We’ve profiled Matthew Modine many times here on the razz for his pro-biking initiatives and efforts. Since relocating to NYC in the 80s, the actor has used a bike as his primary transportation; finding no need to compete with the multitude of cars filling the streets.

There’s an interesting quirk, however, to Modine’s love of biking — he doesn’t wear a helmet. In a new interview with New York Magazine, the 50-year-old says he doesn’t wear one, because he doesn’t assume he’s going to get hurt. Right — because I wear a seatbelt with every intention of getting in an accident. From the article,

“I get shit for that a lot of times,” he says—not least from the League of American Bicyclists. Modine says they wouldn’t link to a short film he had made for his Bicycle for a Day website because he’s not helmeted. “Should we wear helmets when we walk down the sidewalk?” Then his logic gets really shaky: “I think that people that wear helmets, cars are a little more aggressive with them.” He mentions the late Natasha Richardson, who died in March after a skiing accident: “She was a great friend of mine. She barely banged her head and it cost her her life.” Yes, and she wasn’t wearing a helmet. Doesn’t that give him pause? “I think it gave us all pause. Think how many times you’ve banged your head in your lifetime.”

Part of me can understand where Modine is coming from — growing up, I never had a helmet either while biking. It takes a bit of a transition period to getting in the habit of wearing one, but I value my head too much not to. It just doesn’t seem worth it to fly around the chaotic streets of NYC without one. How about you? Are you helmet — or old school?

Check out the rest of his interview here.

[UPDATE: For another take on the bike helmet debate -- check out Copenhagenize's well-written article. And for the record, I do not own a pitchfork.]

Despite the recession, the holidays brought out the best in New Yorkers. The 3rd annual charity:ball to benefit charity:water – bringing clean, safe drinking water to people in developing nations – was held Monday. Actor and activist Adrian Grenier, hosted a live auction to sell off the opportunity to build 10 wells in Africa at $5,000 each. Bid winners included Jenna Elfman and Grenier himself.

The Metropolitan Pavilion generously donated the venue and the event production raising over $400,000 for charity:water. Alan Boss, president of Metropolitan Pavilion said, “[Founder Scott Harrison's] dedication stands as a beacon for others to do good.”

Both Zenith and the Blavatnik Family Foundation donated a significant amount of their time, services and products to ensure a high level and quality event worthy of charity. Celebs in attendance included actor Matthew Modine, Summer Rayne Oakes, model/activist, Rocco DiSpirito, musicians Gnarls Barkley, and Amos Lee.

To date, charity: water has raised funds to build 890 freshwater wells in 8 African nations. When completed, they will serve more than 400,000 people with clean, safe water for 20 years! For more information, visit www.charitywater.org

Photo credit: Melissa Rosenberg

Additional contributor to this post is Shari Rosenberg

Sorry guys — the rumors keep flying around this morning and they’re too good to sit on. Once more, my source is Bill Zwecker from the Chicago Sun-Time who, for all I know, is simply toying with me and the focus of this site. But if not…

Zwecker is reporting that Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew Modine, and Ed Begley Jr. are all organizing a big Hollywood conference to get celebrities behind a nationwide ”Going Green” environmental campaign. But it’s not just another networking event — the three organizers are anxious to teach celebrities that they can’t just talk about the environment and then ”walk out to the parking lot and jump into their Land Rovers, Hummers and other gas-guzzling cars,” DiCaprio reportedly told an associate.

Hmmm…very interesting. So, in a way, you would have an initiative that would not only promote going green but also “teach” how to go about it properly? Would those participating then also be under the scrutiny of some type of “Green Hollywood” watchdog group?

There’s nothing else out there I could find to back this up — but hey, this is what green gossip is all about. Hopefully, we’ll have more soon!

The event will be held this Saturday, September 20th at 10 am. Participates will meet at Manhattan’s South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 where Modine and Olympian Sharon Seagrave will kick off the ride.

Besides the biking, the day includes a Luke Haas concert, a speech by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and prizes such as Puma “Glow” Bicycles and a Segway. Plus lets not forget about all the awesome celebs that are getting involved, like Kevin Nealon, Heather Graham, Lucy Liu, Gina Gershon and many, many more.

Modine said: “The environmental situation is a great opportunity for us all to work together to find solutions. Bicycle for a Day is just that— citizens of the world joining together globally and acting locally.”

For more info, visit bicycleforaday.org!

via: plentymag.com

Actor Matthew Modine is putting the final touches on what he hopes will turn into an annual celebration. On September 20th, the former Weeds star will officially launch “BICYCLE FOR A DAY” — a campaign to get people out of their cars and into the streets using a bike, skateboard, or anything else not dependent on gasoline. “The idea behind my project Bicycle for a Day is to help people understand that there is something they can do,” he recently wrote. “In fact, just one simple thing they can do every day to become part of the solution. If everybody does this one thing, the cumulative effect could be tremendous.”

While Bicycle For A Day will be officially launching at The South Street Seaport in NYC — participants are encouraged to start their own gatherings all over the nation. Modine’s hope is that this will eventually spread all around the world. ”The environmental situation is a great opportunity for us all to work together to find solutions. Bicycle for a Day is just that— citizens of the world joining together globally and acting locally.”

Even Liam Nesson recently joined Modine to help push the cause along. To find out how you can become involved, jump here to the official website.

We know celebrities are finding it in vogue to travel via hybrid or some other green car to events — but it’s rare we actually see them take things a step further by walking or (*gasp*) biking to the red carpet.

Liam Neeson, however, decided to jump on a bike this week in New York City and do just that for the launch of the global warming initiative Bicycle For A Day. Granted, he was actually dared to do so by the campaign’s founder — Weeds actor Matthew Modine — but with the promise of a free dinner and the opportunity to make a point, the decision came easy to the actor. From the article,

‘”Honestly, bicycling isn’t just fun and healthy and non-polluting, it’s sexy,” said Matthew at the Tuesday night bash, which was also attended by Robert Kennedy Jr – the nephew of late US President John F Kennedy. ‘It gives you a nice rear end.’”

Modine is organizing events in San Francisco, Chicago and New York to highlight the perils of global warming. According to Hello! Magazine, he envisages a day of community-based activities at a prominent city park – to which attendees would travel on two wheels – including entertainment, speeches by politicians and environmental groups.

You can pedal over to the organization’s site for more information!

photo credit: © Rex