American Idol: Why does it take a reality show to move us to contributing to worthy causes?

I don't think anyone with a brain and access to news media was unaware of the poverty in LA, the horriffic conditions in New Orleans, and the plight of the AIDS orphans in Africa? Why does it take a show like American Idol to get us up off our @$$ to contribute to worthy causes like this? Why can't we just do it without Randy, Paula and Simon telling us to?