Brad Pitt Heats Up Clinton Global Initiative Session On Climate Change

Hello from the Clinton Global Initiative! Hollywood film star Brad Pitt just pledged $5 million toward rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans at the Clinton Global Initiative on Wednesday afternoon.

"We're prepared to break ground by the end of the year, but we need your help," the actor said of his commitment to helping rebuild the New Orleans area hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. "We will match dollar for dollar any and every single contribution up to $10 million."

Pitt is working with film producer Steve Bing on the 'Make It Right' project. The effort seeks to install 150 affordable and sustainable homes. Bing also pledged $5 million in matching donations.

The male half of the Brangelina celebrity phenomenon spoke of the work his group already had performed in support of the project. The three day event in New York is an opportunity for the keepers of 602 such 'commitments' to report progress on pledges they made at earlier CGI gatherings, and make new ones.

The star of last year's Oscar-nominated film 'Babel' also sounded off on architectural design. He joked that it was important to make the houses affordable, "and not have it look like a Prius," before he admitted that he owns two of the boxy hybrid cars.

Will that be it for the excitement? In our elbows out news cycle, Pitt's star power gives off light and has a gravitational pull. But do we care as much about Merck's work to spread its Gardasil vaccine to protect women and girls from cervical cancer and HPV, or the use of micro-loans through Kiva.org to offer up seed capital and help the world's poor?

There are certainly a lot of other good stories to tell here, and we're waiting to hear what comes next.

Comments

[NKVD4ever]

the 9th ward is a soup bowl, the 5 mil should go to buy dirt to fill it in, not rebuild it. Is he going to donate another 5 mil the next time the levy breaks and floods it?

[totalliberal]

["the 9th ward is a soup bowl"]



So is most of Holland, but their government seems to be able to deal with it.

Are the Dutch smarter or richer than the USA?

[Darwin48]

Name a country that ISN'T smarter than the USA?

[AmandaM]

The Dutch also smoke pot and speak 4 languages. You would think with all of our resources in America, we could figure out a cost-effective way to save a city. With or without the dope.

[Darwin48]

Guys, come on...the guy is giving $5 million...and $5 mil is $5 mil... more than any suck-ass politician is doing. Bush flew over it and used it as a backdrop for a photo-op.
Way to go, Brad!

[SaskiaStars]

Good for you!! Very impressive.

[TJTelecaster]

Save your money kid..it's a rigged game..

[loki]

Good for him. If he comes through with it, at least its more real help than Bush has actually done.

[dadw5boys]

Now that is the proper use of excess wealth!
But here the City and State of LA. have already said they were going to buy out most of the homes in the worst hit areas.

[raker]

Why should movie stars be responsible for rebuilding a decimated American city? Someone's going to make money from New Orleans's not being rebuilt - politicians; th'awll bidniss; who knows who else - otherwise the city wouldn't still be lying in a pile after two years.

[escobar]

Brad better be careful where his money goes.
His good intentions could very well do little more than finance a nice month for Mercedes and Hatteras dealerships in Texas.
Contractors will pocket all they can and do nothing, if they have half a chance.

[loki]

I thought that was what the government was doing with the Katrina funding?

[Mr.Fitz]

Good for him. If more wealthy people did that sort of thing the world would be a better place. Instead, they'd rather worry about getting sued or something.

[doctorj2u]

Brad has been a true friend to the people of New Orleans. Thank you! Thank you not not forgetting the forgotten Americans.

[Prolix247]

Good man, Good job! Pitt is a true American Hero!!!

[researcher]

yes lets rebuild new orleans the most corrupt crime ridden city in america and below the sealine just waiting for the next wind storm to flood the gates again.

american taxpayers love to spend money on lost causes like wars and cities under water. oh and lets not forget paying farmers billions of dollars for not raising crops with 800 million people starving to death in the world.

[Jain]

Try new sources Mr. researcher: LA is the most corrupt city in America. Also, say it was Miami that was under water - or any wealthy coastal city for that matter - would you be so quick to drown it?
I agree about paying the farmers not to grow - but that will change as the corporations look to corn for ethanol profit. Of course, people will still starve but the farmers will be growing something...
It appears the war on poverty is doing as well as the war on drugs... They seem to be winning the war on the middle class, though.

[wallyinindy]

I just returned from a trip to the Mississippi coast and people are living in more misery now than two years ago. Thanks Brad for what you do. Our grandstanding politicians have done nothing.

[Rubiconski]

Good luck getting paid...People in their fav photo op african village are STILL waiting to be paid from baby's birth.....including an entire hotel ect!!

Brad and Angie are a fraud!!

[rain39]

Prove it! It's easy to stick some crap in here that are lies.

[SaskiaStars]

Is there a link or something that you can point to that would verify what you wrote?

[Dejack]

Love ya, Brad, and always have
(even BEFORE the $5 million)!

[BUSHsurvivor]

Thanks Brad & Angie!