November 19, 2003

DON'T THEY CALL THIS EXTORTION? (via Eric Timmons):

PETA Delays Ad Poking Fun at Clay Aiken (Fox News, November 19, 2003)

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has delayed a new ad campaign with the slogan "Get Neutered, It Didn't Hurt Clay Aiken," while it waits to see if Aiken will apologize for negative comments he made about cats, PETA officials said Tuesday.

"If Clay Aiken intends on staying famous, he has to learn to take a joke," said Dan Mathews, vice president of the Norfolk, Va.-based animal rights group.

The ad features the crass puppet Triumph the Insult Comic dog from "Late Night" with Conan O'Brien urging pet owners to spay or neuter their animals. The barb came from Triumph, but PETA allowed the ad because of an interview Aiken gave to Rolling Stone Magazine in June where he said he didn't like cats.

"There's nothing worse to me than a house cat. When I was about sixteen, I had a kitten and ran over it. Seeing that cat die, I actually think that its spirit has haunted me. I wasn't afraid of cats before. But now they scare me to death," Aiken told Rolling Stone.

Mathews said if Aiken will post a message on his Web site urging pet owners to spay or neuter their animals, and give an interview for PETA's Web site, the ad campaign will be modified to "Cut 'em off. They don't taste that great anyway."


Whoever Mr. Aiken is, his next album should be called: "Buy this Album or I Kill the Cat".

Posted by Orrin Judd at November 19, 2003 6:40 PM
Comments

Mr. Judd: I just saw the review of your mom's new book. Congratulations to her!

Posted by: Buttercup at November 19, 2003 9:20 PM

Thanks! We're very proud.

Posted by: oj at November 19, 2003 10:01 PM

I don't understand the logic here. Did something happen to Clay Aiken such that singing falsetto comes natural to him? The Rolling Stone quote seems to imply that he doesn't hate cats so much as he hates the idea of keeping them as pets, which I would assume that this is something which the PETAphiles would approve. So PETA has descended to the level blackmailing potential supporters? Figures.

They do say that protein deficiencies can cause brain damage...

Posted by: Raoul Ortega at November 19, 2003 10:35 PM

Raoul:

Obviously you are sadly lacking the whimsical, self-mocking sense of humour PETA has long been known for.

Posted by: Peter B at November 20, 2003 5:38 AM

What would we do for ammusment without Ingrid Newkirk?

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at November 20, 2003 3:43 PM
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