October 14th, 2011
12:14 PM ET
Hilary Swank donates money from Chechen leaderAfter apologizing for attending an event hosted by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov on October 5, Hilary Swank is now giving away the money she received for showing up. As we've seen in the past, celebrities can be paid by various figures to appear at certain events or to perform, as was the case with stars like Beyonce, Nelly Furtado and Mariah Carey, when they accepted money to entertain members of Moammar Gadhafi's family. This appears to be what has happened with Hilary Swank, the Oscar winning actress who has been criticized by human rights organizations for showing up at Kadyrov's birthday event, although there are allegations of human rights abuses against him.
The organizations called upon Swank to not keep any money or gifts she may have received in exchange for showing up at the October 5 gathering, and a rep for Swank confirms to CNN that she is indeed giving away the money. "She is donating her personal appearance fees from this event to various charitable organizations," the statement reads. It does not specify how much she received nor does it detail the charities that will receive the funds. On Thursday, Swank apologized and claimed she was unaware of the allegations against Kadyrov, and said that she didn't even know she was attending an event that was celebrating his birthday. According to Swank, she went because she thought the shindig was supposed to be "a symbol of hope" for the people of Chechnya, and she says she only told Kadyrov happy birthday because she was asked to and didn't want to be rude. "If I had a full understanding of what this event was apparently intended to be," Swank said in her apology, "I would never have gone.”
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Van Damme has a good excuse.... he is a drunk.
What could be her excuse?.... the only one plausible is GREED !!! She cannot plead ignorance because she was informed prior to the event by the European Community – and she chose to go anyway.
Did Olecia outnasty you 2 and get their comments deleted?
Do you think that people around the world see this as a gesture of the United States sympathizing with Kadyrov and his ideologies?
I agree have you seen the interview?? I've seen it posted at CELEBUR.COM the video is still up i think.
Yeah. She is an ugly white dooodooo head.
Go Irene! Tell it. She knew what she was doing.
One little problem with your story Hilary, the Human Rights Foundation sent you a letter BEFORE you accepted outlining the monstrous things he's done, AND during the happy birthday event you told reporters "you knew who he was, you do your research". So not only do you have no issues with supporting abussive dictations for the right price, but have also proven yourself to be a blatent liar. I think a more accurate apology should have gone "I deeply regret that I was caught".
Get off it Irene. Celebrities are there for the money. You would do it too if you were given the same. We have home grown alleged similar leaders (the last admin had 3 of them). Did you ever criticize them. Nooo, you went after Dixie Chicks when they criticized them.
I would have taken the money. After what our leaders have done in the past 10 years, who are we to talk. We invaded two sovereign countries who had nothing to do with 9/11. Pull your head out, Irene.
I still think she isn't smart enough to have known any better. Not that it wasn't obvious, I just think she might be functionally retarded.
kena305@gmail.com – I disagree with you
She is yucky.