Celebs Give U.N. Star-Power Punch

Mar. 9, 2008— -- Beyond the glamour of the red carpet and the clamor of fans at a rock concert, an elite group of celebrities have gotten so involved in diplomacy that they are eclipsing true diplomats.

"You know the Secretary General very often tells me, 'You know, whenever there is an opportunity we need a star.'…He says, 'Every time a star speaks, what I have to say just disappears, it has absolutely no meaning, no one listens to me, but people will listen to the star, will listen to the celebrity,' said U.N. spokesperson Michele Montas.

Nowadays these celebrities are taking on increasingly complex and weighty roles in the fights against poverty, pestilence and war.

U2's lead singer, Bono, has direct access to world leaders, and he's credited with bringing worldwide attention and money to the poverty and HIV crisis in Africa.

"I tell you what my Messianic complex is, I wanna have fun and I wanna change the world. That's it," he told ABC News Nightline anchor Cynthia McFadden.

Oscar winner Angelina Jolie recently traveled to Iraq for the second time and wrote an op-ed for the Washington Post about the refugee crisis there.

"Generals in Iraq, presidents of Iraq, they know if somebody like Angelina goes in they are going to be able to get the message across very quickly. And of course this is exactly what happens," said Andrew Cooper, author of the book "Celebrity Diplomacy" (Paradigm Publishers, 2007).

Jolie has even been invited to testify in front of the House Armed Services Committee and has teamed up with California Congresswoman Diane Feinstein to lobby for legislation on Iraqi refugee relief.

Jolie says her activism helps her counter the shallowness of Hollywood. "It gives celebrity some reason. Celebrity is very weird … So when you're doing something good, and you can bring attention to that, or discuss that, then it feels like you have some sense in your life," Jolie told ABC News "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos.

"Whether she was going to nightclubs and partying with Brad Pitt, there would be fleets of press following her, or taking them to the Chad border, a far more worthwhile endeavor," said actress Mia Farrow.