The other day, the Oversneer told you about Olympic water-disturber Amanda Beard’s new PETA anti-fur ad, and how it doesn’t really square up with her professed love of leather. The Washington Post’s Beijing Sports Smog (smog?) asked her about it, and here’s what she said:
A blog dug up some quotes from you talking about different leather items in your wardrobe. Did you see that?
Yeah.
What did you think?
I think it’s kind of funny that people want to go back in time. I’m very candid with this: this is all a very new process for me and a learning experience for me. I haven’t been a vegetarian or been working with PETA for my whole life. Having a vegan lifestyle and being anti-fur and being a vegetarian, those are all very different things, and it takes time to learn and to phase things out of your life. It’s not an overnight thing that happens.
She makes it sound like ancient history, but those quotes we found (which took less than 5 minutes, incidentally) were both from 2007.
After some other deep thoughts about, like, Tofurkey and stuff, here’s the big closer:
Have you encouraged any other Olympic athletes to take off their clothes?
You know, I’m totally supportive of people who want to do what they want to do. Whether or not someone’s comfortable to get naked or not, I don’t care either way. It’s totally a personal opinion. I don’t really push my thoughts or opinions on people like that.
Yeah, why would you think she’d ever push her thoughts or opinions on anybody else?
Oh. That. Well… whatever! Leave her alone, you guys. She’s really distracted lately with all the Olympic training, and also because it’s been almost 7 years since she last mated with Spock.
P.S. Beard explains her publicity stunt to worried Beijing police (Seattle PI, via LAT):
“You have concerns,” she said. “I’m not out here taking my clothes off. We’re doing it in a very positive way.
“I’m not trying to be in everybody’s face and be harsh or negative. I want to be calm and yet get my voice out there. I’m doing it for all those animals who don’t have a voice.”
What, giraffes?
I think it might have been better if she’d just kept her mouth shut. Her statement doesn’t make me roll my eyes any less than I did when this information first came out.
>>I don’t really push my thoughts or opinions on people like that.<<
We can take it in two separate ways; either she’s a complete moron or she doesn’t see the common man as “People”. I will have to go for the later.
I have a list of other athletes Amanda can encourage to take off their clothes. I’ll double check the birth dates though. I don’t want to meet Chris Hansen. Again.
“Do as I say not as I now do”, that should be the Mantra of all celebrities that like to bury their recent past.
Amanda, do what you do best, swim and take your clothes off, don’t deviate from that and no one will blast you. Make yourself an example without fan fare and in time people will notice without you holding up the signs proclaiming your goodness.
“You know, I’m totally supportive of people who want to do what they want to do.”
Thanks Amanda, I was on the hedge about whether or not to buy that mink coat but now that I know you’re supportive of me, I’m going to go ahead and do it. Heck, I might just set up my own fur farm.
But seriously, does PETA pay people for these ads? Because I know paid sponsorships always seem to help celebrities “to learn and to phase things out” of their life.
Is it my imagination, or was her skin darkened for the PETA ad?
I like how she doesn’t see how loving her leather shoes a whole year ago might mean that she’s not in the position to tell others what to wear. I mean, I loved my leather pants 4 years ago, does that make me PETA material? I still wear leather and eat meat, but I used to too.
It’s cool to change your behavior, but it’s really hard to convince other people to join you on the bandwagon you just recently picked up on without good reason. I mean how many people take Born-Again folks seriously when they tell you about how the religion they adopted a week ago is the only way and that anybody doing what they did 2 weeks ago is doomed?
Real Girls Eat Meat!
(Takes another bite out of a steak as I relax on my fur covered chair.)
She looks like the cryptkeeper in the first photo. Is anyone else simply just afraid of her? I am not afraid to admit this. Wow.
Geeze, giver her a break. Her memory isn’t so good since she stopped ingesting protein. And have I mentioned that she’s HOT?
What is it with people?
I understand that morals “evolve” over time, but is there any base for the sudden change of voice? I bet you there isn’t, other than it’s cool to be radical about things you never cared about in the past.
“did you see that?” she answered yeah.. probably with a sad look on her face lol
Forget Amanda, what PETA really need to do is give Dara Torres her own ad… http://s.buzzfeed.com/static/imagebuzz/2008/8/8/15/924480bc48a4e53b9b47a2774045e3c3.jpg YUUUMMM.
i’m veggie but peta sux