George Clooney may be active in politics — helping generate support and aid for the people of the Sundan — but he won’t be running for office any time soon.
“I didn’t live my life in the right way for politics, you know ... I f---ed too many chicks and did too many drugs, and that’s the truth,” Clooney told Newsweek, a small quip in an eight-page article on the actor’s humanitarian efforts in the Sudan.
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Clooney said someone who wanted to go into politics would have likely admitted to the scandalous details about their past sooner in life.
“[They] would start from the beginning by saying, ‘I did it all. I drank the bong water. Now let’s talk about issues.’ That’s gonna be my campaign slogan: ‘I drank the bong water,’” he continued.
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Instead, the “chick” magnet actor, who is currently dating Italian TV personality Elisabetta Canalis, makes movies and spends his off time trying to bring light to issues in Africa.
Clooney told Newsweek that he uses his celebrity to sway the media, which he suggested in some areas, has “abdicated” its “responsibility.”
“Celebrity can help focus news media where they have abdicated their responsibility. We can’t make policy, but we can ‘encourage’ politicians more than ever before,” the actor told the magazine.
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The actor said he admires the work U2 frontman Bono has done for Africa, and he uses the singer as an example of how to be effective.
“Bono’s model really worked,” Clooney said. “There is more attention on celebrity than ever before — and there is a use for that besides selling products.”
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Beyond Bono, Clooney said he admires several younger stars — though he did not name them — for their own interest in helping others in embattled nations.
“A lot of the young actors I see coming up in the industry are not just involved, but knowledgeable on a subject and then sharing that with fans,” Clooney said. “No one’s just a ‘peace activist’ anymore — they have a specialty.”
In other Clooney-related news, the actor will also be a presenter at this weekend’s Oscars, airing on Sunday night on ABC.