Rodman takes it off for PETA

NEW YORK (AP) – Often his own fashion statement on the basketball court, Dennis Rodman made one at New York Fashion Week, revealing all in an ad for PETA.

The tattoo-resplendent former NBA star appears nude, in profile, in the celebrity anti-fur ad for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Rodman’s 6-foot-8 presence appears with the slogan, “Think Ink, Not Mink: Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin and Let Animals Keep Theirs.”

“I’m very against people mistreating animals in any fashion,” Rodman told The Associated Press on Monday.

Rodman, 43, who has sported hair in a rainbow of colors and once appeared at a New York booksigning in a wedding dress, said he gained “a totally different perspective” after watching a PETA video.

“I’m not ashamed to show my body,” he added.

Fern Mallis, executive director of 7th on Sixth and the lead organizer of New York Fashion Week, said she was “very happy” to work with PETA.

“We think that everybody’s position and point of view should be heard,” she said. “We wanted to do it in a peaceful, productive way … no more violence and paint on the runway and damaging or harming people’s property.”

She added: “This is a democracy. Everybody’s entitled to their opinion and to wear what they like.”

The billboard ad will appear in Hollywood, Calif., and New York in the next few weeks.

In past years, PETA members have disrupted events and protested designers who use animal hides in their clothing lines. But that began to change in 2003, when PETA joined Fashion Week and presented its own line, designed by Gaelyn & Cianfarani, to draw attention to animal-friendly collections.

PETA spokesman Michael McGraw called the collaboration “an indefinite truce” and praised organizers for helping to coordinate Monday’s event.

“It will allow us to get our anti-fur message precisely to those who need to see it,” he said.

Hasty Pudding for Zeta-Jones, Robbins

Catherine Zeta-Jones will lead a parade through the streets of Cambridge, Mass., on Feb. 10, acknowledging how honored she is to be chosen Woman of the Year by Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Club.

The madcap theatrical club will then present the actress with a traditional Pudding Pot, which we sincerely hope nobody drops on her foot because, you know, she might sue.

On Feb. 17, the ritual will be repeated for Tim Robbins, the club’s Man of the Year, who is not prone to lawsuits (but might be inspired to write a bad play).

­- Knight Ridder Newspapers

Winkler shows ‘The Fonz’ some love

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Henry Winkler says his days as “The Fonz” really were “Happy Days.”

Winkler played the supercool, leather-jacketed Arthur “The Fonz” Fonzarelli on the sitcom, which aired from 1974 to 1984.

“The creating of “The Fonz’ came slowly,” Winkler told AP Radio in an interview. “Whoa! came from my favorite sport at the time, which was horseback riding. Whoa.”

The show starred Winkler and Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham, and followed the life of the Cunningham family during the 1950s. It was created by Garry Marshall.

Winkler, 59, said he has great memories of the comedy show. The cast recently reunited for a 30th-anniversary special on ABC.

“I’m unbelievably grateful that I was able to play that character and go where that character took me,” he said. “I traveled all over the world because of “The Fonz.”‘

New ‘Bond’ gets a director

Don’t get yourself into too much of a tizzy, but there’s actually been some movement forward in the saga known as the 21st James Bond flick.

First, the film has gotten itself a name. Well, actually, it has borrowed one: According to the Hollywood Reporter, it’ll be called “Casino Royale,” which was the title of Ian Fleming’s first Bond novel, published in ’53; as well as the name of a ’54 TV show; and last, in a bit of cosmic irony, it’s also the name of a ’67 Bond spoof starring Peter Sellers, Woody Allen and David Niven.

The same brainiacs who pilfered the title from history have also hired Martin Campbell of “Vertical Limit” infamy to direct the flick. Fans will recall that Campbell directed the passable ’95 Bond flick, “GoldenEye,” which was Pierce Brosnan’s first foray as 007.

And that brings us to the next potential disaster: There’s still no word on who will play the movie’s leading man.

­- Knight Ridder Newspapers


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