Bless any celebrity that takes on the unenviable task of entertaining the wealthy and powerful at a charity event in an effort to raise money for a good cause. That's what Sharon Stone did at the annual Cannes event for amfAR, the AIDS research organization whose capitalization nobody can quite get right, hosting the four-event auction that nabbed a cool $10 million, with an assist from Madonna.
But Stone's method of scrounging up cash didn't win everyone over.
A scathing Page Six report last week had a spy recounting her jokes about Diddy's budget for crack and all the sob stories she told about herself. "Her whole speech was about her," said P6's source. "What she has done, how her crusade had affected her . . . all with the backdrop of dying kids on the screen behind her. Then, it was [bleep] this, [bleep] that throughout the whole auction. It was vulgar beyond belief … At one point she actually said one of the items from the auction could be hung from 'your [beep] ring.'"
That didn't sit well with Fox 411 gossip Roger Friedman. Which is why he's on the attack today against Page Six's report.
I was a little taken aback by a negative report over the weekend concerning Sharon Stone’s amfAR appearance last Thursday in Cannes.
It’s always bewildering to me when a report is filed by someone who wasn’t in the room. The information is third- or fourth-hand by then, and often conveyed by someone who has an axe to grind.
Each year, Stone comes to Cannes and works a room of over a thousand people in order to raise money for amfAR.
The guests comprise an international crowd. They are wealthy, but have little contact with Hollywood. They don’t get to meet movie stars. Because they are not American and not in the media, they aren’t jaded or snarky. They’re thrilled. They come to see a show. And Stone puts one on.
To not get this is to be naïve about fundraising. Stone’s annual performance at the Cinema Against AIDS dinner is just that… a performance. She gives about 300 percent for four hours, chiding, cajoling, flirting, shocking, doing whatever it takes to wrest funds from the crowd.
Last Thursday night, Sharon raised $2.1 million in the first 15 minutes of the dinner. She is not above a little good-natured humiliation. Can you imagine holding the attention of a thousand people for more than a second? These people are scattered at dinner tables in a huge, dark tent. They’re drinking, gossiping and carrying on — in several languages.
Stone knows her crowd. When she saw the energy in the room needed a boost she went and sat on Sean Combs’ lap. She said the most outrageous thing she could to jolt the room.
“You spend more that that on crack,” she said to Combs over the mike, while perched on him.
You could hear the room sit up and pay attention.
Obnoxious? Sure. But the total for the night was over $10 million.
And what about reports that the stories she tells are all about her? Those come from not being there.
Stone is effective simply because she personalizes her accounts of meeting children with AIDS. The people in that tent are rich and travel in rarefied circles. Stone is their emissary into a world they know is bad, but one they’re not going to visit. The more she says about how seeing kids with AIDS affected her, the faster the money comes in.
As for Stone claiming that she founded amfAR, that’s just bull hooey. She tells the same story every year, how Mathilde Krim founded it with Elizabeth Taylor, how Sharon filled in one year when Liz couldn’t do the dinner. How utterly ridiculous to think that Stone would claim anything else. She’s the first to raise her hand and donate time, money and energy. How lucky amfAR and AIDS patients are to have her on their side. And believe me, next year in Cannes she’ll raise even more money.
One more thing about Sharon Stone vis-a-vis amfAR: She is incredibly gracious. Madonna came to last Thursday’s dinner to plug her movie. She gave away her handbag, but apparently Versace gave her an even more expensive one to replace it. Madonna has never given money to amfAR from her Ray of Light Foundation, and she didn’t last Thursday. As Stone conducted the auctions, Madonna remained mum. But later Stone had nothing but kind words for Madonna, and would not let her be criticized.
“She gave her time, and she pitched in,” Sharon said. “I’m happy with everything she did.”
Others might not feel the same way, but Stone took the high road. Maybe her critics should too. [Fox 411]
Editorial Director
Sharon Stone represents a shameful image of US's movie industry. She is not really a human being.
the current vogue for 'piss + vinegar' cattiness in media was certainly rebuked by Roger Friedman who tells it how it is as a professional in media & was totally a gent to have come to Sharon's defense;the man gave the who, what, when, where + how of the Cannes event, which certainly paints a clearer picture of Sharon's supposed 'faux pas' lol
A HOLLYWOOD HICCUP?
This was said with some aforethought, just not much of it.
America is looking to improve its image around the world, and this is not the kind of help it needs.
http://pacificgatepost.blogspo.....image.html
Sharon, You are correct. The quake was the karmic fruit of Chinese oppression of Tibet. Tell it, Girlfriend!
This is just as repugnant as those wacky republicans who blamed 9/11 on gay marriage and premarital sex. Its unfortunate that so much ignorance and hate still exists in this world. How can people be so cruel and thoughtless?
she is a jerk, a cold blooded, none human beings. shame on her.
Sharon's comment is definitely not appropriate.
But for those Chinese people who over reacted to Sharon's comment, don't forget what you did when 911 happened in US.
Ask what you did when Japan had an earth quake and what you did when Korea had many people died in a recent disaster.
You guys still got 100,000 miles to go to be a human beings as well.
If the eathquake is karma to chinese , I think there will be many many karmas in U.S. very soon for your antihuman behaviors.
Yamy, who are you talking about when you use "you" in your comment? The Chinese people who reacted to Sharon's comment? The Chinese-people who made ignorant comments during 9/11, your unspecific Japanese earthquake and Korea's "recent disaster"? Or the 1 billion people that populate China?
When you say "you guys still got 100,000 miles to go to be a human beings as well," who are you referring to? Maybe you should think before you say or write anything, or are you trying to do your best Sharon impression?
As far as I can recalled back, I do not remember any public display of Chinese people saying such offensive remarks regading 9/11.
The last major japanese earthquake was in the mid 90s and that was too horrific to really politicize about. I don't even know what recent Korean disaster Yammy is talking about.
I should clarify something. There were recent earthquakes in Japan not too long ago, but the one that had so much destruction on a similar level with the one in Sichuan was the Kobe earthquake.
Sharon Stone represents a shameful image of US’s movie industry. She is not really a human being.
Posted: May 28, 2008 at 11:35 am
I agree
David, thanks for so many question. Sounds like you are exactly one of those "you".
Sigh! Chinese people really have china hearts which are really fragile and easily to be hurt or even broken.
That's it. No more comments. Take good care of your feeling not to be hurt.
BTW, David, I know you definitely don't like what I said here. If you felt insulted, I apologize.
I want to clarify my opinion here: I dislike Sharon's comments. Byebye.
I am Chinese, thanks to those showed sympathy to our people and nation!~ But there are western people who are so arrogant, they think they know everything, they think their systems are best, the ignore others' feelings, and don't care if it hurt!~ Is this what you called "freedom of speech"? Thanks god we don't have this!~
One more thing, she doesn't need to apologize really, it doesn't mean anything, we don't need!~
We just simply ban her!~
Some history lessons for some people here:
We haven't had any offensive statement on your 911. No innocent people should die!~
We had done a lot to help others, although we are not rich. For Indonesia's tsunami,our gov had donated more than $100,000,000.
If you know nothing about Tibet's history, i can tell you, Tibet has been a part of china for almost 700 years! The only time we lost control of it is in the end of Qing dynasty up to communist party took it back. The reason we lost it, was because China was invaded by eight western countries, and I can remember there was Britain and American
Please don't assume you know everything!
I know you people think chinese gov robbed Tibet's resources, gov have troops there to control the area. But I tell you, we have troops everywhere all over the country, not only Tibet! And not only Tibet people don't own land and resources, so do we. Because China is basing on different system with you. In China, all the land and resources are owned by the state, not by individuals, no matter how rich you are!
Every life is life! Every life deserves respect!
I think that is what it means for real human rights!
Pray for everyone who is suffering!~
Sharon Stone-Talent, matched to disclosure!!!!!!
Liubo Atanasov
The freedom of speech does not give her a reason to state something inappropriate. Yes, she was saying that she had learned a ‘big lesson' from Dali lama and how his group were so compassionate and were trying to get help to the Chinese even though the Chinese were ‘unkind’ and did something to Tibetans may cause a ‘bad Karma’… blah-blah. Still, she should not take this so lightly, there is nothing ‘funny’ about a natural disaster; it’s not a right way to say it at this sensitive time (imagine if she say such thing to Katrina’s victims in USA). It seems she only wanted to drop a fashionable political name as ‘a good friend of mine’ to dilute her own stupidity.
Amber,
Please don't assume you know everything either. Actually, I doubt if you watched the whole video. Or you did but just didn't understand what Sharon were talking about. Or, you simply just don't want to understand? The complete statement is enclosed at the end for your kind reference.
You said there were no offensive statements against the disasters like 911, Katelina and other cataclysms? But I still remember vividly how some Chinese people applauded 911; how Chinese people welcomed the earth quake in Taiwan and also announced it a karma to Taiwan people. If you think you are a responsible person, just Google the Internet. I guarantee you'll find plenty of them.
I also remember a Chinese General swears to nuclear bomb US. Don't tell me you don't know.
Pretend be naive? Ignorance? Come on. Can you kindly also consider Sharon ignorant even if your misunderstanding is correct?
Here is the complete copy of Sharon's script:
Well you know it was very interesting because at first, you know,
I am not happy about the ways the Chinese were treating the Tibetans
because I don’t think anyone should be unkind to anyone else. And so
I have been very concerned about how to think and what to do about
that because I don’t like that. And I had been this, you know,
concerned about, oh how should we deal with the Olympics because they
are not being nice to the Dalai Lama, who is a good friend of mine.
And all these earthquake and stuff happened and I thought: Is that
karma, when you are not nice that bad things happen to you?
And then I got a letter, from the Tibetan Foundation that they
want to go and be helpful. And that made me cry. And they ask me if I
would write a quote about that and I said, “I would.” And it was a
big lesson to me, that some times you have to learn to put your head
down and be of service even to people who are not nice to you. And
that’s a big lesson for me…”
I have to admitted that I made the same mistake: not watched the whole video and just believed pieces from the Internet.
I apologize to Sharon for saying "I dislike Sharon's comments".
I must make it clear: I don't support nuclear bomb China even when the China General said so. I feel sympathy to those people died in Sichuan. I also donated through US RedCross.
I rarely make comments in Internet. But this time, Chinese people's responses to Sharon's comments really shocked and scared me. Personally, I believe it's better just to ignore it if you don't like it. Why bother boycotting Dior and banned films? I don't support any people to ban Chinese products even if there were offensive comments for 911.
I don't intend to hurt any people, including anyone who happens read my comments here. Again, I apologize first if they feel that way.
Fuck you! Why the fuck shouldnt China boycott that stupid bitch for calling a natural disaster Karma?
They should fucking shoot that bitch to bring justice to the dead.
To No. 24, your behavior and mindset all proves exactly one fact: you are a rude, unreasonable and indignant person. Your ruthless and stupid comments made me sick!
I will feel guilty to think you a Chinese person because it will be shame on Chinese people to have a person like you. You are most likely Chinese's enemy because you are deteriorating traditional Chinese culture. And, compared to my Chinese friends, you are not even close by any way. Your behavior also eliminate the possibility for you to be a civilized person.
Simply, a savage.
1
She is close friend to Dalai Lama and I think she got the Karma idea from Buddism.
I don't like the Chinese Communist Government, I wouldn't expect anyone not Chinese to care for the earthquake because I really feel bad when those American stars raise aid for African Aids and no even little for the SiChuan earthquake. I think it's the same for many people, because people don't really feel connected and sympathetic about other nation.
To Yammy.
You don't feel angry about what she said because you're not a Chinese. You're just using logic thoughts to think about this thing.
I guess you don't feel any sympathy for what happen in Sichuan, just like Sarah Stone because she won't say those words if she felt sad about it! And that's what made me so angry about. It's OK you don't feel sympathy, but please shut your mouth up because that really hurts Chinese, especially those who lost their loved ones.
And Yamy, maybe she just spoke those words unintentionally, she didn't realize what she had said. still didn't apologize for her stupid comments. And it's too late now!
I Shara Stone said mean to those who hate Dalai Lama, Dalai Lama is a good person and teaches good things for human being. Even though China are being bad over Dalai Lama. But she said the earthquake is a Karma because Chinese are bad. This is just so stupid. She was just like a idiot. And she didn't apologize for what she said. She didn't realize her words had hurt Chinese. You haven;t realized neither. Both you too are idiots.
Thanks "……." for your comments.
But wouldn't it be better to think logically instead of act emotionally and impetuously? What if you guys initiate a communication with Sharon and turn her to a helper? I remember she offered to help Sichuan as well. She definitely can help China raise a lot of money to relief Sichuan's suffering.
Being angry doesn't do anything good. It creates hatred instead. Angry then what? Kill her? Impossible.
BTW, I think China is a rich country. Tens thousands billions US dollar reservation…Jesus, that's a lot money. It won't make any difference for other people to donate 100 or even one million. Right? This should be why some countries including US offered to help with rescue teams. But China rebuffed the offers.
Come on, it's never late. Try to calm down and to understand others. I have many Chinese friends and colleagues. They are very nice. I don't see a reason to hate each other even if someone says something I don't like.
Bye bye everyone. I came to this site when I searched Sharon's "interesting" story.
Take good care of your people. It's difficult to understands others, especially from different countries. But it is worth it.
Thanks.
well, actually chinese reacted violently ,because stone is a friend of 14th dalai.they banned her was also for that.
chinese mainlanders don't tend to care much about others comments
they banned stone and gere. but their actual aim is dalia….srone is a poor victim and used in the politic game