Written by Michelle Kretzer
Sure, during an election year, the candidates themselves take up residence under a microscope. But here's something that you might not have known about Democratic National Convention speakers Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama.
You probably knew that Broccoli Bill went vegan, since he's fond of telling people how much better he looks and feels. And maybe you heard Wolf Blitzer report that Bill hadn't lost his pizzazz—he'd just lost his pizza! But did you know that he was PETA's Person of the Year in 2010?
© StarmaxInc.com
Yep, the vegan in chief won for saving animals' lives and proving that even former hamburger fanatics can thrive on a vegan diet. As Bill himself wrote to PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk, "I've been feeling great since I adopted my plant-based diet!"
Speaking of saving animals' lives, did you know that we have a FLOTUS who doesn't wear fur?
iStockPhoto.com/EdStock
Michelle Obama's celebrated style always earns accolades from the fashion community and from people who care about animals.
Whether you're a donkey or an elephant, everyone can elect to help animals by not eating them or wearing them.
P.S. Did you also know that Matthew Scully, vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan's speechwriter and the author of Dominion, is a vegetarian?
PETA promotes and educates the public on the benefits of a vegan diet. PETA does not directly or indirectly participate in any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office.
After hearing that Noel Gallagher expressed excitement about teaching his sons to "throw stuff at cows," Joan Jett called out the former Oasis frontman, stating:
"This guy is a putz! I am embarrassed he is Irish and from [the] same county as my grandparents on my father's side. Maybe if this bully wants to throw things, he should try throwing something at somebody who can fight back, like me."
We'll keep you updated on whether Gallagher decides to pick on somebody from his own species. Meanwhile, elsewhere in celebrityland, plenty of other stars are throwing their support at animals, including Alec Baldwin, who unveiled his new circus exposé for PETA at a news conference in New York City.
And Kellan Lutz revealed his PETA billboard in Los Angeles to his Twitter followers in a picture that's worthy of its own bedroom wall space.
In other vampire/werewolf news, PETA buddies Famke Janssen and Eli Roth are working together on Netflix's adaptation of the otherworldly novel Hemlock Grove. You can bet that this will be an animal-friendly set.
Photo by Andrew Southam/Weiss Artists Inc. For The Cloutier Agency: Hair by Charles Dujic Makeup by Tracy Sondern Styling by Heidi Meek Props by Darren Ransdell
And "animal-friendly" also describes the set that Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt shared while making Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. Ewan told Conan O'Brien that his rescued dog Sid loved going to work with him, and he even attached a sidecar to his motorcycle for toting Sid along.
First dog Bo Obama is always right in the middle of his family's adventures. Michelle Obama told David Letterman, "He is my son. I have two girls and a boy."
Sophia Bush's US Weekly magazine list of "25 Things You Don't Know About Me" includes her rescued pit bulls Patch and Penny. Sophia has a huge heart for animals, and we hope all of her #LittleVoices join her in supporting animal adoption!
Here's something that you may not have known about Diane Keaton: In her new memoir, Then Again, she talks about being a vegetarian for the past 25 years. Join Diane in going vegetarian—order a free vegetarian/vegan starter kit here, and help save animals, protect the environment, and preserve your health.
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Geoff Blum announced that he did a vegan cleanse that helped him drop 10 pounds and recover from knee surgery. We hope his vegan adventure continues, so we're sending him a copy of Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness by Robert Cheeke for tips on how to stay fit for the field on a plant-based diet.
Keep up with the latest celebrity animal news by following @PETA on Twitter.
Written by PETA
Pamela Anderson was as perplexed as we were to learn that despite Denmark's recent ban on cruel fox-fur farms, some in the country's royal family still wear fur. Perhaps the Queen is harking back to her girlhood, when fur was integral to the royal robes, but since she enjoys all the other trappings of a modern life, it’s time to lay cruel stodgy fashions to rest. Pam penned a letter to Queen Margrethe II explaining that all fur means animal suffering:
Undercover investigations into fur farms have shown cruelty to animals across the board, from Denmark to the United States. Most fur comes from China, where animals—including dogs and cats—are bludgeoned and even skinned alive for their fur, as seen in this short video. Minister Eva Kjer Hansen of Denmark stated, 'Mink breeders break animal welfare rules. And that is unacceptable.' Animals trapped in the wild are no better off: Many suffer for hours and even chew off their own limbs to escape.
Hopefully, Queen Margrethe II will join the scores of leading ladies, including Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni, who refuse to wear fur. Until she does, we have a feeling she hasn't heard the last from Pam.
Written by Michelle Sherrow
It was unseasonably hot on Capitol Hill when PETA's Lettuce Ladies arrived for the annual Congressional Veggie Dog Giveaway. The leafy lovelies were greeted by a long line of people anxiously awaiting their arrival, ready for food and photo ops.
Joining the Lettuce Ladies in the wearing of the green were Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door winner Kate Veltkamp and runner-up Udara Perera. Kate's costume, made of real lettuce leaves, was a huge hit.
Patriots would have been proud to see so many members of Congress and their staff lining up for healthy veggie dogs and faux-chili dogs. While the crowd was waiting, they chatted with PETA staff, learning about how pigs suffer on factory farms and that flesh-based hot dogs contain noses, toes, anuses, and other "undesirable" body parts, while veggie dogs are made of healthy (and tasty) plant protein.
Everyone agreed that the food was delicious, and some told us that they were ready to go vegetarian or vegan.
The just-released U.S. Department of Agriculture food guide, "MyPlate," turns the old food pyramid on its meaty, fatty head and replaces it with a dish loaded with fruits, veggies, and grains. Meat has been replaced with "protein," which includes beans, nuts, and seeds, and milk has been booted to the side, with soy milk suggested as an option.
"We know that there are significant health benefits from consuming more fruits and vegetables, and that's an opportunity for us to sort of move away from some of the meals that we've been preparing in the past," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "It doesn't take a lot [of effort] to [fill] your plate with half fruits and vegetables." And vegetarians enjoy lower risks of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters do, according to the American Dietetic Association.
Finally—some government nutrition guidelines that are easy to swallow! Learn more about filling your plate with healthy veggies by ordering a free PETA vegetarian/vegan starter kit.
One of the things that I like most about Michelle Obama (besides her penchant for home-grown veggies and her rockin' biceps) is her sense of style. A fashion icon who has been compared to Jackie O, Michelle O is notably fur-free.
In the hopes of persuading the FLOTUS to banish all skins from her closet, PETA sent her a stylish faux-leather jacket from asos.com.
In a letter accompanying the jacket, we explained how cows raised for their flesh and skin endure branding, dehorning, castration, and tail-docking, all without painkillers. At the slaughterhouse, many are improperly stunned, meaning that they are skinned and dismembered while still conscious.
I look forward to seeing how great the perennially polished patriot looks in her cruelty-free coat and the example that she'll set for stylish and conscientious American women.
Michelle Obama's promotion of the IRS's breast-pump tax break is getting mixed reviews. Tea Party star Michele Bachmann, who one would think would be in favor of any measure that lowers taxes, blasted the new rule, saying that it gives new meaning to the term "nanny state." Sarah Palin, who, as governor of Alaska, declared October "Breastfeeding Awareness Month," now apparently believes that encouraging breastfeeding is a plot to divert Americans' attention away from the high price of cow's milk. (Good news, Sarah: The prices of soy and almond milk are coming down!)
But the IRS ruling does have its supporters, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other medical groups that lobbied for the breast-pump tax deduction.
Numerous studies indicate that babies who are breastfed are healthier. Conversely, babies who are fed cow's milk "receive inadequate amounts of [v]itamin E, iron, essential fatty acids, and excessive amounts of protein, potassium, and sodium," according to the AAP. (In fact, the AAP recommends against feeding cow's milk to children under 1 year of age.)
Cow's milk has been found to cause or aggravate many common childhood ailments, including runny noses, allergies, ear infections, bronchitis, and asthma. For the many children who are lactose-intolerant, milk consumption can lead to stomachaches, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea. Studies have also linked cow's milk to more serious health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, autism, juvenile diabetes, and even cancer.
America's cows are definitely on board with efforts to boost breastfeeding. They'd prefer to nurse their own babies, thank you very much.
Written by Alisa Mullins
Donna Karan is thumbing her nose at compassion by launching a clothing line that's dripping with dead rabbits. And so PETA's finest, armed with protest signs and toy bunnies, held a demonstration outside a political fundraiser that was being held in New York City yesterday. The fundraiser had been organized by both Karan and "fur-free and fabulous" first lady Michelle Obama. The animal defenders made sure that everyone within earshot learned that Donna Karan is a "Bunny Butcher."
There was a tremendous amount of interest in this anti-fur demonstration—the first of its kind in New York this fall. The protest was covered by Gothamist and NBC, and follow-up stories continue to emerge.
Written by Karin Bennett
Maine might be known for its harsh winters, but you'll never catch first lady Karen Baldacci wearing a real fur coat, no matter how far the mercury drops. PETA recently sent surveys to first ladies across the country asking whether they've joined Michelle Obama and France's Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in shunning fur, and Baldacci was the first to respond, stating, "I am an animal lover. Absolutely no fur. I do own faux [fur] but don't wear it often." She added, "[PETA] is a wonderful organization."
For her refusal to support an industry that profits off the anal and vaginal electrocution of dogs, cats, foxes, minks, and rabbits, we're sending Baldacci a box of vegan chocolates donated by Maine's own Harbor Candy Shop.
Written by Logan Scherer
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. —Martin Luther King Jr.
Countless prominent African Americans throughout history have used their influence to stand up for animals, and this month we celebrate their inspiring efforts. Civil rights leader Coretta Scott King extended her kindness toward humans to animals by going vegan. The late comedian Richard Pryor, who won our Humanitarian Award in 1999, tirelessly urged KFC and McDonald's to treat chickens humanely and spoke out on behalf of the elephants abused by Ringling and other circuses.
Today, fur-free First Lady Michelle Obama and awareness-raising media mogul (not to mention PETA's 2008 Person of the Year) Oprah Winfrey continue the historic trend of African Americans defending animals. Author and social thinker Cornel West, record producer Russell Simmons, and community leader Rev. Al Sharpton are among the many who have ensured that Richard Pryor's legacy lives on by asking KFC to stop abusing chickens. And many more—including Tyra Banks, Tony and October Gonzalez, John Salley, Nia Long, Gilbert Arenas and Amar'e Stoudamaire—have worked with PETA in campaigns to stop the exploitation of animals. Join us this month in honoring these generous and compassionate black men and women.
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.
Follow PETA on Twitter!