A Plea to Muggles: Please Help the Children

America isn’t the only country trying to save the world. In the UK, celebrities volunteer to help non-profit organizations such as BBC Children in Need.  Children in Need began as a Christmas radio program in 1927, raising money for underprivileged children across the UK. As it grew, Children in Need expanded into television as a Christmas program in 1955. In the 80’s this program truly took flight with the introduction of Pudsey, the bandaged teddy bear and Children in Need mascot. The annual telethon spread to Wales in 1989 and then Scotland in 2008. As part of the telethon, many celebrities have cameos and many performances are put on.

I’m all for raising money for a good cause, but I do have a problem with the celebrity activism here. It is wonderful that Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson took time away from Hogwarts to ask the citizens of the UK to help the children, but other than that, what are these celebrities doing to help?

In a more recent Children in Need performance, held on November 21, 2009, Taylor Swift, boy-band JLS, Zac Efron, Robbie Williams, and singer Aston Merrygold all performed or appeared on the show. This was the same show where the appeal from the Harry Potter cast was aired. So what’s my point?

Unlike the British wizards, Taylor Swift donated £13,000 to the cause on top of performing. It is one thing for an idol or a role model to tell you to do something, it is another for them to ask you to do something that they are also doing. Leading by example is a more efficient way, at least in my opinion, to appeal to the public.