"A pie has to hit … and explode into a thousand pieces so you see the person's face and see it take away his dignity."
—Soupy Sales

Legendary comedian, television host, and film star Soupy Sales has died at age 83. The funnyman, who claimed he'd been hit by 20,000 pies in his lifetime, was an inspiration to many animal defenders. Big names like Mickey Rooney, Frank Sinatra, and Sammy Davis Jr. clamored for a chance to be pied by Soupy. Animal abusers try to "duck and cover" from the Soupy-inspired tofu-cream projectiles that have been hurled by animal advocates over the years.

On this day, let's honor Mr. Sales by taking a few moments to reflect on some of our favorite pieing moments.

The queen of cold, Vogue editor Anna Wintour, was fuming after a European anti-fur demonstrator launched a special delivery right to the fur hag's kisser.

I imagine those kids' squealing laughter was deafening as they watched an anonymous "chicken" splatter Ronald McDonald with a vegan cream pie.

Procter & Gamble's then-CEO John Pepper's speech was interrupted by someone who was fed up with the company's cruel product tests on animals. Nice tofu-cream beard, John.

So many pies, so many laughs. So many thanks, Soupy. Animal defenders couldn't have done it without you.

Posted by Karin Bennett

It's almost time for Halloween: my favorite holiday. Every year, I'm eager to gorge on vegan Swedish Fish Sea Kittens and decide on a costume.

This year, I've been thinking about going as Evil Ronald McDonald, with frizzed-out red hair, a hatchet, and a blood-splattered yellow jumpsuit—all topped off with PETA's Ronald mask.

Now PETA's quirky "Tofu Never Screams" tee and tote, which just happen to be this week's "Win It" Wednesday prize, have me thinking about a second costume idea. I may finally have a perfect use for that big, horrible block of Styrofoam in my hall closet.

How do you win one of this week's prize packages? Share your most creative, animal-friendly costume idea and the tote (perfect for carrying home that mountain of candy) and the T-shirt can be yours.

The contest ends on October 14, 2009, and we'll choose the three most creative comments as winners on October 16, 2009. Be sure to read our privacy policy and terms and conditions, as you're agreeing to both by commenting. Good luck!

Posted by Karin Bennett

This weekend, an attempt by Ronald McDonald to con San Francisco youngsters into eating more greasy, artery-clogging burgers and McNuggets was interrupted by an anonymous "chicken," who apparently was not going to take McDonald's abuse of chickens lying down.

Here comes the wind-up …

Note the artful splatter of the vegan cream.

Mr. Chicken makes his getaway in his trusty "old school" Vans.

Here's hoping Ronald got the message that he needs to start treating chickens with a little more respect. Switching to CAK would be a good start.

Posted by Alisa Mullins

What happens when a demented Ronald McDonald sits down with one of television's most befuddling interviewers? Visitors to Will Ferrell’s FunnyOrDie.com are finding out today. A bizarre PETA video just debuted featuring Martin Short’s Jiminy Glick character grilling a "fried" Ronald McDonald (Andy Dick) about the company’s slaughter practices.

While I'm excited about PETA's first FunnyOrDie exclusive (so much so that I'm going to get down on my knees and beg you to vote "Funny"), I'm even more thrilled that The PETA Files has the exclusive on the bonus feature.

So gather your senses after watching the full-length on FunnyOrDie and check out this little "bonus feature" for some more outré commentary from Ronald "They're Just Animals" McDonald.

Now doesn't that just make you want to head over to Facebook and join our "Not eating McDonald's" fan page?

Posted by Joel Bartlett

Our McCruelty campaign has been raging on for about a month now, with no word from McDonald's about improving welfare standards for the animals killed for its restaurants. But since when has a little resistance stopped us? That said, we think it's the perfect time to kick the campaign up a notch, don't you agree?

Our latest efforts have us thinking big—as in billboard big. Check it out:

We plan to place the eye-opening billboard in select cities across the country. We're certain it will have motorists seeing red once they learn that the biggest seller of chicken meat in the country refuses to compel its suppliers to switch to a better slaughter method.

Contrary to what Ronald would like consumers to believe, it's not all Happy Meals and hamburger patches under the golden arches. Far from it.

Please take action now by urging McDonald's to support only suppliers that use controlled-atmosphere killing.

I know if I were a parent, I certainly wouldn't allow my child to visit the home of a scary giant-shoe–wearing clown with blood on his hands. But that's just me.

Posted by Jennifer Cierlitsky