10.04.10 - 11:50AM
- by
Cole Stryker

Did TMZ Trick Charlyne Yi Into Embarrassing Herself for Oxfam Charity?

topic:
Videos
Blogstorm

Actress Charlyne Yi claims (in two posts on her personal blog) that she was asked by gossip site TMZ to film a video promoting Oxfam, a charitable organization devoted to fighting global hunger. She agreed, because TMZ has thousands of viewers, and even though they are gross, it would give Oxfam an opportunity to reach millions.

They filmed her advocating for the organization, then edited the footage to make her look like an unhinged, hypocritical celebrity guilting regular folks into giving money.

TMZ is the absolute worst. Unless this is all part of a big meta-joke and they're in on it together. Charlyne is indeed working with Oxfam, according to this press release and this Oxfam tweet, but TMZ hasn't even put up this video. Why would they show her the footage before they put it online?

Also, Yi once made a fake but authentic-looking documentary called Paper Heart, and the press can't even tell how much of that film was true. Will we find out if this video is real?

Subversive bit of viral marketing or typically gross TMZ exploitation? I'm leaning towards the latter for now. [My editor disagrees.]

UPDATE: An anonymous tipster told Videogum:

As a close friend of Charlyne's, I would like to confirm that the TMZ incident was real. Not only does Charlyne not smoke (cigarettes or marijuana,) but the whole screaming incident was intended to be a humorous and was taken out of context. I would also like to say that the Oxfam event that day was professional and raised thousands of dollars in donations, which was completely overlooked in the TMZ report.