Russell Simmons' Holiday Survival Guide

Are you one of those people who dread going home for the holidays because of the inevitable arguments over what who you choose not to eat, wear, or chain up in the backyard? Russell Simmons—hip-hop mogul and author of the upcoming self-help book Super Rich—has some sage advice about making peace with less ethically evolved friends and relatives.

PETA V.P. Dan Mathews recently interviewed Russell for the PETA Files:

"People are uncomfortable with anyone who's different for any reason, whether they're vegan or gay or black or whatever," he said. "They feel threatened, and there's nothing we can do about it but try to lead by example and not make people feel they're on a different side. I tell this to my assistant Simone, the supervegan: 'Stop whipping bitches' asses. You have to love the people you want to change.' Obviously anyone who loves animals has some compassion in their heart, but it's easy to get frustrated and block out compassion for the people we want to change. They'll change easier if they don't feel hated."

But even Zen master Russell can lose his cool when it comes to fur. Dan asked him what he says when he encounters people who wear fur: "I say, 'You know how they chop those motherfuckers up for that coat?!'" 

Written by Alisa Mullins