We told you that Bethenny Frankel was going to prove that she'd rather go naked than wear fur … and yesterday, we made it a reality.

The Real Housewives of New York City star stripped down on a rooftop in (surprise!) New York City.

The ad isn't ready yet, of course, but we couldn't resist giving you a small preview:

We worked with a top-notch team on this campaign, including celebrity photographer Joseph Cultice at Weiss Artists, stylist Cannon at Judy Casey, makeup artist extraordinaire Ingeborg at Workgroup, and fantastic hairstylist Stacey Weinstein at Loft 26.

The ad will be released this fall, so stay tuned!

Posted by Amanda Schinke

Sex sells, but if you think it's only ladies who bare all to bring attention to the plight of animals—think again. Feast your eyes on some of the sexy male celebrities who've spiced up PETA's campaigns by stripping, and then name your favorite in the comments section below.

Grab some ice water, because it's about to get very hot.

Am I allowed to admit that Jamie Bamber's ad is my favorite? Which one is yours?

• Fans of bear bare skin were left seeing stars (and not much else), thanks to Battlestar Galactica's Jamie Bamber, who took it off for bears killed for their fur.
• Vroom, vroom! Motocross rider Carey Hart sported his tattoos—and not much else—in our anti-fur ad.
• Steve-O's "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ad is how I learned that "Your Name" is inked on Steve-O's butt.
• Owain Yeoman's pro-vegetarian ad is sure to drive any girl "mental."
• Adult film star Ron Jeremy's enormous … um … fan base grew even bigger after he appeared in a provocative PETA spay-and-neuter ad.
• Pulses everywhere pounded when The Young and the Restless star Kristoff St. John exposed his sexy skin in our "Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin" ad.
• Forget oysters! Everyone knows that a sense of humor is a better cruelty-free aphrodisiac. Case in point: comedian David Cross, bare-assed in our "Wear Your Own Fur" ad.
• Neon hair never looked so hot as it did on former basketball champion Dennis Rodman, who scored a slam-dunk with his "Think Ink, Not Mink" ad.
• Bad-boy rock superstar Tommy Lee is looking very good in our "Ink, Not Mink" ad.
• Are you ready for some hardcore action? Agnostic Front and Disasters frontman Roger Miret's Kentuck Fried Cruelty ad should fix you right up.

You're welcome.

Posted by Karin Bennett

The folks at PETA Asia-Pacific are pros at cranking up the heat to deliver sizzling-hot demonstrations and ads. So I can guarantee that this sneak peak of the upcoming "All Animals Have the Same Parts" ad, which features Filipina model, singer, and vegan Geneva Cruz, is sure to have you turning your thermostat down a few notches.

"For me, being vegan is not about the diet. It's really about my love for all creatures," Geneva says.

Geneva and PETA Asia-Pacific want to remind people that animals are made of flesh, blood, and bone, just as humans are. It's just as wrong to kill a pig, cow, or chicken for your dinner as it would be to kill your tennis partner or the kid next door (even if he does play Metallica a smidge too loud).

Posted by Shawna Flavell

Sculptor Antony Gormley has launched a new artistic endeavor, the One & Other project, in London. He's recruited 2,400 "living sculptures" to stand atop the famous "Fourth Plinth" in Trafalgar Square. Each person gets an hour on the 8-meter-high plinth (which is usually used to display artwork) to do whatever he or she would like—and one lucky PETA Europe supporter was granted a place!

Natalie Simpson sparkled as a sultry mermaid who asked people to go vegetarian.

We're so proud of Natalie for daring to show a little skin in order to save the skins scales of other thinking, feeling beings. If you want to be like Natalie and stand up for animals, take our Pledge to Be Veg for 30 Days and give a fish-friendly diet a try.

Posted by Liz Graffeo

It's National Veggie Dog Day! This means that vegetarians across our great nation are pulling out the charcoal and gathering their friends for a summer feast that they won't soon forget. In honor of this year's "holiday," we assembled several of our nation's finest ladies, including Playboy Playmate of the Year—and stunning vegetarian—Jayde Nicole, on Capitol Hill.

Wearing only a lettuce bikini and her 1,000-watt smile, Jayde helped us get our healthy, humane, and tasty veggie dogs to our nation's finest congressmembers. While serving up the "dogs" to politicians and passersby, Jayde reminded each person that "the best way to safeguard your health, reduce your carbon footprint, save animals' lives, and look your very best is to go vegetarian."

For those of you who can't get enough of Jayde, there are more photos of her after the jump.

Posted by Christine Doré

Yesterday, PETA's "Soy Cream" Ladies were willing to brave the 107-degree Arizona high-noon heat in order to bring delicious—and cruelty-free—frozen desserts to the citizens of Tucson. Not a single person who ventured past these lovely ladies was able to resist a free Tofutti Cutie or a sexy smile. The PETA gals gave away 200 of the frozen treats and even more leaflets explaining why dairy-free is always the way to go.

I can't tell you how much I love these retro-inspired "Soy Cream" Lady outfits! Where can I get one?

"Which do I love more—my skateboard or Tofutti Cuties?" Don't worry, friend. You can have both!

Speaking of cuties—cow's milk is the number-one source of allergies in children, so Tofutti Cuties are not only delicious but much healthier than dairy products.

And remember: If it's iced coffee weather, it's absolutely Tofutti Cutie weather.

Posted by Amanda Schinke

Desert temperatures rose even higher as PETA's hot "cops" patrolled the Las Vegas strip, where they educated tourists about how animals suffer when they are killed and skinned to become boots, belts, and bags.

Honeymooners, bachelor partygoers, and even some casino employees lined up to talk to and pose for photos with our "fashion police," who were armed with information about alternatives to fur, leather, and exotic skins.

Watch out, fashion felons. PETA's peace officers are on patrol.

After one construction worker promised the "cops" he would give pleather boots a try, they let him go with a warning—to stay away from animal skins in the future.

"Holy pleather, Batman!"

Next stop—KOMP's Rock & Roll Morning Show to give listeners the straight story on synthetics.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Maxim just released its "Hot 100" list, and apparently the editors understand the appeal of kindness toward animals. The list isn't just a "who's who" in hotness—it's a "who's who" in compassion too.

televiciando / CC

Number one on Maxim's list is Olivia Wilde, who always gets House fans' pulses racing. While she plays a naughty doctor, she still knows how to play nice with animals. You guessed it, Maxim's number one is vegan!

Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, gets her audiences purring with her sultry voice and gorgeous looks, but we're happy as a kitty in catnip over the fact that she helped us promote spaying and neutering.

How much hotness can one woman dish up? Eva Mendes is the answer! Need more proof? Check out her sexy "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ad. Eh, what'd I tell ya?

Stunning Charlize Theron is as compassionate as she is talented—just ask her dog.

Audrina Patridge's sunny smile could light up Las Vegas—but it's her heart (which has a gigantic soft spot for animals) that we're interested in.

Millions idolize blonde beauty (and Sexiest Vegetarian contest winner) Carrie Underwood, and we can't say we blame them.

Tricia Helfer's luminous looks and love for animals are otherworldly.

The evidence is in: There's no trace of a doubt that Roselyn Sanchez's steamy anti-fur ad is muy bonita.

The reason we're happy that ravishing Joanna Krupa graces magazines all over the newsstand? She refuses to compromise her values and never wears fur.

Posted by Karin Bennett

Spoiler alert: If you haven't watched the series finale of Battlestar Galactica, do not read any further. Simply look at the photos below, then leave a comment telling us which public service announcement is your fave, Tricia "Six" Helfer's or Jamie "Lee Adama" Bamber's.

So the greatest show in the history of the universe, Battlestar Galatica, has come to an end, and now I have no idea what the frak I'm going to do with my Friday nights. (Wait, did someone just whisper Dollhouse into my ear?)

I loved that an underlying theme of the series was mankind's failure to learn from our mistakes and that it was our worst traits that led directly to our unraveling again and again. That leads me to lovely Tricia Helfer's character, Six, and the character everyone loves to hate, Gaius. Isn't it ironic that a version of the Six Cylon and Gaius would end up being angels (naughty, naughty angels) who would start the cataclysmic events that would end humankind? I think someone here at PETA anticipated that Tricia's character would turn out to be an angel; after all, we did ask her to star in our first-ever "Angel for Animals" ad in behalf of felines long before the finale was in sight.

The finale, while amazing, left me with mixed feelings. I was so excited to watch it, but at the same time, I was sad that the show had come to an end. I admit that I expected more … um … well, more carnage. I was positive that all the humans were actually Cylons, and I was convinced that more of the prominent cast members would die. And I kept thinking that the Cylons had one last sinister plot up their sleeve. Or that they were going to blow up the Galactica and kill everyone. I'm so glad I was wrong!

I would have been devastated if they had killed off my favorite characters, like Helo (did someone mention Dollhouse again?) and Lee "Apollo" Adama (aka Jamie Bamber), who, by the way, looked amazing in the last few episodes (and is by far the cuter of the two Adama boys), but not as good, of course, as when he took it all off to speak up for bears who are killed for their fur in the super-hot "Bare Skin, Not Bear Skin" ad. Oh, Jamie. And I love that, like every episode before, they kept us guessing. Well done, BSG writers!

As pretty as Tricia's ad is, Jamie's is still my favorite. Sigh. Check out their ads below and then tell us which one is your favorite. The reader with the most convincing response will win a copy of the ad of their choice.

You can enter the contest by posting a comment before April 13, 2009. We'll contact the winner on April 14, 2009. By commenting, you are agreeing to the contest terms and conditions and our privacy policy.

Thanks for some awesome television, BSG. I miss you already.

Posted by Patricia Trostle

P.S. I have to say that I think the high point of the finale for me was when Chief strangled Tory for shooting Cally out the airlock. I actually yelled out, "Yes! Finally!" It made my night.

Top o' the mornin' and happy St. Patrick's Day to you! Since you'd never find a real leprechaun at a KFC (leprechauns are far too smart for that), PETA sent out our own sexy Leprechaun Ladies to encourage passersby to opt for pots of gold, not buckets of chicken. Check out these photos for a leprechaun sighting that doesn't require a rainbow:

This sexy Leprechaun Lady encouraged people to go for the gold, not the chicken, this St. Patrick's Day.

That greasy bucket looks even less appetizing when you see who suffered for it.

This driver got an eyeful and an education.

"Even on St. Patty's Day, chickens raised and killed for KFC are the unluckiest animals in the world," says PETA Leprechaun Lady Kristina Addington. "Once people find out about the cruelty behind every bucket of chicken, they won't eat at KFC for all the pots of gold in the world."

Posted by Lianne Turner

First, they brought us The Miracle Beer Diet (a weight-loss fad sweeping college campuses across the country). Now, the folks at Liv Films—the evil geniuses behind some of the hottest and most hilarious videos ever to hit YouTube—are back with what I consider their masterpiece: "Go Naked or Wear Fur?"

Inspired by our popular Jenna Jameson ad, this hilarious short features Mona Gillen (the hot half of the husband-and-wife team behind Liv Films) battling Totally Traci (don't ask, just watch) as Mona tries to prove to PETA why we should let her flash her flesh for a "Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur" ad. Mmmm, let's see: She's hot, she's vegan, she loves animals, she likes to get naked, and she's pleading to work with us. Yeah, we think she has what it takes. As Mona requests in her video, we did get in touch with her and her hubby Jed (the writer/director) and are looking forward to working together on future projects. So keep an eye out for that. Until then, here are a couple of things that you can do to keep busy:

A. Get your read on with the recently released second edition of Jed Gillen's book Obligate Carnivore: Cats, Dogs & What It Really Means to Be Vegan.

B. Get your watch on with "Go Naked or Wear Fur?":

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

Whether he's fighting for justice on TV or in the real world, one thing's for sure: Jamie Bamber is a hottie with a heart! Can't get enough of Apollo? We're giving away a Battlestar Galactica DVD to one lucky commenter! To enter the contest, post a comment below and let us know what you hate most about fur.

You can enter the contest by posting a comment before March 11, 2009. We'll contact the winner on March 12, 2009. By commenting, you are agreeing to the contest terms and conditions and our privacy policy.

Oh, and speaking of sexy Battlestar Galactica cast members … let's not forget the gorgeous "Angel for Animals" ad that Tricia Helfer—or Six, to BSG fans—did on behalf of her feline friends. She's the hottest "toaster" in any universe.

Posted by Lianne Turner

Judging by the response to our "Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door" contest, neighborhoods across North America are practically infested with nubile young herbivores (I'm sure my neighbors think the same thing every morning when they see me pop out the front door in my footie jammies to grab the paper). Out of hundreds of entries, we've narrowed the field down to 32 finalists—16 lovely young ladies and 16 hunks of (veggie) beefcake.

Just to whet your appetite, here are a couple of sample showdowns between some of the finalists:

The evil geniuses behind Skinny Bitch have yet another convert in Chicago resident Sheena. Since switching to a vegan diet, Sheena reports that she has lost weight and gained energy and stamina. Maybe it's just us, but even her smile looks energetic.

A Minnesota resident who was apparently photographed during warmer months, Amber is a professional photographer who volunteers with a local boxer rescue group. She says she loves knowing that, in addition to making her feel stronger both mentally and physically, her vegetarian diet shrinks her carbon footprint.

Nathan is an avid weekend warrior who credits his vegetarian diet with improving his performance when skiing and playing tennis, beach volleyball, and soccer. The Toronto resident switched to a vegetarian diet while volunteering to help build a school in Ghana, West Africa (awwww), because he couldn't bring himself to even think about eating the farmed animals who lived side-by-side with villagers.

A loan-modification specialist, Chris is a hero not only to animals but also to struggling homeowners. What's not to love? The Oregon native went vegetarian six years ago after reading Diet for a New America by John Robbins and has noticed a marked improvement in his health, including increased stamina, high energy levels, and clear skin.

Post a comment below to let us know who gets your vote—and don't forget to check out the other contestants here.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

All across our great nation, bikini-clad PETA members have been out in full force, snatching media attention and educating the public about cruelty to animals. If only math classes used such brilliant strategies, we'd all be calculus whizzes!

From the International Putrid … excuse me, Poultry Expo in Atlanta to the slushy streets of Flint, Michigan, our bevy of beauties shared the facts with fascinated passersby. Take a peek at the action:

These ladies took up positions in their battery cages outside the International Poultry Expo to remind people that chicks suffer in the egg industry.

Our fierce "bunnies" braved freezing flurries in Flint to get out the fur-free message.

In South Carolina, this painted lady told circusgoers that wild animals don't belong behind bars.

The reception for our pro-chicken "chicks" was anything but chilly in Tucson, Arizona.

Impressive work, ladies! You braved the cold to help our voiceless friends. From my warm office, I raise my soy hot cocoa to you.

Posted by Missy Lane

Apparently, NBC has something against girls who love their veggies. After we submitted our proposed Super Bowl ad, which features a comely crop of models demonstrating their fondness for fresh produce, NBC nixed the ad, saying it "depicts a level of sexuality exceeding our standards." No joke, this is straight from NBC—so stop fondling your fruit salad right now and read the list of shots NBC requested we cut before they’d reconsider:

• licking pumpkin


• touching her breast with her hand while eating broccoli


• pumpkin from behind between legs


• rubbing pelvic region with pumpkin


• screwing herself with broccoli (fuzzy)


• asparagus on her lap appearing as if it is ready to be inserted into vagina


• licking eggplant


• rubbing asparagus on breast

Wow, that list even made us blush! You can read the full NSFW letter from NBC here and then watch the video out to see what the controversy is all about.

OK, I'll admit, it's not the Jonas Brothers eating apple pie, but it sure does drive home the fact that vegetarians make better lovers. And I'm pretty sure that most Super Bowl fans would find the ad a lot more appealing than the impotence and other not-so-sexy effects that a steady stream of chicken wings and burgers can have on their love lives.

Why so grouchy NBC? Sounds like someone’s not getting enough um…vegetables. I’m thinking network execs could really benefit from a broccoli booty call.

That said, what do you think about our sexy Super Bowl ad? Do you agree with NBC's decision to reject it?

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

PETA's Lettuce Ladies are on the road again! And this time they're kicking America's poor eating habits to the compost heap.

The lettuce-clad ladies are hittin' the streets to greet folks with delicious and free Tofurky sandwiches. Their goal: to get people to turn over a new leaf and go vegetarian for the new year. Check out these photos from the road:

Lettuce Lady and satisfied Tofurky customer in Iowa

Lettuce Ladies adored by the masses in Nebraska

The Lettuce Ladies don't have to be the only sexy veggies roaming the streets. If you make PETA's 30-Day "Pledge to Be Veg" before the end of the month, we will donate money to a program that plants fruit trees! Now, you can help yourself, the environment, animals, and the hungry just by making one simple change to your diet. That's a pretty sweet deal.

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky

In fact, there are two Santas! Wearing little red numbers sure to make Old Saint Nick's heart skip a beat—and to make any other dude in the vicinity pretty darn jolly—a pair of PETA's Sexy Santas recently greeted Greenville, South Carolina, and Augusta, Georgia, grocery shoppers with free soy nog, kisses under the mistletoe, and copies of our "Vegetarian Starter Kit." Their merry mission? To urge shoppers to bring comfort and joy to animals by giving meat, milk, and eggs the old heave-ho-ho-ho this holiday season. After all, it's no "wonderful life" for animals who are raised, abused, and killed for Christmas dinner.

What is wonderful is a little (s)nog under the mistletoe. Just ask this dude:

Posted by Amy Elizabeth

While Santa's making his list and checking it twice, you'd better believe that KFC is getting nothing but coal, coal, and more coal—and PETA's "Sexy Santas" want to make sure that the world knows why! Check us out at our demos handing out info on Kentucky Fried Cruelty!

Santa's not the only one who objects to KFC cruelty, and rightfully so! These bikini-clad hotties certainly didn't get their sexy bods by downing greasy fried chicken loaded with cruelty and cholesterol. These chicks remind everyone to ditch KFC and have a very veggie holiday instead!

Posted by Christine Doré

Bet you thought Santa only came once a year. Well, don't be too sure! PETA's "Sexy Santas" are making the rounds to let fur-wearers know that they're on our naughty list this year. Check us out at these anti-fur demos handing out free candy canes and info on the horrors of fur, leather, and wool.

Some holiday shoppers might be wondering what the problem is with a little fur, but luckily our sexy Santa is here to educate them. Anyone who thinks it's OK to wear the product of innocent lives deserves a little more than a stocking full of coal, if you ask me! Hopefully some compassionate shoppers will decide to go "Ho, ho, faux" this year and give an early Christmas gift to animals on fur farms.

Speaking of the horrors of the fur industry, someone should let fur hag Donna Karan know about the torture that goes into her clothes (oh, right, we did). Check out our brand new Donna Karan Bunny Butcher site to learn more about our campaign!

Posted by Lianne Turner

When we first announced our plan to find the "Sexiest Vegetarian Soldier," we meant to end up with just one winner. But how could we come up with just one winner when there are five branches of the military that are equally deserving—and equally sexy?

That's why we've selected one winner each from the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, and Air Force. Of course, we did promise to find the single Sexiest Vegetarian Soldier, so, as much as it pains us, we did have to choose one overall winner—and here he is!

Overall Winner: Erich Allen, Warrant Officer Class 1, representing the U.S. Army

Syracuse-born Erich Allen joined the Army in 2001 and is currently stationed in Fort Rucker, Alabama, where he is attending flight school and earning his degree in History from Columbia College of Missouri. And where does this busy soldier find all his energy? From his vegetarian diet!

"Since I stopped eating meat, I have noticed an increase in my energy and I am able to better control my weight," Erich says. And as for anyone who hasn't yet figured out that the strongest animals on the planet—stallions, elephants, and bulls—are vegetarian, Erich is glad to serve as evidence of the human species' prowess!

And not only is Erich "Army strong," he's also compassionate—his own doggie companion, Vienna, was a stray whom Erich took in and made part of the family. Put that together with his ability to speak German and some Russian as well as his love of the "great outdoors," and you've got somebody who's strong, sweet, smart, and sporty—now that's sexy!

But wait—there's more! Check out the winners from the other branches of the military:

Katie Adams, Petty Officer Third Class, representing the U.S. Coast Guard

Lovely Katie, pictured here, is stationed in Barnegat Light, New Jersey. She has been a vegetarian ever since she watched a documentary on, as she says, "how they torture animals" before killing them for human consumption, and it made her "totally disgusted." On the other hand, she thinks that being a vegetarian "is the sexiest thing ever besides fighting for our country."

Bob Lucius, Lieutenant Colonel, representing the U.S. Marine Corps

Bob, who is currently assigned as the Assistant Provost and Dean of Students for the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC) in Monterey, California, recently returned from a three-year assignment as the Naval and Marine Attaché in Hanoi, Vietnam. He has been a vegetarian ever since the life-changing experience of seeing a dog slaughtered for food in a Vietnamese café and now volunteers at the Monterey County SPCA. He was also active in advocating for California's Proposition 2.

Jane Taylor, Lieutenant, representing the U.S. Navy

Jane had been stationed in California, Washington state, and Hawaii before resigning her commission as a Naval Officer in September 2008 to pursue a career in animal rescue—and not just any career! Jane has since set sail on the Steve Irwin as part of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. That's right, Sea Shepherd—the same rockin' folks we all love watching on Whale Wars! Now that's sexy—a 13-year-vegetarian who uses her abilities to go out and actively, physically save those whales.

Gina Lewis, Second Lieutenant, representing the U.S. Air Force

Gina, who is stationed in Hurlburt Field, Florida, has been a vegetarian since the age of six—that's right, six—when she realized that Bambi and his mother were no different from the other animals killed for food. Even though many people told her that she wouldn't be able to maintain her vegetarian lifestyle in the military, Gina not only graduated from boot camp as a Distinguished Honor Graduate—because of her high fitness scores—but also went on to complete four marathons! She is the guardian of two animals (both rescues), has rescued animals at every duty assignment, and hopes to convince the Air Force to switch to leather-free combat boots. And if that weren't enough, she's also a former model—how could anyone argue with this kind of sexy?

Congratulations to our five sexy winners! They will each receive a basket of yummy vegan goodies, as well as a PETA T-shirt—so, ya know, the next time someone dares to doubt their vegetarian sexiness, they'll be able to say, "See this T-shirt? I happen to be the sexiest vegetarian in the whole [insert military branch]. So there!"

Posted by Amanda Schinke

Like pretty much everyone else on the planet, we at PETA have a YouTube account. Unlike (most) other accounts, we use ours to broadcast and share PETA's funny and provocative ads and public service announcements. Turns out that some of our ads may have been a little too hot for TV YouTube.

After uploading our "Sexy Celebs" video—which features some of our best, hottest, and "nakedest" celebrity ads—we found that, within the week, the video had been rejected and our account temporarily suspended. Oops! Sorry, YouTube! We knew that PETA's ads are often too hot for TV—but we didn't know that you would object to a little friendly side-boob too!

Though YouTube might not be too happy with our video (maybe we'll work on one using burkas soon), we're still more than happy to show it to you if you promise to pass it on. Behold—a video you won't find anywhere else!

It's not just side-boob that YouTube has recently banned. They have also banned other videos of ours in the past, including our (actually pretty tame) "When I Grow Up" video and footage from our Turkey Farm Investigation. Give them a look and judge for yourself! Do you think YouTube was right to ban these videos?

Posted by Sean Conner

It's a chilly South Dakota afternoon. You and a friend are scheduled to help save turkeys from a horrible fate at the latest head-turning PETA demo, but your sexy pilgrim costumes have yet to arrive. How do you resolve this nail-biter? Do you (A) go home and have vegan hazelnut hot cocoa? (A cop-out, yes, but oh-so-scrumptious.) Or (B) take matters into your own hands and get all fashionista on it?

Well our down-for-the-count campaigners were certainly not to be put off by some teeny trifle like not having any supplies for their demo. Pshaw! Thinking fast and on their stilettoed feet, they trotted off to the nearest Target and whipped up these stylish numbers.

Impressive, n'est pas?

By the time the original costumes showed up, the turkey-defending tour-de-force was already in full swing! And, as you can see, suited up in their proper gear, our resilient campaigners are keeping it going.

So bonnets off to you pilgrim beauties. You've defended turkeys with your craftiness rain or shine—and all the while in heels! You can also see the pilgrims in action here.

Posted by Missy Lane

Sexy and blogger aren't two words that you often find in the same sentence. That's not to say that there aren't sexy bloggers (and don't forget the vloggers) out there—because there are—but some people still picture those of us who do anything remotely tech related as more homely than hot.

Let's prove them wrong!

PETA here's to bring all you sexy bloggers out of hiding to show the world that we really do exist. So stop checking your Technorati rank or page views for two seconds, and enter our first-ever Sexiest Vegetarian Blogger contest.

No, you don't have to submit a picture of yourself scantily clad or in a provocative pose, and you don't have to look like a wanna-be model who's pretending to be deep in thought. We're just looking for normal vegans and vegetarians who write blogs and—you know—are ridiculously good looking.

Use the form below to nominate yourself or another sexy vegetarian blogger that you know for a shot at the title. The winner will receive a snazzy banner for their blog and a certificate announcing the win. Since I'm a PETA employee, I probably can't enter, so that means someone else out there in the blogosphere still has a chance. But I wouldn't be mad at you for nominating me...

Sorry! The entry round is over. Stay tuned to The PETA Files to learn more about the finalists and winners.

Posted by Amy Cook from the VegCooking Blog

Any good Marketing professional knows their “ABCs of Marketing”* — Ability to persuade, Businesslike demeanor, and of course, Coercion through bribery. Well, yesterday, in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Beckley, West Virginia, PETA’s Lettuce Ladies rocked all three of these important guidelines as they gave away free gas and vegan sandwiches to 100 people in exchange for a brief chat about the benefits of a vegan diet.

According to the Ladies, there were huge crowds gathered to take advantage of the freebies and find out what all the fuss was about after a news report announcing this unique demonstration, and they gave away hundreds of vegetarian starter kits to a very receptive audience, who were stunned to learn that eating just a single pound of meat is the environmental equivalent of driving more than 40 miles in an SUV. Here’s what my friend and professional Lettuce Lady Colleen Higgins had to say about the experience: "In a time of rising gas prices and rising concern for the environment, we're going the extra mile to help Americans fill up on vegan fuel for their tummies and gas for their tanks." Good stuff.

*I just made these up.

Things could get really nasty here, and I can’t help but feel that we’re partially responsible. According to the celebrity gossip blogs (I read them so you don’t have to) Heroes hottie Kristen Bell has been sparring with her co-star Russell Brand about who’s really the sexiest vegetarian of the two. Here’s what Kristen had to say about the escalating battle on the set of Forgetting Sarah Marshall:

"Russell has been a vegetarian for the same amount of time as me. I've been a vegetarian for 17 years and we used to have little arguments because we were both dubbed Sexiest Vegetarian in the World. But I checked out the record books and his is only Sexiest Vegetarian in the U.K. I politely threw that in his face for most of the movie. He got to throw it back at me when I lost my title this year to Carrie Underwood and he kept his title in the U.K. So that's what I get for getting cocky about eating sexy vegetables!"

I’m not sure who has the strongest argument here, but for what it’s worth, I’m rooting for you, Kristen.

TheTailSection/CC

Jenna Jameson, modeling PETA’s “Kentucky Fried Cruelty” T-shirt in August

"I've worn a lot of pleather in my life. Anybody who knows me knows that I've kind of lived half my life in it. I love the idea of having choices outside of leather. The outfit that I'm wearing in the ad is so sexy that I suggest if people want to have a better time in the bedroom — then please explore the pleather side."

Thank you, Jenna Jameson! And you can find some more information about great alternatives to buying leather (in addition to just, like, not buying it), right here. Be on the lookout for Jenna’s new ad on March 10—it’s kind of spectacular.

Alicia Silverstone’s wonderful ad is in some very impressive company in TV Guide’s “Best of 2007” viral video list, including two of the very greatest videos of all time (IMHO): Will Ferrell’s “The Landlord,” and Justin Timberlake’s utterly glorious “Dick in a Box.” For anyone who works in marketing, you’ll know that companies tend to use the term “viral video” for pretty much any visual media they can come up with (it tends to be more of a wistful hope than an actual description of the video in question), but some videos really are “viral”—i.e., millions of people watch them, post them on their blogs, and pass them onto their friends—and it’s a truly incredible experience to be involved with one.

You can see TV Guide’s full list here, and here’s a reprise of the stunning pro-vegetarianism PSA that took 2007 by storm.

The votes have been flowing in (seriously, it’s been a banner year for the Sexy Vegetarian Next Door contest), and we’re down to the top two chicks and the top two dudes. There are still two more days to cast your vote for the winner, so click one of the finalists below to hit up the voting page and crown one of these attractive herbivores North America’s Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door.

In related news, I’d like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation to all the people who have been writing me in to win this contest.* Sadly, PETA’s employees are ineligible, so those votes will not be counted, but I’m truly humbled by this outpouring of support.

*Technically, nobody has actually done this yet.

The 2008 Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door contest is underway, and this year we’re doing things a bit differently. To spice things up a bit, we’ve pitted the nominees against each other in a bracket-style tournament, where the winner takes all. (“All,” in this case, being a free trip to Hawaii.) You can check out the smoking hot lineup of sexy vegetarian guys and gals here. Happy voting!

You know you’re sexy, but does the rest of the world? We’re still accepting nominations for this year’s Sexiest Vegetarian Next Door contest until January 15, when a team of hotness consultants led by PETA’s International Sexiness Coordinator Chris Holbein will be picking the 10 male and 10 female finalists to feature on our website. The two winners of the overall contest will be getting a free trip to Hawaii, so there’s more at stake here than just bragging rights. Click the image of Chris below (a sexy vegetarian himself, on occasion) for more info and to enter the contest.

USAToday/Creative Commons

Which, as you might imagine, was all the invitation we needed to pen her another little missive, this time to congratulate her on her (mostly) compassionate diet and to suggest that if she can just bring herself to leave the sea life off her plate, we’d be glad to nominate her for next year’s World’s Sexiest Vegetarian contest (which, incidentally, her cousin Lauren won in 2003). So there you go — with her family’s noted abilities at getting people to vote for them, she’s all but guaranteed the coveted Sexy Veg title in ’08. If she can just swear off the sushi.

You can read Ingrid’s letter to Jenna here.

*Via Washington Whispers.

Oh, and in completely (like, completely) unrelated news, there was a cat vitamin recall this week. If you feed your cats vitamins, you should check this link to see if it affects you.

Following Houston's decision to ban Alicia Silverstone's sexy pro-vegetarianism PSA, one PETA Lettuce Lady took it upon herself to make a personal plea to Texas Governor Rick Perry to encourage Texans to go vegetarian. When the top "fattest cities" in America were announced this year, Texas had four cities in the top ten, so if there's anyone who needs a bit of urgent advice about a healthy diet, it's the good folks in the Lone Star State.

Texas, you've been a very naughty state. But nobody wants to hear that kind of talk from me when they can get it from a lovely Lettuce Lady. Check out the amazing video that the wonderful Nicole Matthews sent to Texas' governor today. How can you say no to this one, Rick?

Now that you've watched the video, please click here to sign our petition asking Governor Rick Perry to get on board with our "Go Veg Texas" Campaign.

Is it possible for the biggest name in burlesque, Dita Von Teese, to get any sexier? She’s already the spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics Viva Glam campaign, is the face of Frederick’s of Hollywood’s upcoming holiday catalog, and has graced the cover of Playboy, Harpers Bazaar, and Elle. In fact, I just looked up the word “sexy” on Wikipedia and there is no definition, just her picture.

For those of you who thought Dita couldn’t get any sexier, think again. She is lending her voice, among other things, to our new ABC campaign. Dita urges fans to "bone up" on their ABCs and, if they are considering adding a dog or a cat to the family, to adopt from a local animal shelter and be sure to get their new family member spayed or neutered.

And here are some exclusive behind-the-scenes images and video from the launch of the ad.

Update: Following the success of Alicia’s PSA, Sky News put together a wonderful retrospective of PETA’s many naked ads and protests over the past year. You can check out the picture gallery here.

The folks in Houston were severely deprived yesterday, when their cable provider decided at the last minute (literally) that it would pull Alicia Silverstone's super sexy new pro-vegetarianism ad, which had already been approved and paid for. Comcast Cable told us that they had banned the spot "because she is naked," despite the fact that the ad has already aired on numerous news programs worldwide. Besides, as PETA Vice President Dan Mathews pointed out in a staff meeting today, they showed Holly Hunter's naked ass on Saving Grace the other night, so, um, what's the problem here, Comcast?

We had picked Houston because it consistently ranks in the top ten least healthy cities in the country, so we figured they could use some good diet advice (honestly, who in their right mind would turn down friendly diet advice from the beautiful Alicia Silverstone?), but Houstonians need not despair. As PETA President Ingrid Newkirk puts it,

"Houston viewers can still go to PETA.org and get an eyeful, not only of the stunning Ms. Silverstone, but also of our free Vegetarian Starter Kit—chock full of delicious recipes—that will make them drool for an entirely different reason."

And finally, because I love it so much, here is the ad again. Alicia, you are gorgeous.

Scantily clad in sexy pleather uniforms, high-heeled boots, and police hats and holding signs that read, "Animal Skins Are a Fashion Felony," PETA's pair of sexy "fashion police" are taking New York fashion week by storm. They’re handing out violation notices resembling citation tickets to fur-, leather-, and wool-wearers for "violating the code of common decency." This dedicated duo is staking out the shows at Bryant Park and anywhere else suspected violators—including designers—gather. And get this, at their first outing yesterday, they even gave a citation to the notorious pelt pushing fur hag Anna Wintour.

Here are a few pics of their first outing.

Unfortunately, they weren’t able to get a shot of them ticketing Wintour, but I like this shot of the hag getting a pie in the face in Paris a couple of years ago better anyway . . .

Ummm, OMFG. Think Wynona Ryder in Beetlejuice meets that scary 35 year old Hot Topic employee at the mall, and you’re on the right track to getting your head around our annual “I’m Too Sexy For Leather” contest.

Granted, I’m more of a Paul Frank flannel nightshirt kind of guy, but all joking aside, there’s no denying that all of these pics are super hot in their own way. . . Even for sticks in the mud like me who aren’t all that into dreadlocked dudes riding vintage bikes while wearing pleather pants and straightjackets.

Even though I work here, I didn't quite realize the full extent of the glory in store for the winner of PETA's World's Sexiest Vegetarian title. But Kevin Eubanks—this year's “Sexy Veg” co-winner with the stunning Carrie Underwood—learned exactly how prestigious his new title was last night, when Jay Leno and two dancing vegetables presented him with a lovely sash and tiara on The Tonight Show. And in case you're wondering—no, it does not get better than that.

Here's what Kevin told us when we informed him of his victory: "I'd like to thank everyone who voted for me. I hope this encourages people to eat better and to remember that animals are our friends and a key to a better environment. Not to mention, it's just cool!"

OK ladies and gentlemen, congratulations are in order. The votes are in and following an impressive week-long rally by Jay Leno, Tonight Show band leader Kevin Eubanks has been voted PETA’s World’s Sexiest Vegetarian man for 2007, while American Idol superstar Carrie Underwood has been voted World's Sexiest Vegetarian woman.

Well over 100,000 ballots were cast, and the other finalists include Milo Ventimiglia, Joaquin Phoenix, Kristen Bell, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jared Leto, TV Guide columnist Michael Ausiello and Maggie Q.

I’m sure Leno couldn't be happier about Eubanks' win. He mentioned the contest several times during the past week and said that he stopped by to vote for Eubanks, noting that he wanted Kevin to win to bring honor to the Tonight Show stage. And Tonight Show viewers logged on in large numbers, pushing Eubanks ahead of his competitors. I’m not saying Eubanks wouldn’t be up there in the rankings without it, but Leno’s repeated stump speeches had to have given him an edge. Leno even brought out some rather revealing shots from Kevin’s past to get viewers excited . . .

Bartcop/Creative Commons

Previous winners, in case you’re keeping score, include Prince, Natalie Portman, Shania Twain, Chris Martin, Andre 3000, Tobey Maguire, Josh Hartnett, Alicia Silverstone, and Lauren Bush.

Congrats Carrie and Kevin, from all of us at PETA. And Jay, how about a segment with both winners on the show?

The voting has officially opened. Last year, Veronica Mars' Kristen Bell took home the coveted prize of World's Sexiest Female Vegetarian, and Prince beat out some of the best-looking dudes in Hollywood to win the award for the guys. According to my source over in our Vegetarian Campaigns department, Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia has taken an early lead in the voting, and Bryce Dallas Howard, who's starring in this summer's Spiderman 3—which, if the box office numbers are anything to go by, everyone in the country has seen a couple of times already—is currently inching ahead in the votes for the ladies.

Remember, it's not that meat-eaters can't be sexy. It's just that they could be sexier. You can pick your favorite vegetarian celebrity by clicking here. I will be voting for Alyssa Milano. Multiple times. Just FYI.

Even if the cruelty of factory farming, the increased heart attack and cancer risk, and the environmental devastation caused by the meat industry don't convince you to go vegetarian, I'm certain that the prospect of being the sexiest smelling person in your office will sway you. According to a recent study published by the NIH,

Results of repeated measures analysis of variance showed that the odor of donors when on the nonmeat diet was judged as significantly more attractive, more pleasant, and less intense.

Hott! Scientists sure do know how to make stuff sound sexy when they want to. Unfortunately for me, my fragrant vegan odor doesn't have much effect on my female colleagues, since (as you might expect) pretty much all of the dudes in my office are rocking a nonmeat diet. But if you're looking for a way to make yourself stand out from the competition with the dreaded Valentine's Day holiday looming, it may be worth a shot. Just so I've got my bases covered—for those of you who are already vegetarian but still smell kind of funky, you can find a whole range of cruelty-free deodorants here.

Other than me, of course. The reason I ask is that PETA is holding a competition to find the hottest vegetarian "boys and girls next door," and this year, we’re sending the winners to Hawaii. We already have some pretty damn good-looking entrants, but there's still time (just 4 more days) to submit yourself or one of your vegetarian friends for consideration. On January 30, we'll narrow the pool down to 10 male and 10 female finalists, and open up the site for voting in February. PETA's International Sexiness Manager Christopher Holbein—whose finely honed hotness detector is legendary in animal rights circles—will be coordinating the judging committee, which means that you can be assured of a fair and accurate assessment. As a PETA employee, I'm excluded from consideration—so dudes, don't be shy about entering yourself or your friends, as there's actually a chance you might win.

Click here to learn more and enter.