Dawnwatch: TMZ getting slammed for airing Beyoncé fu r cruelty controversy footage 6/19/06

There is a controversy brewing on TMZ.com, a hot new celebrity news site, run by Harry Levin, who was the executive producer on the syndicated television show "Celebrity Justice." That show, which looked at celebrity run-ins with the law, won repeated Genesis Awards for its recurring  focus on animal issues. When a celebrity attached his or her name to animal friendly legislation, the show would often cover the issue including graphic footage of whatever abuse was being tackled.

Last week, on his new venture, TMZ.com, Harry Levin chose to air footage of a dinner meeting between Beyoncé and PETA representatives. Unable to get Beyoncé to agree to meet and discuss the use of fur in her fashion line, PETA put in the highest bid on an eBay auctioned dinner with the star. Beyoncé had no idea she was dining with PETA folks. The TMZ.com site tells us, "As they sat at the table, Beyoncé, who has a fashion line with her mother that uses fur, had no idea what was coming.  After placing their orders, the PETA members confronted the singer."

You can watch video of that confrontation on the site at http://www.tmz.com/2006/06/15/beyonce-ambushed-by-peta-at-nobu/

At the bottom of that web page there is survey asking "Was PETA out of line?" As I send out this alert the Beyoncé fans unconcerned with
animal cruelty are ahead. Please vote.

On that page TMZ has also posted, as a "related link,"  the "Pamela Anderson Anti-Fur Campaign movie" http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=pam_anti_fur   It is hard to watch, but in keeping with the idea that we must not
refuse to see with our eyes what they must endure with their bodies, I urge anybody who is not familiar with fur production to check it out.

Today, Monday June 19, Harry Levin's blog is headed, "Note To Beyoncé's Dad -- Back Off"

Levin writes, "The undercover video we posted last Friday -- showing how PETA ambushed Beyoncé at Nobu restaurant in New York City -- has triggered a pretty  big debate.

"I'm not trying to put myself out as a moral compass, but there are some undeniable truths here.  First, the process of creating fur is an ugly,
brutal and arguably torturous business.  As for whether it's an acceptable practice, well that's the subject of legitimate, intense debate.

"I'm more than a little surprised that people are shocked that PETA went after Beyoncé.  Remember, Beyoncé does more than wear fur -- she has a  line of clothing that includes fur.  It's one thing if PETA broke into Beyoncé's house, but for cryin' out loud,  confronting her at Nobu... You put  yourself out on an issue of intense emotion, what on earth do you expect?

"Beyoncé's dad/manager went ballistic on TMZ, but we will not take this video down.  First of all, we didn't shoot it.  Second, it's a legit
story.  We do not sanitize news and present only what is acceptable to celebs and their relatives.  We won't be strong-armed by bullies and threats.  That's it."

The blog is followed by reader comments. No doubt past positive feedback from the animal advocacy community (Genesis Awards, for example)  has encouraged Levin to continue to weave animal protection messages into his celebrity pop culture ventures. He is currently getting slammed, by Beyoncé fans, for his blog. Please go to http://www.tmz.com/2006/06/19/note-to-beyonces-dad-back-off and send him some more support.

Yours and the animals',
Karen Dawn
DawnWatch

DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets.

You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com.
To unsubscribe, go to http://www.dawnwatch.com/cgi-bin/dada/dawnwatch_unsubscribe.cgi  You
are encouraged to forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts but please do so
unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this tag line.)

Beyonce Knowles and her mother were forced to flee a dinner fans won at an auction when the devotees turned out to be activists from People For The Ethical Treatment Of Animals (PETA).

The PETA pair, who won the chance to dine with Beyonce at a VH1 Save The Music auction, bombarded the pop diva with questions about her decisions to wear fur and include fur in her clothing line, House Of Dereon.

And the onslaught didn't stop there as Beyonce and her mum sat awkwardly at New York's trendy Nobu 57 on Thursday night - the unnamed PETA pair placed a portable DVD player and forced the Knowles girls to watch a video expose of the fur industry, narrated by Pamela Anderson, featuring footage of animals who are trapped, drowned, and electrocuted for their pelts.

Polite Beyonce and her mother quickly excused themselves and left the restaurant.

PETA spokesman Michael McGraw says, "PETA has contacted Beyonce numerous times over the years, begging her to stop promoting the violence of the fur industry.

"By wearing and designing fur, she is setting a terrible example for young women who look up to her and want to emulate her. She is promoting one of the most violent industries on the planet."

McGraw hopes that Beyonce's awkward dinner date has made her think twice about using and wearing fur: "She must be truly heartless to be unmoved by the images of foxes being anally electrocuted and minks having their necks snapped."