PETA Ad Brings Bea Arthur Back From the Grave

By Marc Schneider Posted Apr 22nd 2010 09:14AM

A new PETA ad aimed at shaming McDonald's into changing their chicken-slaughtering practices stars a familiar glare -- one belonging to Bea Arthur. A 'Golden Girls'-era photo of the actress appears in the ad next to the jarring headline: "McCruelty. It's enough to make Bea Arthur roll over in her grave." Arthur died last April of cancer shortly before her 87th birthday.

Arthur was a long-time supporter of PETA when she was alive, and the ad states she left money to the animal right's group for their campaign against McDonald's. It begins: "Death couldn't stop this Golden Girl from fighting the Golden Arches' cruel slaughter practices."

The ad is running in Chicago newspapers on Thursday to reach the Illinois-based fast food company.

Dan Matthews, a PETA vice president, told the New York Times that he consulted with Matt Saks, Arthur's son, "who especially liked that the copy was in Bea's irreverent voice."

According to the ad, PETA is using the money Arthur gave "to pressure McDonald's to switch to a less violent, USDA-approved chicken-slaughter method" that they say would spare birds of broken legs and "being scalded to death in defeathering tanks."

The ad specifically calls out McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner, who has resisted changing slaughtering methods. It ends with a popular saying by Arthur's 'Maude' character: "God'll get you for that."

Arthur's 'Girls' co-star Rue McClanahan, another early PETA supporter out of Hollywood, has not yet been reached for comment.

Check out the full ad and let us know what you think below:

Tags: Bea Arthur, McDonalds, peta, Rue McClanahan

Comments

(82)

Monday 26 April

By Tamara

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I care!! The Ad featuring Bea Arthur is a little odd, but I believe she would be OK with it, considering she was an animal right supporter, and those of you who lack empathy for abused animals are showing just how barbaric you are!

Thursday 22 April

By aaa

PETA kill more animals and are hypocrites...they do not save animals they are radicals if you don't believe me do the research. If they really care about animals ask a Peta member how they get around and many are driving cars, wear leather and own mansions and probably live in Hollywood! Do your own research...don't let these hypocrites fool you think with your heart and your own mind. Don't let radical groups do the thinking for you just because they sound good. Be an individual.

By friskginger

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Maybe they can do research on your brain.
Oh never mind, you don't have one.

By UGotToBeKidden

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So let me get this straight. You think that it's ok to torture innocent creatures because someone advocating against it "might" own a car. Please don't procreate, you're gene pool needs to stop here.

By r

google floyd boudreux and see what these anim,al rights wacko did to an old 75 year old man, I got Mayday pitbulls and I DARE any of you peta nuts to try and stop me from doing what i want with them, im here and waiting for ya

Friday 23 April

By Will

How does driving a car harm animals unless you run over them?

By sherry

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I do think for myself, and I support and donate to PETA. Their work has helped many animals all over the world. Much more work needs to be done. DONATE and support PETA. Who cares where PETA workers live? PETA needs to stop putting some unwanted pets down!!!! NO KILL, NO ANIMAL ABUSE!!!!!

By Simzee

Nobody cares what McDonalds does to the chickens, As long as it goes in YOUR mouth...who cares. Don't believe me? Next time YOU go by McDonalds....Look at all the people inside eating chicken nonetheless. Peta is a joke.

Peta is a joke. Nobody cares what McDonalds does to chicken as long as it goes into YOUR mouth. Don't believe me? Next time YOU go by McDonalds...look at all the people inside....eating chicken none the less.

By Jessica

I had no idea it was possible for them to stoop this low. This is a whole other level of absurd. How many more people will they exploit for animals they don't even care about? Now they're using the dead? Is it because she can't protest to them using her image. This is just sick!

By Randy

Everytime I see one of these stupid PETA articles, it makes me want to run down to my local Scotch & Sirloin and load up on maaive amounts of red meat and whiskey!

By Kris

I'M WITH YA RANDY!!!!

By alex

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DAMN...MY FEELING IS THE SAME!!!!!

By Dottie Ann

ROTFLMAO!!! High five!!!!!!!

By Ian

Now I'm hungry. Seriously, who wants to hear about PETA anymore? Anyone with half a brain can see they're crazy.

By Graydon

Don'tchu wish your girlfriend was hot like Bea? Don'tchu?

By Amanda

PETA doesn't kill animals, and living in a mansion has nothing to do with killing animals. You might be confusing the environmental movement with animal rights.

In answer to Ron's question, I care about chickens and everything living animal that feels pain.

By michelle

Amanda- You are sadly naive and foolishly misinformed..please do some research and cross reference and..ugh ..just research..and please don't make ridiculous statements like "PETA doesn't kill animals", thats not accurate.. You want a good animals rights org. try the ASPCA.. good luck thnx

By kyleb

The reason mansions and fine cars have to do with it. How do you think the buy these expensive items. Since they work for Peta, I would think they buy them with ther enormous salary, which came from your donations. Didn't I recently read an article about PETA being investigated for misusing funds?

By Brad

I know Bea Arthur was a PETA supporter, but I also heard her make the statement that she didn't agree with everything they did or stood for. PETA is radical too often. I would say to anyone who eats at McDonalds, you are killing yourself and your kids. This isn't food, it's crap. There have been studies and feces have been found in their burgers... you are eating crap.
So in addition to treating animals better, treat YOURSELF and your kids better. Don't eat at these horrible places.

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