Jolie tops celebrity do-gooder poll, Madonna flops

Angelina Jolie is the celebrity do-gooder the public most respects due to her work as a UN goodwill ambassador, according to a recent Reuters AlertNet poll.

Reuters AlertNet is a humanitarian news and information website run by Reuters Foundation.

The Hollywood star beat U2 singer Bono, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates for the top ranking in the online survey of public perceptions of celebrity altruism.

In contrast, Madonna was voted the celebrity do-gooder people most love to hate, despite her work raising money for Malawian orphans. The pop icon's image was hit by claims she used her fame and wealth to circumvent Malawi's adoption rules.

"The results underline how in a few short years Jolie has transformed her image from tattooed wild woman to humanitarian heroine," said Reuters AlertNet Deputy Editor Tim Large.

"As for Madonna, many of those polled seemed to feel her work helping orphans has been tarnished by the circumstances surrounding her own adoption of a Malawian child."

More than 600 people around the world took part in the poll conducted by Reuters AlertNet.

Paris Hilton was slammed for her plan to swap partying for philanthropy with a trip to Rwanda that was later postponed, the poll resulted in a mixed message for Bono, with voters split over whether they love or loathe his advocacy work.

Oprah Winfrey and Bob Geldof voted onto "least respected" list, while Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and Kofi Annan were praised for their out-of-office humanitarian work.

Mia Farrow, Don Cheadle and Brad Pitt were all lauded for their Darfur advocacy.

Reuters AlertNet polled 606 people around the world between December 7 and December 19, 2007, before releasing the results at the end of last week.

The rankings

QUESTION: Who gave the BEST name to celebrity humanitarianism in 2007?

1. Angelina Jolie
2. Bono
3. Desmond Tutu
4. Bill Gates
5. Bill Clinton
6. Jimmy Carter
7. Kofi Annan
8. Mia Farrow
9. Don Cheadle
10. Brad Pitt


QUESTION: And who gave the WORST name to celebrity humanitarianism in 2007?

1. Madonna
2. Paris Hilton
3. Oprah Winfrey
4. Bono
5. Bob Geldof