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I'm fascinated by some celebrities' bizarre backstage demands—the Backstreet Boys' list of "must-haves" includes black nail polish while John Mayer's concert rider includes a demand for four soft-headed toothbrushes.

The most recent celebrity requests to pop up during my Internet perusing left me giddy instead of scratching my head. Sir Paul McCartney, Chrissie Hynde, and Morrissey are making animal-friendly "front of stage" demands during their summer tours. Sir Paul has ensured that meat-free options are available for fans at his shows, two of the Pretenders' recent shows offered only vegetarian fare for concertgoers, and Morrissey requires people working his shows to abstain from meat.

I can think of a handful of celebrities who could learn a lot from these three about using their clout to help animals rather than hurt them.

Posted by Karin Bennett

You know what I like best about the summer—besides grilling veggie dogs until they turn black?

Summer concerts!

I'm especially excited this year because The Pretenders are going on tour and PETA has first dibs on their upcoming tour dates.

To find out where you'll have a chance to see PETA pal Chrissie Hynde live and in-person this summer, keep reading—but first:

Check out the awesome, one-of-a-kind PETA T-shirt that Chrissie designed for her summer tour wardrobe.

Here's that sneak peek at a few of The Pretenders' summer dates. Enjoy! And, hey, maybe I'll see you in Central Park this August.

8/10, New York, New York
8/14, Washington, D.C.
8/18, Chicago, Illinois
8/22, Denver, Colorado
8/26, Vancouver, British Columbia
9/3, Los Angeles, California

Posted by Amanda Schinke

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Update: Michael Jackson has announced that he will not be using any live animals in his concert series at London's O2 arena. Click here for more info.

The King of Pop has a sordid past when it comes to the way he treats animals, but we were still shocked by Michael Jackson's reported plans to ride an African elephant and use other exotic animals during his upcoming 30-day stint at The O2 arena in London.

PETA Europe wrote a letter to The O2 to let officials there know about Michael's sketchy track record of animal neglect. The letter included some basic information about how exotic animals actually don't want to perform stupid tricks on a stage surrounded by screaming people, bright lights, and stage explosions.

So come on, Michael, pull a "Britney" and leave exotic animals out of your performances.

Posted by Shawna Flavell

The people from peta2 are hitting the road, just as they do every summer. They're going to concerts, festivals, and all the other things that hip, young people (read: not I) attend. This year, peta2 is rolling out its cutest campaign ever: WOOF!

The idea is pretty simple: Tests show that pigs are actually smarter than dogs, and it's obvious that they can feel complex emotions and experience pain, just as dogs do. So why on earth do folks (rightly) love their dogs so much but turn a blind eye to the pigs who are beaten and butchered on factory farms to make meals for people?

To help the peta2 crew turn heads as they road-trip it across the country, we've gone so far as to get their RV detailed with a sweet (that word is still "in," right?) campaign banner, which is certain to inspire thought—and choruses of "Aww"—from all who see it. If you want to see the RV in real life, check out the peta2 MySpace page to find out when the peta2 road crew will be at a venue near you!

Posted by Sean Conner