John Conte, Insectavora, Jim Riffel, and The World's Strangest Charity Project

Hi everyone, I’m back with some updates.  We contacted Lindsay Lohan’s agent and manager to see if she wanted to review one of our films, sell it, and donate the money from the sale to charity.  We knew that she had done a little “home prison” time and that she was now scheduled to do some heavy duty community service.  We thought maybe getting involved in a bit of charity work might be something that would interest her.  We were wrong.  Her agent’s office hung up on us.  Oh, well.   We also contacted Anderson Cooper.  He had done a little segment on his “Anderson Cooper 360” news program about Kim Kardashian’s derriere.  It was a strange topic for a guy who usually positions himself as a somewhat serious reporter.  So we figured, perhaps incorrectly, if he would cover something as silly as Kim Kardashian’s rear end then we would have a good shot getting a little air time regarding our charity project.  Here’s the letter we sent to Anderson Cooper:

Dear Mr. Cooper,

I recently saw a clip of your “Anderson Copper 360” show in which you were reporting on whether or not Kim Kardashian’s butt is “real.”  Since you donated a few long minutes to Ms. Kardashian’s “seat of wisdom” I am going to throw a heartfelt and very serious offer your way. 

I am heading up a charity project which is donating the worldwide rights to five feature films to charity.  I am hoping to involve a few celebrities in this process.  The way my project works is as follows:  I am offering each film to a list of celebrities.  If a celebrity comes forward to review the film they can have the worldwide rights to that film to sell to any company they want as long as they take the money from that sale and donate it to the charity of their choice.  It’s that simple. 

I would like to offer you the opportunity to review a feature documentary on America’s obsession with fame called “Meeting The Beautiful People.”  You review it.  You own it.  You sell it.  You donate the money to charity.

If you’re too busy to review it then maybe you could spend just a minute or two reporting on the charity I’m involved in.  You can check it out at www.NightOfTheDayOfTheDawn.org.    We’re donating the rights to five feature films and three nonfiction screenplays to charity.  

Think it over.  If, in the end, you pass on the charity project because another great story is on the way about Kim Kardashian’s newsworthy “badonkadonk,” I understand.  You’re a journalist and it’s your obligation to cover what is most important.

Sincerely,

Jim Riffel

Well, the letter didn’t work.  We were not greeted with open arms and a 2 minute time slot.  In fact, we were not greeted at all.  After a series of phone calls and e-mails to his office it became obvious that Anderson Cooper was not interested in our charity project.  But we will move on.  We have not received one positive response from the more than 25 celebrities we’ve offered this project to.  But we are not dismayed.  We’ll make this charity project happen.  In the words of Nelson Mandela, “it always seems impossible, until it is done".   

For more info go to www.NightOfTheDayOfTheDawn.org