Seth Rogen Reads ‘Ferdinand’: No Bull(Fighting)

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