Ian Somerhalder 'Shaken' By Hollywood's Lack of Oil Spill Aid

By PopEater Staff Posted Jun 17th 2010 11:26AM

Ian Somerhalder 'Shaken' By Hollywood's Lack of Oil Spill Help

Like everyone, Louisiana native and 'Lost' and 'The Vampire Diaries' star Ian Somerhalder is upset about BP's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But he's especially miffed at Hollywood's weak support for the catastrophe.

"Coming from the entertainment world, I'm really shaken by how quiet Hollywood is," Somerhalder, 31, tells E! Online. "And I say that out of respect for my peers and colleagues, but I'm really bummed that no one is really coming up to help the situation. This is ground zero right now. This place is going to need money, that is the bottom line."

The actor proposed a telethon "to really paint a picture of exactly how much devastation is here." Larry King and Ryan Seacrest have a similar idea -- they'll host a telethon Monday, June 21, with a guest spot from Anderson Cooper.

Somerhalder hails from Covington, Louisiana, where he's now assisting animal shelter St. Tammany's Humane Society with pelicans harmed by the oil slick. He recently filmed a public service announcement in his hometown.

"There's so many people here working around the clock to try and tame this beast," he says of the situation. "If you look at all these beaches right here. It's a June afternoon -- this beach would be littered with families, kids playing, dads on the pier with their buddies fishing. None of that's here ... The things you remember, the times you spent with your parents or your grandparents, brothers, sisters, fishing and learning about the ecology here is ... it's your base, it's your root and you'll do anything, you will fight tooth and nail to protect it."

Somerhalder recently told the LA Times, "I never talk about politics, but right now is a time to be angry and sad."

AOL News pondered Hollywood's curious lack of aid to the Gulf cause, cross-referencing the situation with the recent $1.3 billion raised for earthquake-stricken Haiti. Although a Gulf Aid concert, including John Legend, Lenny Kravitz and Mos Def, raised more than $350,000 for Gulf fishing families and wetlands restoration, the celebrity assistance is lacking, the site wrote:

"It's possible that man-made disasters just don't command the sort of sympathy as natural ones ... But then, survivors of 1986's Chernobyl accident garnered support from Michael Stipe, Bono and Helena Christensen, while Exxon Valdez inspired Kevin Costner to spend $26 million of his own money to hire a team of engineers and scientists to create a way to separate oil from seawater. More likely, it's just a result of unfortunate timing. Sean Penn remains in Haiti, and Brad Pitt's still going on about Katrina. And, well, awards season isn't for another nine months."

Larry King's telethon, called 'Disaster in the Gulf: How You Can Help' will air from 8 to 10PM EST on Monday, June 21. The star-studded telethon 'Hope for Haiti' raised $58 million in January.

Previously:
• The Week in Pop Culture and the Oil Spill: Part One
• What Celebs Are Doing, Saying About the Spill
• A Chat with the Guy Skewering BP on Twitter

Tags: BP oil spill, ian somerhalder

Comments

(33)

Thursday 17 June

By evol1

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i love this guy

By Donna

I was wondering the same dang thing!! Why isn't this disaster as much of a 'crisis' as Katrina, Haiti or even the huge, Save the Music campaigns! After all, aren't they always berating us with their opinions on how the environment is being destroyed?? Where are they now??

By mdcsl

You are so right. Amazing isn't it?

By Catch22

With the salaries that these "stars" make, many making more than most America's will make in a lifetime, they will make on one film, I think rather than "stars" asking america's to buck up money, why don't they collectfully band together, stop thinking about themselves and donate a couple of million of their own to help america. The millions they could donate would equal asking us to give again and again.

By Samantha

Good for you Ian. But what he doesn't understand is that the entire mess fits right in with Hollywood's liberal agenda...I'm sure they were all screaming with glee the other night when the Celebudent started harping on "green energy." What they don't understand AT ALL is that the EPA was formed by a democrat, and through many presidents, Rep and Dem alike, they have done NOTHING to promote or excelerate non-fossil fuel sources. Sure we got the "energy star" ratings on appliances, but even that is full of fraud. We cannot suddenly switch off our dependence on oil...had it started 30 years ago we would be much closer, but it didn't because our government ignored it. Like all politicians, the Celebudent we have now likes to talk a big talk, increase taxes on already burdened people, and try and do everything RIGHT NOW. Small steps people...do away with the EPA and give private industry all that moola to develop some VIABLE and AFFORDABLE alternatives. Good luck getting H-Wood involved Ian...you are fighting an uphill battle.

By Tiebaojin

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Richard Nixon, a Republican, signed the EPA into law. Along with the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Marine Mammals Protection Act. For all the bad things Nixon was guilty of, he was are most environmental aware President in decades.

And Ian - you rock! I've loved you for you acting; now I love you for your stand on this terrible environmental event.

By susan

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Susan, Gulfport MS

By N2

HOLLYWOOD LIKES TO GIVE AID TO "OTHER" COUNTRIES, SEEMS MORE EXOTIC TO THE CELEB SET. JUST WAIT UNTIL AN OFF SHORE WELL CRACKS AND BLACKENS THE SHORES OF MALIBU, THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR CRAZY WAY OVERPAID "STARS".

By Alicia

Thank you Ian!!

Shreveport, LA

Friday 18 June

By Dawn

ITA, I feel very proud to be one his biggest fans, he's not just a very talented actor but a wonderful humanitarian as well.

By warcraffl6

Libs do nothing they just screw things up now there leaving there mess.All the tax payers send money to the poor nations around the world.They just want to put there face on some things it seems like.I wish a black would tell one to fuk off and go home lol

By m

i knew i loved him for a reason!

By Dianne

I've wondered the same thing myself, Ian. They put on benefits for every place in the world but here.

By Millsie

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I don't understand why it's always the entertainment people who have to give their time and money to raise money for these disasters. They are always the fund raisers. How about our polititians pulling some of their own personal money out of their pockets. Not the peoples money, polititians personal cash.
Let's see them pay for fund raisers, and give their own time and challenge their contemporaries to give their time and money. They get good publicity, the entertainment people get a break, and funds go to the disaster. Seems like a win win.
Write the white house, all the congressmen, senetors, etc. Let your voice be heard.

By AnneMarie

This makes me love Ian more

By cashman7323

This proves that the moonbats didn't go to LA to help the people deal with Katrina. They went to attack Bush. Hollywood is full of desolute miserable misfits.

The only practical reliable alternative is nuclear, and the moonbats won't allow it. Hydro can work in certain areas, but that too is hampered by environmentalists. Remember the Tocks Island Dam project? It would have helped provide energy to the NY area but the environazis but the kebosh on it because they thought it might interfere with the mating habits of the snail darter.

By Lisa

why would anyone expect anything more from hollywood????? They are the whole reason the state of CA is in so much debt! They DONT PAY THEIR TAXES! Example.....Pam Anderson is the latest celeb who owes the the state more than a half million dollars, and the list goes on, and on! Screw hollywood, the only time they want to donate anything is if it benefits their write-offs on their taxes! Other than that, you wont see a dime!

By cordell

"Celebudent"? So any excuse to bash President Obama, right Samantha?

By Debbie

We don't need excuses, He is the worst and most unqualified President in history. PERIOD!!

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