When you hear the words "celebrity" and "gun control" side-by-side, you can't help but think of Rosie O'Donnell. The vivacious and opinionated talk-show hostess has been a leader of the pack when it comes to celebrities - especially celebrity mothers - supporting gun-control legislation. O'Donnell is an Everywoman to whom Americans can relate; more importantly, she's also an Everymom, now with three children (Parker, Chelsea, Blake) and a foster child, Mia.

Although she's the most outspoken, O'Donnell is far from the only celebrity mom to get involved in lobbying for gun control. She gladly provided voice-overs for an election-year ad campaign by Handgun Control, an organization founded by Sarah Brady, wife of the former Reagan press secretary who was brain damaged after a 1991 assassination attempt on the then-President. Celeb moms Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler, Whoopi Goldberg, Mia Farrow, Christie Brinkleyand Reba McIntyre followed suit.

It's no secret that Hollywood is mostly filled with Democrats, those more politically inclined towards favoring gun control laws. At a recent dinner sponsored by the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the Brady Bill, hundreds of celebrities flocked to show their support. In addition to emcees Whoopi Goldberg and Beau Bridges, the glitterati were represented by Brendan Fraser, Jack Nicholson, Lara Flynn Boyle, Rebecca De Mornay, Bill Maher, Carrie Fisher and Diane Keaton - among many, many others. Legendary actor Gregory Peck, Honorary Chair of the Sarah & Jim Brady Society, was honored for his efforts to reduce gun-related violence in America.

Celebrity voices like Peck's have been crucial in gun-control legislation, and therefore in reducing accidental and intentional gun deaths. In 1993, President Bill Clinton passed the Brady Bill (named for the Reagan press secretary who was left paralyzed by an assassination attempt in 1981).

As O'Donnell told Tom Selleck during a now-infamous segment of her talk show, "I think the Second Amendment is in the Constitution so that we can have muskets when the British people come over in 1800. I don't think it's in the Constitution to have assault weapons in the year 2000."

-- Sarah Chauncey