Bill Clinton on age, philanthropy and sex

New York, September 30 : Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is totally gaga about helping people out these days, though he still never misses giving his views when it come to sex.

He thinks that one starts understanding the joys of philanthropy with the advancement of age.

"Neuroscientists have monitored the part of the brain where you get the reward for giving, and it's the same place for sex," the New York Daily News quoted Matthew Bishop of The Economist as telling him during a recent interview.

Clinton quipped: "The older you get, the more the giving scale goes up."

He believes that the rich turn to charities because they are told that not only their contributions will help make America stronger, but also that "you'll be happier. It's better than buying another car, another boat, another house. It's actually fun."

He revealed that the reason why he started his Clinton Global Initiative, which raised eight billion dollars last week, was his belief that "for someone like me, it would be inexcusable not to try to give back to the world. ... I would be a real (jerk) if I didn't."

Clinton also appreciated several celebrities for their contribution in good works.

"Shakira is a young Colombian woman who loves her country, who doesn't want it overrun by the narco-traffickers and the guerrillas who support them," he said.

"Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have made a serious long-term commitment to rebuild the lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans," he added.

Asked about Al Gore's proposal that young people exercise "civil disobedience" against coal companies, Clinton said: "I told him he made me want to put on a tie-dyed shirt and grow my hair long again."

As regards the suggestions that he was not fully committed to Barack Obama, Clinton said: "I'll be shocked if he doesn't win ... by a pretty good margin."

Clinton wished his wife could become President.

"It is a disappointment Hillary isn't going to be President, because she's the best candidate I ever saw," he said.

He, however, still hailed Obama as "really, really smart", and said that he was the right candidate to help "get this country out of a ditch" to "regain our standing in the world", and to "appoint better judges to the Supreme Court".

ANI