(Newser)
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It’s been a big year for celebrity activism—so big that it deserves its own year-end top 10 list, Tina Daunt writes in the Los Angeles Times. Some famous faces that made a difference in 2008:
- Oprah Winfrey fought hard for Barack Obama, including hosting a traffic-stopping garden party.
- Norman Lear targeted young people in an online, nonpartisan get-out-the-vote effort.
- Paris Hilton became a YouTube phenomenon—for politics.
- George Clooney hosted an “exclusive and discreet” dinner for Obama in Switzerland. And alongside Don Cheadle, he made sure Darfur’s genocide stayed in the spotlight.
- Former Motown boss Clarence Avant advised Hillary Clinton while his daughter raised cash for Barack.
- Celebs including Matt Damon and Sarah Silverman worked on bubbies for Obama.
- Ron Burkle hosted countless swanky parties backing Democrats.
- Will.i.am took Obama viral with his “Yes We Can” video.
- But Tinseltown arrived too late to defeat California’s Proposition 8.
