What Do Sheryl Crow, Tiki Barber, and Steve Levitt Have in Common?

They are among the celebrities featured in a new ad campaign by the Wall Street Journal. Here’s the story — which, unfortunately, doesn’t mention Levitt. But trust me, he’ll show up in the campaign. Remember when Levitt blogged about a very, very strange photo shoot? This is the one. In exchange for appearing in the ad, Levitt (and I assume all the others) were able to direct a donation from the Journal to a favorite charity.

[ADDENDUM: Here’s an online version of the ads.]

FWIW, my wife called me excitedly this morning (I am out of town) to say that she just saw Tiki Barber in the elevator at our daughter’s nursery school, where Barber’s kid also goes. She was excited because she actually recognized a football player. I like football, as does our son, but my wife does not. But she had just read a New Yorker profile (not online) of Barber (written by one of my favorite young writers, Ben McGrath, son of Charles (Chip) McGrath, but in all honesty the recent New York Magazine profile of Barber, by David Amsden, was better). In the New Yorker profile, in which Barber discusses his future plans as a newscaster, there is mention made of Freakonomics. So, when she saw him this morning, my wife was tempted to strike up a conversation along these lines. But, classy gal that she is, she let the poor guy ride the elevator in peace.