♥Jack (played by Matthew Fox) on the TV show ‘Lost’ is part Lost Soul and part Chief. Everybody looks to him for answers, yet he’s lost himself. We’re so glad ‘Lost’ is back on the air!

♥Russell Crowe first appeared on the American film scene in 1995. Since then there has been no stopping him. A three time Academy Award Nominee, and one time winner for Gladiator, Crowe portrays every facet of life and hero imaginable. Appearing in over thirty-eight productions, he’s been the hero, the bad guy with a heart of gold, and the tortured soul with a beautiful mind. This multi-talented actor is also a rock star in his own right. Leading the way for his band, 30 Odd Foot Grunt, whose most recent release is My Hand, My Heart. Our hero of the week is Aussie supreme, Russell Crowe, musician, horse lover, the ultimate Rugby enthusiast, and critically acclaimed actor. If you want to experience Russell’s range of characters, check out: 3:10 to Yuma, A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, and American Gangster. Next year, he’ll portray the man we all love to hate, the Sheriff of Nottingham of Robin Hood fame, in Nottingham.

♥Jon Stewart is the Buddha of our society.  Okay, maybe not the Buddha, but certainly one of the wise men.  You probably love him or hate him, but chances are you’ve heard of him.  What makes Jon Stewart our hero of the week?   It’s his ability to walk the tightrope between satire and the truth as he sees it.  He’s able to laugh at himself, as well as the politics he stands behind, and he able to laugh at the other guy.  He’s bi-partisan in his satire.

Jon Stewart’s been praised and criticized for his ‘mock’ news during which he comments on the ‘real’ news.  He stands firm in his beliefs, all the while making the country laugh.  While Jon often lands on the funny side of things, one of his finest moments was on 9/11.  With no introduction, The Daily Show launched.  This time, Jon fell on the poignantly emotional and powerfully serious side of things.  “The view… from my apartment… “ he said, “was the World Trade Center… and now it’s gone, and they attacked it. This symbol of American ingenuity, and strength, and labor, and imagination and commerce, and it is gone. But you know what the view is now? The Statue of Liberty. The view from the South of Manhattan is now the Statue of Liberty. You can’t beat that.” Jon Stewart is Chasing Heroes Hero of the Week, and that’s the news.

♥Simon Cowell gets paid a lot of money to be the “meany” of American Idol. Sure, sometimes he goes overboard and can use a lesson in compassion. But he’s our hero of the week because 1) he’s honest; 2) his comments are substantive and intended to be constructive; and 3) he takes the backlash of his role square on the chin. The music industry, like the publishing world, is all about finding the next big thing. If you want to survive, getting past someone like Simon will give you the strength to do so.

 Another celebrity who leads by example is U2 frontman, Bono.  Love him or hate him, this man has a passion for improving the human condition.  He was 2003 MusiCares Person of the Year because of his humanitarianism.  His social conscience and his actions continue to have a direct impact on some of the toughest fights people in our world face. He’s notable for co-founding DATA (Debt, Aids, Trade in Africa) and for ProjectRED, a fundraising effort to help fight HIV and AIDS in Africa.  He’s a crusader of the highest sort.  He’s not afraid to put himself out there in the line of fire, he uses his platform and his music as a means to read people, he’s audacious, charming, and zealous.  There’s something about Bono’s passion, his bravado, and his look that makes him stand out in the crowded celebrity realm.  He stands by his beliefs and is more than just a voice box. He’s a doer, and is working to make the world a better place.  And his falsetto sends chills down our spines, too.