Written by Michelle Kretzer
How tweet it is: Ricky Martin announced to fans over Twitter that he's gone vegetarian! To help the singer get his bon-bon in top form, PETA sent him a vegetarian/vegan starter kit, copies of "Glass Walls" in both English and Spanish, and a cookbook of vegan recipes for Latin food lovers, Viva Vegan.
A little birdie also told us that many other celebrities were tweeting for animals this week as well:
Maybe Ricky will start his twin sons out on the healthy veggie path, too? Emily Deschanel is doing just that with her little one, Henry: She told Mother Nature Network, "We are raising Henry vegetarian; he will be mostly vegan and always have a choice in the matter, but we will educate him about why we make the choices we do with our food."
And vegan racecar driver Leilani Münter is putting her cause célèbre on the fast track. After the success of her Cove–themed racecar last season, this year Leilani is aiming to burn rubber in a vegan-themed car that will expose 80 million NASCAR fans to the benefits of plant-based foods.
After we're done cheering for Leilani, we'll be switching the channel over to this season of Dancing With the Stars to root for our buds Andy Dick and Kellie Pickler.
And when the cameras were pointed at Russell Simmons during New York Fashion Week, they may have gotten more than they bargained for. One of animals' greatest defenders, Simmons took the opportunity to express his feelings about fur:
I did see something that hurt my heart and it has nothing to do with Max [Azria] only, it has to do with the whole industry: the use of so much fur. And my first instinct was it must be fake—because it hurt my heart. … I just wish that all the designers would reconsider because there's such great Italian fake fur, there's such great Japanese fake fur, so much beautiful fake fur.
To keep up with what Russell and all your favorite stars are doing for animals, follow @PETA on Twitter.
What's better than T-shirt time? "No T-shirt" time! And that's exactly what the throng of Jersey Shore fans got outside MTV's Times Square studios when Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino revealed his new PETA ad encouraging everyone to spay and neuter their animals.
Fans who couldn't make the unveiling still got to see Sitch's sweet tweet that revealed his ad and gave some love to PETA. And he wasn't the only one turning Twitter into an animal love-fest this week. Check out what these other celebs were doing to help with PETA campaigns:
Morrissey sings about how "Meat Is Murder," so, of course, he doesn't want any dead bodies around him when he's performing. For his appearance on The Colbert Report, Morrissey insisted that the entire building be meat-free for the day. And when, in true Colbert fashion, Stephen tried to rib Moz about his morals, the PETA pal had some zingers of his own ready. "Animals are nicer than humans," he deadpanned. "If you stick your grandmother in an oven, she will probably be tasty. But is that any reason to eat your grandmother?"
James Cameron might be about to make a titanic impact on the way the world eats. The director and newly minted vegan is challenging environmentalists to adopt a plant-based diet to save the planet. During a recent speech, he told the audience, "I want to challenge everybody here: If you're an environmentalist, I say, my challenge is, you can't be an environmentalist, you can't be an ocean steward, without truly walking the walk, and you can't walk the walk in the world of the future, the world ahead of us, the world of our children, not eating a plant-based diet."
And vegan Emily Deschanel is speaking up once again. Her show, Bones, dedicated another episode to animal rights, this time, to the cruelty of keeping exotic animals as "pets."
To keep up with what your favorite stars are doing for animals, follow @PETA on Twitter.
There isn't a chick alive who doesn't love Ryan Gosling, from the ones he woos in theaters (guilty) to the ones he helps on factory farms. He was spotted saving the latter recently by eating vegan at Los Angeles' Flore Vegan Cuisine.
Since animals aren't normally allowed to go to concert venues, Jay Sean invited them into his living room. The rapper performed an online Stageit show from his home and donated all the proceeds to PETA's "Angels for Animals" program, which provides neglected, chained dogs with doghouses, toys, and lightweight tie-outs.
On a slightly larger screen, Bones is set to air another animal rights–themed show. Vegan star Emily Deschanel says she loves hearing from fans that the Bones episode on chicken farming made them stop eating chickens, and now the Fox thriller is tackling the exotic-animal smuggling trade.
Fran Drescher is hopping on the vegan train as well, telling RadarOnline about some of her delicious recipes: "Lately, I have been eating vegan and gluten-free, so I have been making delicious kale soup and gluten-free pasta with sautéed arugula, garlic, olive oil and pesto. I also like my recipe for white bean hummus, as well as a good simple field and micro green salad with my special house dressing of olive oil, lemon, Dijon mustard and salt and pepper. I like to add raw veggies to it, like peas, corn, carrots, and zucchini."
James Cameron is growing vegan. The director just purchased 2,500 acres of rural land in New Zealand, and part of his property includes a former dairy farm. The government is requiring Cameron to continue to farm on part of the land, and the director, who grabbed a PETA Proggy Award for Avatar, said that since he and his family are striving for a more plant-based diet, they will likely grow crops.
Cameron is no stranger to awards, and neither is our friend Kate del Castillo, who snapped up several of Telemundo's nominations for its inaugural Premios Tu Mundo Awards.
Set design: Jack Guy|Hair and makeup: Eric Ferrell for Dion Peronneau Agency|Styling: Shiffy for Aim Artists
Other celebs were busy representing animals in the Twitterverse this week:
To keep up with what all your favorite stars are doing for animals, follow @PETA on Twitter.
Written by PETA
This whale of a tale is true: Dolphin activist Hayden Panettiere traveled to the White House to thank President Obama for asking Iceland to ban hunting whales and exporting their meat. Fellow ocean-animal advocates Richard Branson and basketball legend Yao Ming are calling for a ban on shark-fin soup in China, where 95 percent of the cruel fare is served.
Yao Ming isn't the only athlete taking action for animals. After being vegetarian for four years, Toronto Maple Leaf Mike Zigomanis has gone vegan as part of his effort to become healthier, stronger, and a better player.
Congratulations to glowing vegan mom Emily Deschanel, who gave birth last week to her first child, son Henry Hornsby. A rockin' congrats also goes out to the inimitable Joan Jett for her well-deserved Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination. She loves rock and roll … as well as chickens, cows, seals, pigs, elephants, and rabbits.
Another award we couldn't help but crack a smile about—furry Kim Kardashian was voted the most annoying celebrity. Maybe kind sis Khloe can teach her how to be more popular.
Speaking of popular—Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Maher, and other celebs helped make PETA's White House spay-and-neuter petition one of the first to reach 5,000 signatures and go to the president for review by tweeting about the dog and cat homelessness crisis. You can join Ellen, Bill, and many others in sending a strong message about the importance of spaying and neutering by signing the petition too.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
Fighters, schmighters―after Jake Shields' recent tweet, the people he'll really need to shield himself from are all the clamoring vegan girls. And they're probably in pretty good shape, too, if they've been fueling up on the healthy fare that Ellen DeGeneres shares on her website's "Go Vegan With Ellen" page. Hope they leave room for Anne Hathaway's luscious vegan treats.
Alicia Silverstone is raising a little vegan Bear, of course. Maybe she has some words of wisdom for cruelty-free mom-to-be Emily Deschanel?
And PETA has words of wisdom for Diane Kruger, about her photo shoot in which she was draped in coyote. Hasn't she heard it's better to go naked than wear fur? Furry Alexander McQueen may have passed on, like so many of the animals he killed for clothes, but at least he did make a kind decision in his will. Where was his compassion when he was alive?
Well, it's very obvious where Bree Olson's compassion is―you can't miss it. And Olivia Wilde and Emma Stone are going to have cruelty-free written all over their faces.
When they aren't starring on screen or on stage, many of the nominees in this year's Teen Choice Awards are starring in ads for PETA! There are heaps of hotties with hearts of gold and vegetarians vying for votes this year, so we hope that you'll encourage the animal-friendly teens in your life to cast their vote for compassion in every category. Here are our picks:
Adele Choice Music: Female Artist
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan, DirectorChoice Movie: Drama
Justin Bieber Choice Music: Male ArtistChoice TV: Villain, CSIChoice Male Hottie Choice Twit (for Twitter presence)Choice Red Carpet Fashion Icon: Male
Russell Brand, Arthur Choice Movie Actor: Comedy
Ellen DeGeneresChoice Twit (for Twitter presence)Choice Comedian
Emily Deschanel, BonesChoice TV Actress: Drama
Lady Gaga Choice Music: Female Artist
Anne Hathaway, RioChoice Animated Movie: Voice
Eva Mendes, The Other Guys Choice Movie Actress: Comedy
Mila Kunis Choice Female Hottie
Jane Lynch, Glee Choice TV: Female Reality/Variety Star
Renee Olstead, The Secret Life of the American Teenager Choice TV Show: Drama
Jared Padalecki, Supernatural Choice TV Actor: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Grace Park, Hawaii Five-O Choice TV Show: ActionChoice TV Actress: Action
Audrina Patridge, Audrina Choice TV: Female Reality/Variety Star
Katy Perry Choice Music: Female Artist
Kellie Pickler Choice Music: Female Country Artist
Maggie Q, Nikita Choice TV Show: ActionChoice TV Actress: Action
Yvonne Strahovski, Chuck Choice TV Actress: Action
Carrie Underwood Choice Music: Female Country Artist
Kristen Wiig, Bridesmaids Choice Movie: ComedyChoice Movie Actress: ComedyChoice Movie: Hissy Fit
Glee Cast Choice Music: Group Choice TV Show: Comedy
Khloe & Lamar Choice TV: Reality Show
Linkin Park Choice Music: Rock Group
Modern Family Choice TV Show: Comedy
OneRepublic Choice Music: Rock Group
Yesterday was the official first day of summer, but PETA's Web site has been scorching for days, thanks to our Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity contest. We're into the final heat—voting ends this Wednesday, June 23—so if you haven't weighed in, don't let those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer get you just yet. Put the pedal to the metal and vote now to help us choose this year's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity. Here are some of the current frontrunners:
I know it's tough to choose just one man and one woman, but if I can do it, so can you. My personal faves: The Howard Stern Show cohost with the infectious laugh, ravishing Robin Quivers, and the achingly handsome actor Joaquin Phoenix. Now go cast your vote for two sexy veggie celebrities to help us decide the Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity of 2010.
Written by Karin Bennett
*We all know that you can't be a meat-eater and call yourself an environmentalist.
Last fall, a jury found Sholom Rubashkin, former Agriprocessors CEO, guilty on 86 federal financial fraud charges. Now, a judge in the case has announced that Rubashkin will be sentenced to 27 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $31 million in restitution!
This is the culmination of a long, sordid history of financial crimes at the plant as well as violations against humans and animals dating back to PETA's original undercover investigation in 2004.
This undercover investigation exposed that Agriprocessors was hacking out the tracheas and esophagi of cattle immediately after the kosher slaughter cut, when the animals were still conscious and able to feel pain. Many animals remained conscious for prolonged periods, some even struggling to their feet in agony three minutes after their throats were cut, their organs dangling from their necks.
Dr. Temple Grandin, the world's leading slaughterhouse expert, called this "the most disgusting thing [she'd] ever seen." The USDA agreed with PETA and cited Agriprocessors for "engaging in acts of inhumane slaughter." Sholom Rubashkin tried to defend these egregious methods, but PETA undercover investigations in both 2007 and 2008 caught his facilities again performing dressing procedures on conscious animals. Dr. Grandin said, "The undercover video clearly showed that when they think nobody is looking, they do bad things in this plant."
At least Sholom Rubashkin will not have the opportunity to harm any more animals for the next 27 years.
Written by Shawna Flavell
You may remember that a couple of months ago we blogged about Daniel Bryan, an up-and-coming vegan wrestler in the WWE. Bryan was making waves and had even defeated one of the WWE's top superstars, The Miz. But in a controversial decision that has outraged fans, stars, and wrestling legend Shawn Michaels, Daniel Bryan was fired from the company.
Now, there's a grassroots movement to bring him back, and PETA is tossing our name in the ring in support. Check out the letter we just sent to WWE CEO Vince McMahon, and send a polite comment to the WWE asking it to bring Daniel Bryan back!
Written by Chris Holbein, manager of PETA's Special Projects Division (and resident WWE super-fan)
Actor Seth Rogen has played freaks, geeks, and police, but in my opinion his recent "role" reading the children's book The Story of Ferdinand (commonly called Ferdinand the Bull) to a group at The Colburn School in Los Angeles was his best yet. This book is about a bull named Ferdinand who reasonably wants to smell the flowers instead of being stabbed to death in a bullfighting arena.
Of course, back in 1936 when the book was written, sensibilities were of the "kill 'em and hang 'em on the wall" variety, so author Munro Leaf didn't go into detail about how bulls who are used in bullfighting are beaten and sometimes have their horns shaved (to keep them off-balance) before they are let into the ring. Because this is a book for kids, Leaf also didn't mention that bulls are repeatedly stabbed with knives (called banderillas) until they are dizzy, weakened from blood loss, and suffering agonizing pain. Even though the goal is to kill the bulls, they are often still conscious when their ears and tails are cut off as trophies and they are dragged from the ring.
There's no question that bulls would rather be doing anything other than becoming victims of bullfights. Take a minute to speak up for bulls by signing this petition to end the Running of the Bulls.
Written by Jennifer O'Connor
If you have a general question for PETA and would like a response, please e-mail Info@peta.org. If you need to report cruelty to an animal, please click here. If you are reporting an animal in imminent danger and know where to find the animal and if the abuse is taking place right now, please call your local police department. If the police are unresponsive, please call PETA immediately at 757-622-7382 and press 2.
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