Spike Lee is an American cultural treasure. He's also rich. So why is he trying to get other people to pay him $1.25 million for his next feature film?

I don't know why, but it probably has something to do with the fact that it'll almost certainly work: both Zach Braff and the Veronica Mars movie project have Kickstarted millions over their goal. The latter project is based on a canceled UPN show, and the former is Zach fucking Braff. So when a certifiably talented director behind several classic films asks for money, it's be pretty backwards for the internet to say no:

Filmmaking is an Artform that costs M-O-N-E-Y. That is why I'm appealing to the Kindness in your Hearts, to the Faithful who have given me the much needed Love and Support over my 3 decades of Spike Lee Joints.

Spike! You already have M-O-N-E-Y! You don't need to do this. You don't... ah, whatever.

So, this is how it all works now: wealthy, famous people ask people who aren't to give them an interest-free loan in order to fund a thing that will make them even more rich and famous. The internet says says, and stumbles over itself to help, because of Kickstarter's intoxicating ability to pry money from clouded minds. And that's the truth, Ruth.