Celebs lecturing at university

[Lady's Human]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/10/21/D8DCI6KG0.html

Carmeron Diaz (High school grad) leading a lecture on environmental design? Great. Next we'll have Tom Hanks leading a lecture on Military Tactics. :rolleyes:

This is why a college education is so VERY important. :rolleyes:

[Edwina's Secretary]

and then we might have a celeb run for governor of California...or President of the United States! :eek: :eek: :eek:

[RICHARD]

and then we might have a celeb run for governor of California...or President of the United States! :eek: :eek: :eek:


Well, at least they can ACT like politicians


lets list all the celebrities.

Thompson, "Gopher", Sonny, Ventura, Reagan, AHR nold, Jimmy Stewart.... The country didn't end when the pro wrestler turned big wig said he smoked dope or like the idea of prostitution....

-------------------------

LH,

Sly Stallone as Sec't. of Army

Cruise as Sec't. of Air force

Charlie Sheen as Sec't. of Navy

And Clint "Gunny Highway" E. as the grand poohbah of the Marines.

And
Demi Moore as the Sec't. of Defense. :)

[Lady's Human]

One of the main assets to a politician in the TV driven era is stage presence, so I can understand actors doing well in that arena. However, the idea of an actor/actress giving a lecture on hard science is absolutely ludicrous.

Richard, Somehow I could buy Clint Eastwood as a Marine. The rest? God help us.

[Edwina's Secretary]

So it is okay for an actor to be leader of the free world....but not to know anything about science. Now THAT'S scary!

[finn's mom]

Doesn't Cameron Diaz do a lot for and know a lot about the environment, though, and, it's preservation? Sorry, I didn't even look at the article, but, I thought I remember hearing about that somewhere...

[Lady's Human]

Do you think that more than a handful of politicians have ANY background in hard science? I would be extremely surprised if the number of members of congress who have taken college level sciences numbered more than 40.

Ms Diaz may be very well versed in pop culture environmentalism, but there's a difference between that and being qualified to lead a lecture at a major university.

[moosmom]

On Tuesday, Madonna lectured students at New York's Hunter College.

:eek: :eek: Now THAT'S scary!! What did she lecture on??? Fashion or morals???

[jackie]

Ms Diaz may be very well versed in pop culture environmentalism, but there's a difference between that and being qualified to lead a lecture at a major university.

It says in the link it is for a MTV program, if her lecturing is increasing awareness for environment causes, where is the problem?

Finn's mom is correct, Cameron Diaz does quite a bit for conservation. Just because she is young actress who is only a "High school grad" (gasp, oh no) doesn't mean she has nothing to bring to the table.

The wise are not necessarily well educated and the well educated are not necessarily wise.

[Lady's Human]

Increasing awareness to a subject that is highly controversial and frequently light on hard evidence isn't enough. Increasing knowledge is what is important. MTV has a track record of pushing their political agenda regardless of the facts, and science is not the place for this. If Ms Diaz was merely stating her views on the issue, I would have no problem with it. My problem with this is that they are using renowned universities as stages for their own reality? TV skits.

[lizbud]

Increasing awareness to a subject that is highly controversial and frequently light on hard evidence isn't enough. Increasing knowledge is what is important. MTV has a track record of pushing their political agenda regardless of the facts, and science is not the place for this. If Ms Diaz was merely stating her views on the issue, I would have no problem with it. My problem with this is that they are using renowned universities as stages for their own reality? TV skits.



Aren't you just ticked off because they didn't invite you to lecture
the class? :p

[jackie]

^ Haha. :p

I agree 100% with "Increasing knowledge is what is important." I just assumed that is what they are trying to do (along with making money of course). And in the article it reads "Diaz served as a sidekick...to William McDonough", she didn't lead the lecture herself.

As long as environmental issues gets publicized, I am all for it. And as for MTV pushing their political agenda, which station/network doesn't?

[Lady's Human]

Liz,

I'm fairly sure MTV wouldn't want a US Military NCO on their set...LOL

Besides, I doubt the ROTC program of instruction would fit in very well with MTV's vision.

[catnapper]

I do have a probalem with this myself -- I'm an interior designer, and its taken me YEARS of attending lectures and seminars to know half what I know about green design and such... and I would NEVER EVER in a million years speak to a group of middle school kids about environmental design, let alone grad students. I simply do not have the proper knowledge to do so.

Its one thing to be invilolved in environmental issues, another to stand before students and teach them. Its not just environment here, you are dealing with engineering and other related concepts when it comes to environmental design. Last I checked, engineer wasn't in her resume.

Ah.... but I guess what counts is I get up there and giggle (oh, wait, I don't have the cute little giggle Cameron has) and put a spotlight on environmental design :rolleyes: Next thing you know, we'll have universities flooded with students who want to be environmental designers thinking it'd be cool and fun. They'll have NO clue what the job really entails.

[emily_the_spoiled]

Although Cameran Diaz may not have had a university degree in the field that she spoke in, many celebraties do. (e.g. Mick Jagger has a degree from the London School of Economics - one of the top schools in the world.) Just because he is famous, should this be an exclusion criteria for him not lecturing students in economics?

[Edwina's Secretary]

Just because he is famous, should this be an exclusion criteria for him not lecturing students in economics?


Only if he is liberal.... ;) :eek: ;)

[Karen]

Although Cameran Diaz may not have had a university degree in the field that she spoke in, many celebraties do. (e.g. Mick Jagger has a degree from the London School of Economics - one of the top schools in the world.) Just because he is famous, should this be an exclusion criteria for him not lecturing students in economics?


Only if it is an "honorary" degree. If he took the courses and earned the degree, lecture away!

In my humble opinion, of course. I would have no interest in an Economics lecture, though I know I should. One of our neighbors is an Economics professor at Boston College, and she says it is NOT the deadly dull topic I think of it as being!

[Edwina's Secretary]

Since niether Bill Gates nor Steve Jobs has a college degree I guess they aren't qualified to teach anyone anything about computers....or business...or marketing....

[Lady's Human]

ES, not my point.

Bill Gates and (very arguably) SteveJobs have proven their knowledge firsthand, where the rubber meets the road. Similarly, Chuck Yeager was (barely) a high school grad and was one of the best pilots ever to fly. If Mick jagger wants to teach a class on music, cool. If Ms. Diaz wants to teach a class on acting, fine. If they stay in the field which has brought them prominence I have no problem with it. It's when an actor goes into a field in which they have no proven skill or knowledge in and lectures/appears on that topic that I have a problem. I have no idea what Ms Diaz's lecture or discussion was, I don't care.

Just showing an interest in the environment does not qualify one to lecture on it, especially when there are so many contradictory theories and so much conflicting data. The same data from the past fed into computer models that they are currently using to predict global warming in the 1970's lead to mass hysteria and predictions of a new ice age. PICK ONE. Truth be told, we dont have accurate enough data over a long enough period of time to truly know. Scientists discard data from the 1800's as scientifically inaccurate when talking about storms, but they use it wholesale when talking about the environment. PICK ONE. There's not enough data, and having an actress lecturing on hard science doesn't help.

[Edwina's Secretary]

But you misrepresent what is reported in the article....

....helped lead a lecture on environmentally friendly design....

A champion of environmental causes, Diaz served as a sidekick for friend and renowned environmental architect William McDonough, a consulting professor at Stanford.

Soooo...she is using her celebrity to support a cause in which she believes, at the invitation of a renowned expert in the field...and possibly promoting education and getting students enthused.

She is not donning the academic cap and gown and representing herself as the leading thinker in the field.

I'm also not entirely sure how much hard science is involved in environmentally friendly design.

The debate on global warming is safe from the hands of the artistically inclined....at least for today!

[Lady's Human]

ES, there is a lot of hard science in environmentally friendly design. Green buildings and the like take large amounts of hard science to design.

In another article on the appearance, it states that Mcdonough was invited to Stanford at the request of Ms Diaz, after her appearance was planned. In other words, the renowned expert was there at her request, not the other way around, and Stanford has asked him to come back WITHOUT Ms diaz so he can give a real lecture.

[RICHARD]

Similarly, Chuck Yeager was (barely) a high school grad and was one of the best pilots ever to fly.

I got a chance to see the Chuckster Sunday at Edwards AFB on Sunday..

He was buzzing around in a P-51.

He gave a little speech after his flight. He talked about how the kids of today would be the pilots/warriors of tomorrow - He made it a point to tell the parents to drive safely on the way home because protecting the kids would protect our future

Imagine that.

Some military pilot talking to the public about driving! And then blatantly recruiting the youngsters to go out and serve the country.

The nerve of people talking out of school.

-------------------------

Hmmm,
Private jets, limos, all the little quirky things that 'stars' get away with..

Go to a movie set and see just how much waste the production companies produce..


I was talking about trash AND the movies...Charlie's Angels, Along came Mary... Pretty much any Diaz movie.... :eek:

[catland]

Regarding the MTV reference - they aren't my first choice for hard science. The other day, when I was surfing for info on hurricanes - MTV news was saying how once we run out of names, we have to resort to Roman numerals. :eek: :eek:

Roman numerals = Greek alphabet? :p :rolleyes:

[Edwina's Secretary]

Wow....I guess Ms Diaz should quit using her celebrity to support her beliefs and just be a boozing, drug using Hollywood has-been!

[RICHARD]

Wow....I guess Ms Diaz should quit using her celebrity to support her beliefs and just be a boozing, drug using Hollywood has-been!

I prefer the "overweight/ too many bad plastic surgeries" scenario myself.

:o

[Lady's Human]

What if she used her interest in her beliefs and her money to get an education in what she has an interest in?

[jackie]

But you misrepresent what is reported in the article....

....helped lead a lecture on environmentally friendly design....

A champion of environmental causes, Diaz served as a sidekick for friend and renowned environmental architect William McDonough, a consulting professor at Stanford.

Soooo...she is using her celebrity to support a cause in which she believes, at the invitation of a renowned expert in the field...and possibly promoting education and getting students enthused.

She is not donning the academic cap and gown and representing herself as the leading thinker in the field.

I'm also not entirely sure how much hard science is involved in environmentally friendly design.

The debate on global warming is safe from the hands of the artistically inclined....at least for today!

Someone who agrees, but can put it into much better words than me. :D

[jackie]

What if she used her interest in her beliefs and her money to get an education in what she has an interest in?

Ummm... If I went to get an education/degree for everything I was interested and passionate about, I would never leave. Hehehe. ;)