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The official start of the summer Olympics are just two days away (even though the US Women’s soccer team started matches today) but it’s not the competitions or the festivities making headlines.
No, the big headline maker today is former University of Arizona swimmer and current Olympian Amanda Beard.
Beard made waves by, what else, posing nude. The former Playboy centerfold unveiled an ad pictorial for PETA at the south gate of the athletes’ village this morning. Chinese officials monitored the event closely (not sure if it’s because they can’t get porn on the internet or if they were worried about what might happen).
The pictorial is part of an ad campaign to raise awareness of the cruelty of wearing fur.
Some people are currently chastising Beard for the impromptu press conference calling it “risky”, “controversial” and claiming she “just enjoys taking off her clothes for money”.
While the last one may hold some truth the entire thing is being overblown. It’s nice to see an athlete take a stand and especially in a country such as China.
Could the publicity stunt have ruffled some feathers in the Chinese government? Probably, but that’s half of what makes this so appealing.
China is currently cracking down on “pornography”, the internet and free speech in general. While Beard deserves some flack for it she also deserves some credit for doing something to bring that to the forefront and show what freedom of expression is about.
The ad, seen above, doesn’t reveal much more than her suit will during the games. On top of that it is tastefully done (at least more so than the GoDaddy.com commercials she’s starred in).
If the entire incident event caused a situation that the United States Olympic Committee has to attend to they should be more than happy to take care of it. She’s being American and choosing to use her freedom of expression.
More power to her … and less to the Chinese government.
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http://tinyurl.com/Amanda2008
Fur, no.
Leather, yes.
JUST ANOTHER PETA HYPOCRITE.
Looks good.
It’d look even better if:
a) it wasn’t for the wackjobs at PETA
b) they could manage to hang the US flag correctly. The union (blue part) always goes to the left when it’s hanging on a wall, whether it’s hung vertically or horizontally.
Maybe Amanda doesn’t realize leather comes from a cow? Would it be hypocritical for her to use a leather boot to cover her face?
There’s a fine line between publicity and spectacle, and Beard has crossed that line with this stunt. Between the cyclists showing up in Beijing and this spectacle, it hasn’t taken long for the Americans to assume the role of rude house guests.
If the U.S. government wants to make the Olympics a political platform, that’s their prerogative, but they haven’t. They’ve chosen to participate. Maybe individual athletes should leave their soapboxes at home and concentrate on riding a bike or swimming?!?