Courtesy of Lelah Foster

Having a celebrity as the face of an animal rights campaign has helped PETA achieve huge victories. For instance, vocal protests by Sir Paul McCartney and Alicia Silverstone helped convince NASA not to blast squirrel monkeys with harmful doses of radiation. Celebrities such as Olivia Munn and Sarah Silverman have helped publicize Ringling Bros.' cruelty to animals, which recently resulted in the largest U.S. Department of Agriculture fine in circus history. And with the help of Lea Michele, the suffering of horses in New York City's carriage trade is garnering attention.

Michelle Cho, the senior manager of communications, dishes about what it's like behind the scenes of some of PETA's most visible work:

What is one of the most exciting things happening right now with PETA's work with celebrities?
So many professional athletes are enthusiastic about getting involved. Tony Gonzalez, Chad Ochocinco, Chase Utley, Gilbert Arenas, Amar'e Stoudemire, Willis McGahee, Lance Briggs,  Chris Andersen, and many others are allowing us to reach legions of sports fans about animal issues. 

What is one of your favorite celebrity stories?
When I first met Steve-O six years ago, I was interviewing him about elephant abuse that he had witnessed as a student at Ringling's clown college. I recall him saying that he didn't think vegetarianism was possible for him. Then began the phone calls inquiring about feathers, leather, wool, and even animal products in chewing gum! And just two years later, he had an "aha moment" in which he decided that he didn't want to contribute to the unnecessary suffering of animals and went vegan. He is one of the most inspirational people I've ever known, and I'm so proud to call him a dear friend.

Is Hollywood more animal-friendly than it used to be?
Definitely. Thanks to the Internet, we disseminate a lot more information, and it's reaching powerful people. Major ad agencies are pledging never to use great apes, filmmakers are using computer-generated imagery rather than using live animals, and TV shows and movies are including animal rights–related storylines. The support of so many influential people in show business can only pay bigger dividends for animals in the future.

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Join the A-list party! Become a PETA member today.

Nothing says "Thanksgiving" like People's Sexiest Man Alive announcement. This year, the magazine named Bradley Cooper, whose good looks are matched by his good heart. He counts as his greatest loves his rescued mixed-breed dogs.

Speaking of actors and their rescued pups, Booboo Stewart showed up at the Breaking Dawn tent city event wearing PETA's "My Dog Is a Rescue" T-shirt. Booboo is one of several PETA pals in the film, so feel free to use that as an excuse to go watch sexy vampires canoodle on the big screen.

Thanksgiving and football go together like Tofurky and gravy, which is probably what Dallas Cowboys starting fullback Tony Fiammetta will be eating during the holiday. Fiammetta recently switched to a healthy vegan diet, which he says makes him feel better both on and off the field.

Would you invite Bill Clinton to be your Thanksgiving menu consultant? Now that he's vegan and reportedly makes his own cream of asparagus soup, Ellen DeGeneres sought out the former president to sample her new vegan restaurant's menu.

Celebs were a-buzz on Twitter this week, including Megan Park and Carrie Ann Inaba, tweeting about their delicious vegan meals:

Other animal-friendly updates came from Emmanuelle Vaugier and Lexie Tomchek, both of whom shared anti-fur messages. Lovely ladies Angela Simmons and Simone Reyes posted several updates about a PETA event they attended at Uncle Rush's house.

And what better way to wrap up a Thanksgiving-themed celeb update than with a few words from longtime vegetarian Sarah Silverman?

Written by Heather Faraid Drennan

Sarah Silverman doesn't think there's anything funny about hurting animals. The comedian and provocateur has fired off a letter on behalf of PETA to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack asking that four ailing elephants traveling with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus be seized. These four girls are still on the road and being forced to perform despite the fact that PETA drew the U.S. Department of Agriculture's attention to this arthritis and lameness more than nine months ago.

Sarah points out that veterinarians have documented incontrovertible evidence showing that Nicole, Karen, Juliette and Sara are being forced to perform grueling tricks despite suffering from lameness. Nicole and Karen also suffer from painful arthritis—the number one reason that captive elephants are euthanized.

Add your voice to Sarah's by asking Secretary Vilsack to order these four hurting elephants off the road.

Written by Jennifer O'Connor

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:

• The caring king of six-pack abs, celebrity fitness trainer Bob Harper
• The delightfully raunchy star of Get Him to the Greek, Russell Brand
• Dashing do-gooder and Twitter founder Biz Stone
• The brash and beautiful comic who can make just about anyone blush, Sarah Silverman
• The gorgeous songbird who makes caring people giddy with Glee, Lea Michele
• The elegant vegan environmentalist* and star of Bones, Emily Deschanel

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.

No-holds-barred comic Sarah Silverman's stand-up may make some of her audience members blush, but compassionate people will cheer as they read about her childhood vegetarian revelations described in her memoir, The Bedwetter. And this week's "Win It" Wednesday prize is sure to make animal defenders do the wave—it's a signed copy of The Bedwetter, in which Sarah scrawled, "Woo-hoo, PETA."

We've got one book to give away, and you can win it by describing the animal-free feast that would make you "Woo-hoo!" right out of your seat. Spicy guacamole with blue corn chips and savory Mexican lasagne would do the trick for me. Try and top mine—the person whose mouthwatering vegan meal makes our bellies rumble the loudest will win the prize.

The contest ends on June 16, 2010, and we'll select a winner on June 18, 2010. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Written by Karin Bennett

Wherever Sarah Silverman goes, she seems to leave a stream of puzzled people in her wake. Are she and longtime beau, Jimmy Kimmel, on or off today? Is she really getting it on with Matt Damon? Is she Tom Selleck's long-lost sister?

thecinemasource / CC

But there is one thing that Sarah makes very clear: She doesn't eat meat. In the November 2009 issue of Marie Claire, the comedian/actor said the following:

"When I was 9 or 10 years old, my dad took me over to a neighboring farm to help get stuff for the meal. The farmer, Vic, told me to look at all the turkeys and pick one out. I saw a cute one with a silly walk and cried, 'Him!' Before my pointing finger had even dropped to my side, Vic had grabbed the turkey by the neck and slit [the animal's] throat. Blood and feathers went flying. I had sentenced that turkey to death! Up until then, I didn't know where meat came from—and I've been a vegetarian ever since."

Consider that the sight of one turkey being killed for Thanksgiving Day dinner years ago was enough to convince Sarah to go vegetarian. Then imagine how you can help lower the body count this Thanksgiving by sharing information about Butterball's cruelty to millions of turkeys with each and every meat-eater you know.

Written by Karin Bennett