Clay Aiken -- a Charity Activist for "All the Right Reasons"

ABC News has featured Clay Aiken in an interesting and thoughtful article about celebrity charity activists.

Appearing yesterday on the ABC News website, the article focuses on the motivations and efforts of celebrities who give their time to humanitarian organizations.

The title calls attention to one of the newest celebrities to jump on the humanitarian bandwagon: "Paris to Rwanda: Socialite Becomes Latest Star Hitched to Charity
How Involved Are Celebrity Charity Activists, and Do They Have Ulterior Motives?"

The writer of the article, Blair Soden, begins by questioning Paris Hilton's possible motives for entering the arena of third-world charity endeavors and then moves on into a brief history of celebrity involvement in humanitarian aid organizations -- from Danny Kaye and Audrey Hepburn to the more recent efforts of such people as Sarah Jessica Parker, David Beckham, Don Cheadle, and Clay Aiken.

The article quotes Lisa Szarkowski, who heads the ambassador program for Unicef, to cite why famous people can be helpful to charitable organizations.

"Celebrities have the ear and attention of the public," said Szarkowski. "They tend to command more attention than talking heads from our organization."

Attention that leads to big bucks. Aiken asked fans to donate money to Unicef to help the children in Lebanon and raised more than $75,000 in 24 hours.

Much of the rest of the article focuses on Clay Aiken's efforts and words to highlight the positive efforts of celebrities with intelligence and a sincere desire to help.

It's not easy to be selected as a Unicef ambassador. The group sets high standards for celebrities to live up to.

"In terms of becoming an ambassador, it's definitely a process," said Szarkowski. "We like to work with people who are committed to the cause and the mission and to align themselves with us for the long term."

Aiken made the cut when he was named a Unicef ambassador in 2004. The organization approached Aiken after hearing of his involvement with his own charity, the Bubel/Aiken foundation that helps young people with special needs.

Aiken said he felt obligated to help those in need.

"One of the most important responsibilities that you have if you're answering to the public is that you try to use that position in a way that serves the people you're trying to entertain," said Aiken. "I think you have a responsibility when you realize you have kids watching you. ... You can set an example to have kids doing drugs, or you can set an example to have kids helping their communities or their world."

There is further emphasis on the long preparation that goes into a trip to a foreign land in need of aid.

Despite some common misconceptions, celebrity representatives don't just jet set off for a photo-op; they prepare for months before taking a trip.

"We prepare them pretty well," said Szarkowski. "People don't become ambassadors or supporters of ours unless they go through a process of learning about us and engaging with us."

Celebrities sit through classes to learn about Unicef and all the various issues that threaten children's survival around the world.

In the article Clay Aiken adds much to this informaton with his own insight into the necessity of preparation and education.

Aiken said the preparation is necessary in order to meet with health ministers and other officials on these trips.

"It wouldn't behoove anyone if we just went in to take pictures and came back," said Aiken. "The goal of all these visits and the reason we sit through extremely long sessions sometimes is so when we come back we know what we're talking about."

Aiken said the preparation is necessary in order to meet with health ministers and other officials on these trips.

"It wouldn't behoove anyone if we just went in to take pictures and came back," said Aiken. "The goal of all these visits and the reason we sit through extremely long sessions sometimes is so when we come back we know what we're talking about."

His first-hand observations about such a journey bring to life some of the experience of being a UNICEF ambassador.

Aiken didn't know what to expect during his first visit to Uganda. He walked into the minimalist community center, where he expected nobody to know his name. Suddenly, he was greeted with bows from the crowd.

"When we walked in, they kept calling me your excellency," laughed Aiken. "I think both visits we've been on there have been misconceptions about how important I am."

All joking aside, no matter how famous -- or infamous -- a celebrity is, celebrity support is essential.

The article goes on to describe the bare bones accommodations and risks that exist in many of the humanitarian destinations.

"The celebrities we work with want to go where they can be most helpful," said Szarkowski. "We're fortunate to have that caliber of people who basically say to us, 'Tell me where you want me to go.'"

In her eight years at Unicef, she said she's never had a celebrity refuse to go where they were asked to go. And the places they're asked to go certainly don't come with luxe accommodations.

"It's usually a tent somewhere.That's our standard accommodation," said Szarkowski.

Aiken and others pay their own way when they travel on behalf of Unicef. However, once they reach their destination, they don't have the need for many expenses. Most nights they're sleeping in tents on the ground.

Human rights activist John Prendergast adds information about the risks involved.

In addition to the bare bones travel accommodations, celebrities must cope with extremely dangerous situations. In order to avoid conflict, human rights activist Prendergast said every minute detail of the trip must be mapped out.

"These trips have to be planned very well to ensure maximum impact and security," said Prendergast.

The final point of the article once again focuses on the incentives behind celebrity involvement, contrasting the yet untested motivations of Paris Hilton with those of Clay Aiken and Angelina Jolie, who have shown that they are in it for "all the right reasons."

Hilton will be filming scenes for her new reality TV show while she's in Rwanda, which has left some questioning the genuineness of her visit. But not everyone is upset about celebrities like Hilton lending their name to causes without much further involvement, if that is so in her case.

"I wouldn't judge people for what their motivations are," said Szarkowski. "We need everyone with a voice to help us get behind that and change that reality."

But, Aiken cautions, a focus on one organization or charity is important to the public.

"I get requests from every organization to come and do this or that," said Aiken. "It's not that I don't have a passion for kids with cancer, because I do. I feel like you can dilute your message if you talk about too many things."

While it remains to be seen how involved Hilton will be with her organization of choice, one celebrity who no doubt has stolen the humanitarian aid spotlight is in it for all the right reasons, according to Aiken.

"I look to Angelina Jolie as a prime example of someone who is doing an amazing job," said Aiken. "She really has a passion and she goes in and makes a point to educate herself about what's going on and that's the only way to do it."