Why Are Tom Hiddleston and Other Celebs Posting Selfies In Bed?
A new wave of the celebrity selfie craze in the name of charity is sweeping through social media. Could this be the next ALS Ice Bucket Challenge?
By Samantha Khor — 07 Oct 2014, 10:28 AM — Updated about 10 years ago
For the past few days, a bunch of celebrities - including Tom Hiddleston - have been posting photos of themselves with bed head under the #WakeUpCall hashtag, and like the ALS Bucket Challenge, it's for yet another good cause.
#WAKEUPCALL Text SYRIA to 70007 to give £5. http://t.co/Urt3n8y6WE. Nominate @Misskeeleyhawes @EmWatson @josierourke pic.twitter.com/30a8RykcW9
— Tom Hiddleston (@twhiddleston) October 6, 2014
The new celebrity selfie craze is reminiscent of the #NoMakeupSelfie campaign earlier this year to raise awareness for cancer research in the UK, which raised more than £8million in 6 days.
The hashtag isn’t only a medium for “I woke up like this” narcissism. Rather it is a call for people to “wake up” and donate to Unicef UK’s efforts to help Syrian children.
time.com
Combining the success factors of this year's #NoMakeupSelfie and ALS Ice Bucket Challenge viral campaigns, UNICEF UK ambassador Jemima Khan proposed the idea in an effort to raise funds and awareness for children affected by the civil war in Syria.
Please help make my campaign to raise awareness & money for Syria's 6.5 million children affected by the conflict a success: #WAKEUPCALL
— Jemima Khan (@Jemima_Khan) October 5, 2014
The Syrian Civil War, an ongoing armed conflict in Syria, began in March 2011 with nationwide protests against President Bashar al-Assad's government, whose forces responded with violent crackdowns. The conflict gradually morphed from popular protests to an armed rebellion after months of military sieges.
The death toll surpassed 100,000 in June 2013, and reached 120,000 by September 2013. By April 2014 the toll had risen above 190,000. In addition, tens of thousands of protesters, students, liberal activists and human rights advocates have been imprisoned and there are reports of widespread torture and terror in state prisons.
More than 6.5 million Syrians have been displaced; more than 3 million Syrians have fled the country to countries such as Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Egypt, and Iraq and become refugees, and millions more have been left in poor living conditions with shortages of food and drinking water.
The rules are simple: Someone takes a selfie first thing in the morning, donates a certain amount of money to UNICEF, and then nominates three more people to participate.
#WAKEUPCALL I nominate @JeremyClarkson @lilyallen @HackedOffHugh pic.twitter.com/PbYyEscRCj
— Jemima Khan (@Jemima_Khan) October 5, 2014
Other celebs who have taken up the challenge include UK comedian and actor, Stephen Fry
#WAKEUPCALL Text SYRIA to 70007 (to give £5) or http://t.co/xGAxIU755i (I warn you - look away) pic.twitter.com/DoGvA65s1s
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) October 6, 2014
Supermodel Naomi Campbell, looking impossibly impeccable in the wee hours of the morning
Jaw-droppingly haggard, UK actor Hugh Grant must have taken this photo on a Monday
#WAKEUPCALL I nominate @JohnCleese, @KP24, @JohnBishop. pic.twitter.com/pickqjLFhF
— Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) October 7, 2014
TV chef Nigella Lawson, still burrowed under her comfy sheets on a nice, cold morning
Text SYRIA to 70007 (& give £5) or http://t.co/JyA7dUL8PN #UNICEF @mariamcerlane @sturdyAlex @lenadunham pic.twitter.com/NovErR2ydx
— Nigella Lawson (@Nigella_Lawson) October 7, 2014
What do you think? Is #WakeUpCall going to be the new #ALSIceBucketChallenge?
Too shy to post a just-woken-up selfie? You can still donate to the Syria Children's Emergency Fund.