab their image), the money spends the same - and it will do some good. And I'd say it's not as distasteful as those $1000 a plate dinners that the riches do (where they spend more on the clothes they wear to the dinner, than they actually donate, and the overhead eats most of the charity's profit).
I am a clown with the NYC clown care team. I am very grateful for her actions, with the current crisis and so many non-profit organizations going under, her gesture means a lot. With her donation one of our programs can live for a year, that is the employment of at least, a six clown team with 2 times a week work. For those of you that have worked hospitals, you know the importance of programs like ours. We are amongst the few paid professionals that get to do this. I would love for more hospitals to adopt similar programs like ours that would allow for professional clowns to get paid. We should come together as a community and embrace anyone that helps keep our art-form alive. And yes, hospital work is a form of clowning. More and more countries adopt it each year. The children's hospital in the Vatican has now a program like ours.
These are tough times and even tougher for us, as more and more people that are desperate for income take to the streets and call themselves clowns. Those of us that have many years of training and experience are grateful when someone steps in and helps keep clowns employed.
My apologies if I offend anyone and my gratitude goes out to Pat for allowing us to express our thoughts and feeling in this forum.
Oh yes, it was good.
It was wonderful.
...and I hope more comes. More from others, more from Britney. more from anyone who cares.
I just think some of us may wish it were pure. Just for the cause. Just because it's a good thing to do.
...and we want what we love to be loved. To be respected, to be understood for what it honestly is, or can be.
...and sometimes it isn't, and sometimes it can't be, due to how it's portrayed.
...but what she offered, did good. Ultimately it will do good.
...and when any of us do something good, no matter the reason, the good remains. The good is.
...and I am glad for the good.
I honestly think its great that she is doing that. Ever think shes a normal person that people constantly attack?? This is the third time that you have talked about her in a community of people that Im sure do not care about britney spears. I personally like her but I do not come on here to hear about her. Would you expect her to do anything else but promote herself?? NO! Unfortunatly if another post about britney comes up I do not think I can keep visiting this site....
Clown College '96 grad, and former Ringling Blue Unit clown, Harry Moeller is performing on this tour with Britney. I know he rides a unicycle, and I believe he also does some juggling and comedy shtick. He actually gets some stage time with Britney. I'm no bit Britney fan, but I know that must be a very cool gig.
"Hillbilly"
Big Apple Clown Care Unit pays $15/hr for professional performers. A paper route pays more.
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