Jade Goody to donate $ 50,000

By Super Admin

New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Under fire for her allegedly racist remarks against Bollywood actor Shilpa Shetty on the 'Big Brother' reality show in Britain, British actress Jade Goody here today said she would spend all the "dirty money" earned through the show on various charities for underprivileged kids as part of atonement for her actions.

Stating that she was trying to put the 'Big Brother' episode behind her, Goody, who arrived in Delhi yesterday afternoon on a four-day visit to India, told newspersons that the 'Big Brother' experience had taught her several lessons.

''It has taught me that sometimes saying things that you might feel are right may not be the right things to say from another person's (Shilpa Shetty) perspective and may hurt his or her sensibilities,'' Goody said at a brief press conference at the le Meridien Hotel.

''So it is as an atonement for my mistakes (comments on 'Big Brother') that I plan to spend all the 'dirty money' earned from the 'Big Brother' show and through interviews after it for charities that alleviate the miseries of underprivileged children,'' Goody said.

In fact, Goody said, she was in India on an invitation for some of these charitable institutions including the Railways Children Society and the Anubhav Charity for Underprivileged Children.

''I accepted the invitation as I wanted to see first hand the working of these institutions. After all, it always helps to see for yourself the work that is being done by these organisations for the welfare of underprivileged children,'' she said.

Goody said she planned to donate about 50,000 US dollars to the Anubhav Charity to help fund the work being done by them for educating underprivileged children. The rest of the money would be donated to other charities.

Clearly apologetic for the happenings on the reality show wherein Goody and others mocked the Bollywood star's cooking and her accent and referred to her as "Poppadom", Goody said, ''Obviously, I'm apologetic about what happened on the show. In fact, I have already expressed my apologies. However, talking to you people here now gives me a chance to directly convey my apologies to the Indian community.'' ''I do admit my comments on the show may have hurt Shilpa's sensibilities.'' At the same time, Goody said, she was trying to put the entire episode behind her.

''I'm here on a private visit for four days and I'm having meetings with certain people. I am trying to put the 'Big Brother' stuff behind me,'' Goody said.

On life after the Big Brother show, Goody said things were getting better.

''I only got two hate mails (after the show). People are being alright to me,'' she said.