Poulos Bait: Shakira Edition
Celebrity philanthropy, rock ’n’ roll philanthropy, is no longer a novelty, but what Shakira and ALAS were trying was indeed new. They were looking to use the power of pop to help the populations not of distant impoverished lands but of the Ibero-American world from which they come. They have a policy focus — early-childhood nutrition, education and medical care — that is on a scale beyond the reach of private charity. It requires the steady effort of the state. It cannot be addressed by rich countries’ check-writing. So the trick is to take pop celebrity, marry it to big business and permanently alter the way Latin American governments help care for the young and the poor.
Although if we are going to be living in The Mommy State El Estado de la Mamacita we could do a lot worse than Shakira. I mean, if the woman who can do this is leading the charge, we’re going to have to strongly consider calling it The Milf State.
