BY: Associated Press
FROM Yahoo!: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031119/ap_en_ot/people_aiken_3

PETA Delays Ad Poking Fun at Clay Aiken
Wed Nov 19, 8:46 AM ET

By COLLEEN LONG, Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has delayed a new ad campaign with the slogan "Get Neutered, It Didn't Hurt Clay Aiken," while it waits to see if Aiken will apologize for negative comments he made about cats, PETA officials said Tuesday.

"If Clay Aiken intends on staying famous, he has to learn to take a joke," said Dan Mathews, vice president of the Norfolk, Va.-based animal rights group.


The ad features the crass puppet Triumph the Insult Comic dog from "Late Night" with Conan O'Brien (news - Y! TV) urging pet owners to spay or neuter their animals. The barb came from Triumph, but PETA allowed the ad because of an interview Aiken gave to Rolling Stone Magazine in June where he said he didn't like cats.


"There's nothing worse to me than a house cat. When I was about sixteen, I had a kitten and ran over it. Seeing that cat die, I actually think that its spirit has haunted me. I wasn't afraid of cats before. But now they scare me to death," Aiken told Rolling Stone.


Mathews said if Aiken will post a message on his Web site urging pet owners to spay or neuter their animals, and give an interview for PETA's Web site, the ad campaign will be modified to "Cut 'em off. They don't taste that great anyway."


Aiken's attorney Roger Widynowski, refused to comment.


Scores of pop singer's fans have deluged the organization with protest letters and e-mails, but Mathews said he received other e-mails from people cheering the ads, which were to be released mostly in men's magazines.


"It may rub some people the wrong way, but it's poking fun with a serious message," Mathews said.


Mathews said Aiken's attorneys contacted the organization last week. The group had sent the pop singer a letter after the Rolling Stone article, but he never responded, Mathews said.


PETA will run the ads next week if the matter is not resolved.


Aiken, runner-up of "American Idol," recently released a solo album "Measure of a Man," debuted at No. 1 last month and has sold about 1 million copies.

So he said he hates cats, big deal. I can't stand cats either.

:lol: at the "Get Neutered, it didn't hurt Clay Aiken" comment.

This should also be on the music board. It'll probably be moved there in a few days.

:lol:

i dont like cats either. They annoy me, but the Clay thing is kinda funny. However, Im tired of people making fun of him. Im sure Clay wont care though

BUMP

cat :cat:

Why is it that there are two kinds of animals that people love tons and tons, like dogs and horses, or the kinds of animals that people are totally scared of, like rats or snakes, but cats are the one animal people "merely" have contempt for, like other things like accordion music or meat loaf?


Cats rule.:notworthy :cat:

No, they're not mad because he said he hates cats. They're mad because he once said that he ran over his cat and since then he thinks it's haunting him.

Wow. People get way too carried away with their animal obsessions.

I wish people would lay off Clay! :mad: God! He's just a really talented kid who doesn't like cats! I hate cats, too! Is PETA gonna use ME for their ad campaign?

:rolleyes:

~Lauren

:sheep

CATS RULE!!!

Originally posted by MonarC
CATS RULE!!! THEY SOOOOOOOOOOOOO RULE!!!!!!!

Thats so stupid. Meangya, I hate cats too-- I just dont trust them. Meangya, it isnt like Clay ran his cat over on purpose. As for Triumph.. well hes from Conan & I love Conan and Conan has been making jokes everynite about Clay. He's jealous I tell ya.:o The ad is funny, but late at the same time.