Will PETA Go After Britney Spears’ New Circus Video?

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by Michael dEstries December 4, 2008
Categories: Animals, Music
Tags: .

It goes without saying that PETA is not a fan of the circus. We’ve seen PSAs from the animal rights organization with celebrities like Lena Headey and Steve-O — as well as ad campaigns featuring Bollywood stars. So, as I found myself somehow watching Britney Spears’ new ‘Circus’ video this morning, I couldn’t help but visualize PETA ready to pounce.

As one would expect, the video features Brit with a whip getting all sexed up in the center ring of the big top — with dancers, fireworks, lions, and elephants all dancing around. I’m pretty sure these weren’t the animatronic elephants PETA wanted to donate to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus awhile back. From PETA’s anti-circuses site:

“The fact is, animals do not naturally ride bicycles, stand on their heads, balance on balls, or jump through rings of fire. To force them to perform these confusing and physically uncomfortable tricks, trainers use whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bullhooks, and other painful tools of the trade.”

I’ve rarely seen PETA sqaunder an opportunity to educate people through pop culture events — so it will be surprising if we don’t see some kind of tie-in with Brit’s latest release. Jump here to check out the video for yourself.


Categories: Animals, Music
Tags: .

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • Steph

    I’m soooo glad the kids have a nice role model to look up to….

  • RAIN

    I am sure she knows little about circuses as same as I did before going vegan.
    I hope they will send her some educational footage and give a heads up and maybe they will… so next time there are no circus songs or themes…

  • http://www.onoursleeve.com Leanne Mai-ly

    how easy would it have been to do this whole glam deal sans animals- a la cirque de soleil- with only the willing and very talented humans performing? would be an easy way to pop-ify the (very fantastic) trend towards human only shows.

    maybe for her next video…

  • http://www.veganeatingout.com/restaurants.html Vegan Restaurant Menu

    “So, as I found myself somehow watching Britney Spears’ new ‘Circus’ video this morning, I couldn’t help but visualize PETA ready to pounce.”

    I had the exact same thoughts. Though it appears like the animals in her video weren’t abused it’s impossible to know what was going on behind the scenes and before and after the shoot. They had to be transported, so what were the conditions of their traveling for example?

    I’m hoping that she opt out for the use of live animals during her tour. This would be an excellent opportunity for PETA to grab hold of her again rising fame and expose a younger audience to the cruelty that they may not know about.

  • http://BrainyBlonde.com erin

    Wow I hadn’t even seen or heard of this video (despite the fact that I do stay up with current music – i tune out ms. spears :(

    this is deplorable…. you know my first thought was to say that if she knew she wouldn’t care anyway… but i’m going to go out on a limb and say that chick has a heart somewhere buried in her and she might just listen. now if it had been paris hilton she wouldn’t give a damn!

    E

  • eve

    Ok guys, I am totally against animals in the cirus, but if you actually watch the video, an elephant lifts his trunk. “OMG, an elephant lifted his trunk?!?!” Yes, he did.

    I agree with whomever mentioned that we will never know how the animals were treated, but come on, there was nothing bad in this video…

  • Eva

    eve – Just because you didn’t see anything bad in the video, doesn’t mean these animals were treated fairly behind the scenes. Ringling Bros. Circus puts on a good show, but in rehearsal the elephants are hit with bull hooks and the transportation of these animals is hardly ever satisfactory.

    She didn’t need to have elephants and lions in her video to represent the circus. I think everyone got the message that the theme of the song (title “Circus”) was…the circus. Animals shouldn’t be used for entertainment and her video is showing the exact opposite.

  • tamra

    i saw the video last night on ET and i was sickened. eve, it’s not about lifting a trunk/leg/whatever. i don’t care if the elephant just stood there. it’s the fact that she has circus elephants in her video and is perpetuating the notion that using animals for human entertainment is acceptable. it is not alright and to see a celebrity with status such as hers have that in her video is just saddening.

    i would have thought that someone around her during the video shoot/planning would have told her that it might be seen in a negative light if she shows the animals……..

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