Sharon Stone: Sweet Charity

Q: Given that this is a town of control freaks par excellence, does help and money sometimes come with difficult strings attached?

A: No, usually just a blow job.

Q: How brazen are people about things like having their names writ large and getting the right photo ops?

A: That stuff is generally dealt with by their publicists before they get to me. Thank God!

Q: Do most stars consider that lending their name and/or presence at a charity event is their contribution, or do they deal in cash too?

A: I think stars realize that their name and presence are the most valuable contributions they can give, because that's what helps draw in the people with money. But a lot of stars do give dollars too.

Q: What are you best at in the many talents called for in charity work?

A: Extracting cash from people who were previously out of touch with their deep generosity.

Q: Some remarkable people have driven AmFAR. What unique personal quality do you bring to the challenge?

A: I am a type A personality. I have that in comedy with them.

Q: In terms of the skills you need, has your charity work called on unexpected corners of your being?

A: I was not prepared for the psychological demands of working on behalf of terminally ill persons. I want not only to make a difference, but to make a difference in time. I look into those eyes and I just never feel I've done enough.

Q: Isn't your sense of humor under some sort of siege with the constant exposure to the facts and figures and concerns of AIDS?

A: Oh, Jesus. If I stopped laughing, I'd go insane--uh-oh, too late!

Q: How hard are you to turn down when you want money or a commitment for one of your charities?

A: A) Harder than most.

B) Commitment? In this town?

C) I get turned down plenty.

D) Some people genuinely care and are very generous.

E) All of the above. None of the above. Kiss my ass.

Q: What can your fans and supporters who are not rich or powerful do to help your charities?

A: Give me one dollar. [Editor's note: Readers who would like to contribute to Sharon Stone's "Give Me One Dollar" campaign should read the information at the end of this interview.]

Q: Once you get involved with such worthy causes as AmFAR, and your sister Kelly's charity Planet Hope, how do you keep this work at bay, and keep it from impinging on the film work that fuels your ability to help in the first place?

A: I do things separately, at the same time. On a movie set, for example, I wait in my trailer for hours each day between setups. I use that time to work by phone or with my staff.

Q: One of the many things Elizabeth Taylor did to raise awareness of AIDS was make a speech before Congress. Would you like to do that?

A: I am going to do that. That should set their hair on fire.

Q: Do you make a lot of speeches?

A: Oh yes. To my dates, my friends, the neighbors, my sister, my parents, poor, poor Chuck [Binder, her manager], who must endure them endlessly. Even my cats are tiring of me... But, oh, I've just started on the general public--only about 15 [speeches] or so--so far.

Q: I heard you spoke at the United Nations. What did you say to them?

A: That I was proud and scared to accept this position. That the unknown about HIV scared the shit out of me, That when I wanted to vomit from fear, I look back into the eyes of an 11-year-old girl with AIDS [I met] who looked deep into my eyes and told me about death. And for her alone, sometimes, I restore my locus and commit-ment and will not allow this to be our children's legacy.

Q: Do you prepare your speeches or just shoot from the hip?

A: A little prep, a lot of shooting from the hip. I see who's there, whom I'm talking with, and try to speak to them.

Q: Given the '70s nostalgia all around us, have you considered a kind of postmodern version of the old-fashioned telethon appeal that had its heyday in the '70s? Who, instead of Charo and Lainie Kazan, would you invite on?

A: Harvey Weinstein [Cochairman, Miramax Films] promised to do this. Jim Harmon [Chairman, Schroder Wertheim & Co.] gave a luncheon for CEOs of major companies in New York as a think tank. At that time, Harvey monopolized everyone's attention and focused them all on this very valuable and important goal. I am sure he is organizing this now. We are all looking forward to it.

Q: Will you do public service announcements soon?

A: Michel Comte, a wonderful photographer and friend, has offered to organize and shoot a series of these with me. A lot of friends in the Hollywood community are helping too, but we're going to need a full crew for several days and we need more assistance. Anybody out there with professional crew experience want to help? [Editor's note: If so, see the information at the end of this interview.]

Q: Given that you're committed to raising $76 million in three years for AmFAR, which is an incredible amount of money that will take an incredible amount of time and effort to raise, if a Middle Eastern potentate made you a Robert Redford/_Indecent Proposal_ offer that gave you the whole amount for spending one night with him, would you do it?

A: Although it seems incredibly time efficient, somehow it seems to lack integrity, don't you think?

Q: How much of your time is taken up by charity work on behalf of both AmFAR and your sister Kelly's Planet Hope?

A: Oh, kind of a lot I had no idea when I began what kind of time and effort were involved.

Q: Have you had to double your wardrobe with all the added appearances for charity events?

A: No. I was already a clotheshorse.

Q: Are charity events any good for meeting attractive, datable men?

A: Not so far, but I haven't given up hope.

Q: What is your sister Kelly's charity, Planet Hope, designed to do?

A: It's meant to educate the homeless in a way that prepares people for the workforce, and places them in permanent jobs, housing and schools. Kelly started a project called 'Computer Hope,' originally underwritten by Lee lacocca, wherein homeless people could come and learn computer skills. The graduation ceremonies for the first graduating class had to be postponed because most of the students got jobs! Kelly is just so awesome.

Q: How did you and your sister educate yourselves enough to create a charity?

A: We learned while doing it--and by looking into our hearts and taking risks.

Q: How much personal interaction do you have with people being helped by Planet Hope?

A: I interact with these people quite a bit. But it's very personal. They'll discuss it, or not, at their discretion.

Q: Does it ever make you uncomfortable moving back and forth between your own existence and the environment of the very poor who are helped at Planet Hope?

A: It makes me proud of my own personal accomplishments, and my ability to be of service.

Q: Even in view of all you're doing for charity, do you figure you're going to hell in the end anyway?

A: I ask myself a similar question, and in fact I wrote something about it--a poem, actually--last night.

Q: A poem about whether or not you're going to hell?

A: Well, something inspired by thinking about that.

Q: Do you remember it?

A: Oh, it's somewhere here. Let me find it and read it to you. [Stone shuffles through a stack of nearby papers.] OK, here it is:

"What pessimistic survey of tales untold reveals our heart's desire?--Some choice of ravenous dogs left to feed on ragged scraps from a warlord's feast?

Please be kinder to an anarchist's bunion-covered feet left bleeding from an isolated trek to Masada. Who hails? Who reeks with sadness and delirium. Who knows?

Only in the heart of the beast lives the beauty of our love. Why? For the sake of the singing lark ... whose language knows no bounds when its song is raspy from overuse.

Hear God's love in the wind upon your neck as it whispers into the ear of heartache.

Remember.

A love so large it holds my hand now and moves my pen in service. For you to hear a laughing rhythm calling 'Hey you,' Relax a little. Let go of that rock and let the river feed you safely into your future."

[Editor's note: Readers who'd like to make a donation to Sharon Stone's "Give Me One Dollar" campaign on behalf of AmFAR should go to amfar.org. Readers who'd like to send a donation to Planet Hope should head to planethope.org.]

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Virginia Campbell is one of the executive editors at Movieline.

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