Olivia Munn on Nude PETA Ad: 'What's the Problem?'
Olivia Munn's
nude PETA ad calling for a circus boycott caused quite the stir on the Internet yesterday. To clear up a few things (like, um, why is she naked?), the lovely host of G4's 'Attack of the Show' -- who also appears in 'Date Night' and 'Iron Man 2,' natch -- chatted with PopEater via e-mail, even responding to one reader's query of how people can do more to help the cause.
Read on for the full interview.
So what's with the nudity? No question it's a great ad and you look stunning, but while nudity is an obvious choice for PETA's "I'd rather be naked than wear fur" campaign, the connection here is a little more baffling. What was PETA's pitch?
The campaign was never a "nude campaign," and I wasn't naked on set at all. In that one shot, the way I was sitting and the way the tank-top hung on me, it appeared like I was nude. The "natural state" does tie into the campaign because I'm asking everyone to help keep elephants in their natural state and out of the circus. They shouldn't be chained and beaten and electroshocked to dance around on a ball. And I understand the "nude" question that people have -- how does having a billboard with me looking like I posed nude help elephants? It doesn't directly help them, no. But, if this billboard with me on it helps get more eyes on the issue, gets people to stop going to the circus and I didn't get naked or compromise myself at all to do it, then what's the problem? I understand the question, but now that it's answered, I hope we can all spend more time trying to educate people on the abuse of all of the animals in the circus.
One commenter, Rita, wants to know: "How can we help, Olivia? I used to like the circus, but now I just have to make an effort not to cry when I see one in town. But what can we do? Not going to the circus is a step, but what else can we do?"
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey are coming into LA in July and myself, PETA and anyone else who can come are going to protest in front of the Staple Center and let everyone know NOT to go in. We're going to try and look at every person in the eye and ask them not to go in. So, if you want to do something, spread the message and come down with us. But -- it's not about being angry or mean to anyone. It's about making a personal connection with people and hoping to appeal to their hearts.
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Celebs Pose for PETA
Bethenny Frankel poses for PETA.
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Celebs Pose for PETA
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What this Ad is really saying is, " let's all get back to nature as it was intended from the beginning". And Olivia Munn is suppose to be Eve. Adam (naked man standing behind her with a shoulder hiding his private) posing with her would had conveyed the message more clearly.
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I think they're going for realism with the nude model, not mythology.
who cares WHY she's naked? as far as i'm concerned, what ever hair-brained product she's the spokes-person for, I want one!
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i second that. if shes selling i'm buying
Heather, at least she is making an attempt to do something to protect these animals from inhumane treatment
what have you ever done for anyone or any thing except for yourself.
you just sit on your sofa and eat your bon bons
Attack of the Show, Olivia Munn, hot, hot, hot!
Why cant she move her dam right foot to the left or right? Whats the point of her being nude if she cant show us something?
While Im on my soapbox; whats next; boycotting zoos too? Most people cant afford to go off on safari's to see these magnificant creatures. Thats why we have zoos and yes; even the circus. Many of us have enjoyed the circus for generations; and now you all want to put an end to that too.
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While I do despise PETA (because people don't want to support a good cause while a bunch of nutcases are behind it), I do hate circuses. Zoos and circuses are NOT the same. A circus is about entertainment (solely) to see an exotic do tricks. The way they train them is brutal and cruel. A zoo is not just for entertainment of the public. It is a place of research and learning and many animals that are endangered are surviving primarily by research and captive breeding done in zoos. Zoos (AZA accredited, not crappy zoos) are wonderful learning tools. Not only does it help bring to light the importance of conservation but it also brings a lot of people out of their ignorance of a number of animals and animal myths.
So what if people can't afford to go on a safari? You don't have the right to abuse animals for entertainment. Circuses and zoos are entertainment. Period. This has nothing to do with a person's economic status. This has to do with the fact that it is immoral for Ringling to beat elephants. To confine elephants, tigers and horses. To chain their legs inside the train cars that they ride in. When you buy a ticket to the circus you are paying them to abuse innocent creatures. That is immoral and certainly not family friendly entertainment!
Hey Leila, a lot of the animals in zoos don't want to be there, such as elephants who don't appreciate such unnatural and confined spaces. You say that zoos bring "people out of their ignorance of a number of animals and animal myths" but I would disagree. Zoos present animals in the wrong context entirely--they perpetuate myths. You'd get more out of watching a nature show on TV. And why hate PETA--someone's got to do it. What have you done recently to alleviate the suffering of animals? It's because people are so apathetic that PETA has to use sex to get attention.
As for me, I find the foot and the placement of the knees very annoying.
...anyone who wants to watch an elephant dance in a tutu...or...a wonderful ,powerful, king of the jungle a lion...do tricks because he is so fearful of getting smacked with a whip...hasn't got a brain...Only low life would consider that entertainment.
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what was the ad for? all I saw was the hottie.
not a circus fan, but peta are idiots, they're the same ones whose shelters are death houses. I'll stick with the aspca.
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I am PETA= person eating tasty animals,every cow I eat means less methane gas,I'm fighting Global warming one burger at a time.
and Vicki too;
Where is the indignant out cry, using a womans body to sell something (false). How base & self serving can you be?
This is just another example of PETA exploiting a stupid animal and not a peep out of feminity.
Seems to me a double standard.
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hahahahahah she falls in the same category of the protesters in Germany, protesting against airport scanners... if she would be standing and slowly turning... that is a big maybe. She is not campaigning for PeTA, she is campaigning for HERSELF. Look at me, how wonderful I look...
And for the circus... who wants to go to the circus when we have the congress, senate and obama?
I am surrounded by clowns
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your an idiot..what does obama have to do with this? if u were routing for the cain camp u still a fool both parties are full of crap...i dont think the circus is all that damn bad i mean i would never go to one but some people like it i mean how else u gon get something 2tons bigger than u in a tutu and dance on a ball? i dont condone beating them but some precautions have to be taken and fear is always useful its a business.."peta" are crackheads who value animal life more than people and i do agree that she is campaigning for herself more than anything i dont even know who she is....she has nice hair tho
Another attempt to turn the world into Vegaterians. "Save a cow! Eat A Peta"
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...so original.....
Yes, a world of vegetarians would be a terrible thing, wouldn't it?
Who in this society is killing little kids daily? If you are talking about abortion, use the term fetus or embryonic cells.
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Though I respect your opinion, do not tell me how to refer to what I see as clearly the obvious murder of children out of convenience. It does not do much to advocate your position or your understanding of morality.