He’s a new dad, a loving companion to Angelina Jolie, named by PEOPLE magazine as “The Sexiest Man Alive,” and now Brad Pitt can add a new title to his ever-growing collection of monikers. Pitt was just named one of “15 People Who Make America Great” by Newsweek magazine.
The magazine credits Pitt for using his megawatt star power to shine the spotlight on neglected causes in Africa. Props to Pitt for using the paparazzi to his advantage! He is the focus of intense media scrutiny, but doesn’t let it get him down. Rather, as the target of photographers, Pitt says he figured “if the cameras were going to follow him and his girlfriend Jolie everywhere, they might as well lure them somewhere that needed the world’s attention.”
Pitt told Newsweek that it has always been a challenge for him to keep the overwhelming amount of media attention in perspective. Now, instead of fighting against it he is exercising “some degree of control over it.” In fact, the magazine reports that Pitt has made peace with his ever-growing popularity and is happy that he was able to find a way to turn the media madness that surrounds his family into something beneficial. In describing his plan to get the paparazzi to work for him, Pitt went so far as to say, “I can’t describe what an immense relief it is for me.”
You’ll recall that Pitt and Jolie recently sold the first picture of their daughter Shiloh to PEOPLE magazine for a reported $4 million, saying all proceeds would be donated to charity. “Knowing that someone was going to hound us for that first photo – and was going to profit immensely for doing it – I just couldn’t live with it,” Pitt told the magazine. “We were able to turn that around and collect millions for people who are really going to need it.”
Other notable personalities on Newsweek’s list include Soledad O’Brien, an anchor on CNN’s “American Morning” who the magazine said showed an “inner rage” while reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina; and Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life.”