Archive for the ‘Pets’ Category

Protecting Movie Industry Dogs

June 13, 2007

Even the movie industry’s dogs need protection from pirates.  No, counterfeiters aren’t keeping their DVD burners going day and night for dogs like Gigli, The Island, Zodiac or Basic Instinct 2. 

It’s the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) adorable black Labradors, Flo and Lucky, that need protecting.  Flo and Lucky have the amazing (some might say unbelievable) ability to sniff out the polycarbonate chemicals used in making pirated DVDs (as well as all other kinds of DVD copies.) 

So the always-creditable New Straits Times reports that Malaysian pirates are protecting their lairs and wares from the noble chocolate Labs with aggressive bulldogs.   

Peddlers have come up with another 'ingenious' idea to keep Lucky and Flo away from the illegal DVD stocks - by putting up 'Beware dog' warning signs as Labrador Retrievers are thought to be vulnerable against aggressive breeds.

Undeterred, the pair of public relations dogs have allegedly helped bust over one million pirated DVDs. 

Lucky and Flo sniff at DVD pirates

Posted in Hollywood-dogs, Hollywood-turkeys, MondayMorningMediaQuarterback, Pets, Public Relations, animals-in-the-news, heroic-dogs, piracy | No Comments »

Animal Acts and the Silly Season

May 1, 2007

Reggie, the lovable alligator dumped in a Long Beach lake by his loser owners when he got too big, is back! 

 Just cruisin

This week also brought us a grizzly bear attack and aftermath. It follows the death threat against little Knut the Polar Bear and the pet food panic.  Last spring, a coyote in Manhattan was a huge story, even as Californians used to real Wileys said WTF.  There’s West’s incredible cover piece on Cheeta, 75-year old survivor of Hollywood’s golden era.  Lucky and Flo. And .

Alligators, bears, monkeys and coyotes don’t buy papers.  But people who care about them apparently do.  Is reading about animals a respite from the depressing doings of humans?  Do animal stories pull  like Hollywood tales?  Do they bring the call of the wild to sedentary urban people?  Or are animals part of the reader’s idealized family, as in this 1939 (!) shot of Cheeta with Johnny Weismuller as Tarzan and Maureen O’Hara as Jane.

TarzanWkd2 

Or has what was once the summer silly season  become a year-round media game of trivial pursuit?

Posted in Cheeta, Hollywood Follies, Journalism, Pets, Publishing, Tarzan, Television, Wiley-coyote, alligators, animals-in-the-news, bears, panda-porn, silly-season | No Comments »