Jul15
Fading Star Duped by Meat Industry?
Posted at 09:10 AM | Permalink
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Comments (16)
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(pause)
… Shoot, what was that one?
… Oh, yeah, Jurassic Park! Anyway, Sam Neill's fossilizing career now has him plugging the consumption of artery-clogging meat from abused cows, pigs, and other animals in commercials for Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
In the ads, MLA has Mr. Neill suggesting that eating meat will make a person smarter (hardly) and more energetic (not so). And as if that weren't offensive enough, Sam's co-star in the two spots is an orangutan named Dennis.
Jason Baker, director of PETA Asia-Pacific, wasted no time—or words—in his letter to Mr. Neill:
"Seeing you pimp for an industry that is linked to the main killers of human beings as well as of animals is, well, sad."
Jason continues:
"Some of the most accomplished and brilliant thinkers in history were vegetarian—including Einstein, Leonardo de Vinci, Plato, Pythagoras, Mahatma Gandhi and Isaac Newton. Studies published in the British Medical Journal have shown that people with a higher IQ are more likely to go vegetarian—yes, it really is the smart choice."
It's a no-brainer. A vegetarian diet is better for your brain, animals, and environment. Hopefully, Mr. Neill will realize this and get out of the meat-promoting business before his career reaches full-blown extinction.
Posted by Karin Bennett
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It's tough to tell meat eaters these things. I have had certain discussions with co workers and there seems to nothing I can say or do to make them even ponder vegetarianism. I guess they won't care until they end up with some illness that they could possibly die from, a parasite or mad cow disease. Or nothing will ever happen to them and they just simply won't care just like now.
Posted by: BRANDIE | July 15, 2009 12:21 PM
How pathetic is this guy? Looks like he will sell his soul to just about anything.
And he is telling lies on top of that!
Poor excuse for a man
Posted by: Roger | July 15, 2009 01:45 PM
I read somewhere, speaking of mad cow disease, that Alzheimers is suspected to be just that, Mad Cow. Perhaps it was here on PETA. Perhaps somewhere else. But it makes sense to me. All those poor cows made to live in squalid conditions...then butchered so you can have something to eat (as if there is nothing ELSE to eat?) I am continually amazed at how once your eyes are open, you can't shut them. Seeing a piece of meat on a plate, I don't think YUM! I think That's FLESH from a living being! YUCK!
Posted by: jill | July 15, 2009 04:04 PM
Perhaps if PETA sent Mr. Neill a vegetarian starter kit and encouaged him to try vegetarianism for 30 days he might be persuaded to change his mind. Also I would recommend sending him some information on animals forced to perform in captivity if you have not already done so. According to PETA, such actions have worked for other actors.
Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | July 15, 2009 04:54 PM
Roger, that might be because he played Damien in "The Omen" triology.
That said - your comment might be a good one to ponder for ALL people - not just those who are against your advocacy.
Posted by: jade | July 15, 2009 06:27 PM
As an Aussie and a vegetarian myself I am constantly bamboozled by those adds. They're ridiculous and quite frankly just make him look stupid. No wonder awesome Aussie vegetarian actors like Abbie Cornish and Pippa Black are having far more luck in the industry than him!
Posted by: AusVeg | July 15, 2009 08:57 PM
AusVeg, you're not entirely accurate - Neill has been doing well acting, having been in movies since "Jurassic Park" through this year with release dates as far as 2010.
While the others may be having MORE luck, that does not mean that Neill is not successful.
Posted by: Jade | July 16, 2009 09:33 AM
Don't forget Benjamin Franklin. A vegetarian at age 16, where would we be today without his genius.
If we had to depend on the "intelligence" of the men who run the Meat and Livestock of Australia we all probably be living in caves and using grunts and belching as our primary communication.
Posted by: Chris | July 16, 2009 05:07 PM
To those who love to cite historical figures as being vegan (some admittedly I'm questioning right now due to how many CENTURIES old they are), could any of you give me an actual source that is not PETA? I'm interested because I'd like to read up myself on it.
(Oh, please don't just e-mail me these - I would much rather read them on here so others can also read up as well).
Posted by: jade | July 16, 2009 05:58 PM
Benjamin Franklin keeps poppin' up as a veggie on the 'net but this caracter electrocuted a string of animals including an elephant (!!) (the sicko even filmed it and its still to see on youtube)
just Google "electrocuting an elephant" and learn.
Posted by: Herwin | July 16, 2009 11:30 PM
Lol, Chris!! So true though!!
Posted by: Carla* | July 17, 2009 11:14 AM
MY PASTOR says PETA is wrong. After trying vegetarianism on me and my entire family, I ended up with my kids lower grades cuz of lack of iron and finally.God himself says veganism is wrong. After consulting my pastor he showed me a verse in the bible that veganism is a sin:please read 1 timothy 4:1-5
Posted by: SAM | July 17, 2009 12:24 PM
Hey Sam, I've read the passage your refer to, but I don't think God intended for man to mistreat his creations so that they can get a butt-enlarging burger out of it! I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, I'm a vegetarian because I detest the meat industry (not necessarily the idea of meat). If you feel like you should be eating meat, at least make some conscious decisions as to where it comes from-you should respect God's creations enough to at least do that. Vegetarianism/Veganism is not a sin, animal abuse is.
Posted by: shortshirley | July 17, 2009 05:02 PM
I like how PETA calls Sam Neil a "fading star", yet they have no problem using Jerry Stiller as a prop. What has he done recently?
PETA even goes further by putting Andy Dick out in front of the anti-McDonalds campaign.
Most orgainizations at least will take into account celebrities recent histories before they parade them around as a spokesman.
Tell me, in what way is Andy Dick a role-model you would want your child to follow?
I'm sure this won't be posted. If not, feel free to send me an email explaining this.
Posted by: Kurt K | July 20, 2009 04:46 PM
I'm from Australia and this ad is shown all the time, it's so annoying! The catchphrase Sam Neill says at the end is 'Red meat - We were MEANT to eat it.'
I assume they are implying that it is natural to eat red meat.
Is it just me or is this 'nature' angle that they're going for totally hypocritical? Personally, I don't think we were 'meant' to eat meat that has been packaged, processed, and killed while on a conveyor belt in a crowded factory. There's nothing natural about eating their meat. Go kill an animal with a spear if you want to be 'natural'.
And Sam, if you're worried about your kids' iron levels, why not just supplement them with iron tablets? I get the same amount of iron in one tablet than I would in 25 pieces of medium-sized steaks! It's cheaper, quicker, and clearly more efficient.
Also, basing your justification on a phrase from the Bible is a tad redundant - the bible was written back when families killed their own cows and made the most of all the meat. Nowadays, mass murder in abatoirs is not quite the same. Do you really think God would look at the people in abatoirs who kill 2,000 cows per day as righteous and then scorn those who show compassion?
As far as I can remember, THOU SHALT NOT KILL is a pretty important Christian value...
Posted by: Carla P | August 23, 2009 07:48 AM
Carla P,
Eating meat in any form in more natural than taking iron tablets.
The truth is, without modern technolgy, being a vegan would be much tougher.
Posted by: Kurt K | August 28, 2009 12:29 PM