Laurie David, I Presume?
Laurie David is everywhere these days. And that’s not hyperbole. She’s omnipresent in the green world, from a huge profile in Vogue’s March “Power” issue, to Women’s Wear Daily, to another profile in Elle (which I’m guessing led to her guest-editing the upcoming May “Green” Elle, printed on 10% recyled stock).
Who is this eco-warrioress? A former talent coordinator for David Letterman, ex-comedy producer, and former vp of comedy devlopment for Fox, and current NRDC trustee, and oh-yeah, she’s married to Larry David of Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm fame.
She’s using her considerable Hollywood clout for the good of the greens. She’s begun the Virtual March on Washington to stop global warming, and got both Oprah and Fox News to do a show on the topic (not together! Though that’s a funny thought)
In March’s Vogue Laurie explains that her children were her impetus to get involved:”I say what the impact would be on my kids’ lives.”
On top of all this work, Laurie has been involved in getting three different enviro specials on the air.
As E/The Environmental Magazine summed up in a recent interview:
Today, if you haven’t seen an information-crammed environmental special produced by Laurie David, it’s because you aren’t paying attention. Her live Earth to America special featured Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, Will Ferrell and many others. Her excellent and sober (no rock music, no celebrity voice overs) HBO documentary Too Hot Not to Handle will air on Earth Day, April 22 (7 p.m. Eastern Time, 8 p.m. Central). And Participant Productions’ An Inconvenient Truth, featuring former Vice President Al Gore talking about global warming, is coming soon to a theater near you.
But don’t let the big name-dropping fool you. From Newsweek’s “quote of the week” section, talking about Too Hot Not to Handle: “This isn’t about box office. None of us are going to make a dime. [What’s at stake] is, you know, the planet.” I’m sure I’m not the only one who likes to read those kinds of quotes from someone with real influence.
I’ll leave you with these words from Laurie, from the E Magazine interview:
Scientists are the most cautious humans on the planet, and they are now all saying that they have underestimated everything. They are saying we now have less than 10 years to start slowing [global warming] down. Less than 10 years. If you need a better wakeup call then that, I don’t know what it is. And if they are saying less than 10 years, my feeling is that it’s probably five years.
Starre Vartan
Starre Vartan is founder and editor-in-chief of Eco-Chick.com and the author of the Eco-Chick Guide to Life. She's also a freelance science and environment writer who has published in National Geographic, CNN, Scientific American, Mental Floss, Pacific Standard, the NRDC, and many more. She lives on an island in Puget Sound with her partner and black cat. She was a geologist in her first career, and still picks up rocks wherever she goes.
