Two weeks ago, the former aide to President Clinton and the current U.S. chair for the Global Campaign for Education hosted Angelina Jolie, his fellow member on the Council on Foreign Relations, for a panel discussion.

Then on Monday, Sperling hosted a global conference call from Washington with Grammy winner Shakira on the topic of education in the developing world. The two will hold a Capitol Hill press conference on Tuesday, as well as meet lobby Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other lawmakers on the Education for All Act of 2007.

In her native Columbia, said Shakira, kids who are deprived of education turn to the drug trade, gangs and militias. “Believe me, these are not fun things they dream about doing with their lives,” she said, in accented English.

Also on the call were World Bank head Robert Zoellick and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. “It’s a real privilege to follow Shakira,” said Brown, who apparently missed the innuendo implicit in his statement (as countless Web sites will tell you, one of Shakira’s most popular attributes can only be seen if you’re, well, following her).

Nevertheless, the infamous British press corps on the call didn’t spare either of them. One questioner asked Brown whether, after appearing on “American Idol” and meeting with George Clooney, he’d “come around” on his opinion that celebrity has no place in politics.

“I work with everybody who’s trying to make a difference,” said Brown, adding that the celebs’ role is to “galvanize public opinion throughout the world.”

Another asked the singer if Brown is “difficult to work with” as is rumored and whether he’s “using your celebrity.”

She praised him as a man of “wonderful intentions” before thanking him for helping her deal with questions such as those.