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June 29th 2009

Flashback: UNICEF Blows Up The Smurfs

Filed under: campaigns, film-tv, television — Michael Andre d'Estries @ 1:58 pm

Want to get people’s attention? Take a classic children’s cartoon from the 80’s and inject world events into it. That’s just what UNICEF did back in 2005 with the classic Smurfs series.

With the permission of the family of the late Belgian creator Peyo, the children’s charity animated a carpet bombing of the Smurf village — along with Smurfette left for dead and Baby Smurf orphaned and crying. The clip ends with the words, “don’t let war destroy the children’s world.” UNICEF made sure to air the commercial on Belgian television only after 9pm so that children wouldn’t run screaming through the house after watching it. “We see so many images that we don’t really react anymore,” said Julie Lamoureux, account director at Publicis, an advertising agency that drew up the campaign for UNICEF Belgium. “In 35 seconds we wanted to show adults how awful war is by reaching them within their memories of childhood.”

Point taken. Check out the commercial below — and to donate to UNICEF, jump here.

June 23rd 2009

Stephen Baldwin Quits NBC Show After Botfly Larvae Get Under His Skin

Mother Nature wins again.

Filed under: film-tv, television — Michael Andre d'Estries @ 10:59 am

I warned you Stephen Baldwin!

For my entry in NBC’s contest to send a blogger to Costa Rica to visit the set of their latest reality TV show I’m A Celebrity…Now Get Me Out Of Here!, I wrote about the nasty creatures one can experience while there.

“Pick up any brochure on Costa Rica and I’m pretty sure the last things you’ll see are instructions for removing Botfly larvae from your skin. If you did, they would probably be in very small print and offer such helpful advice as ‘placing raw meat on your arm to coax the young out” and/or ‘using the tree sap of the matatorsalo’ to kill the parasite.”

Unfortunately, Stephen Baldwin — one of the celebrity contestants on the show — now knows what that feels like.

Read the rest of this entry »

June 19th 2009

Watch: Sea Shepherd Sideswipes A Japanese Whaling Vessel

Filed under: animals, film-tv, television — Michael Andre d'Estries @ 10:27 am

Whale Wars is rolling along on Animal Planet and we’ve got a new clip from tonight’s episode featuring a very close encounter with a Japanese whaling vessel. Check it out below:

June 18th 2009

Jimmy Fallon Gives Mother Nature Network A Plug On Late Night

Filed under: film-tv, television, web — Michael Andre d'Estries @ 3:08 pm

MNN (Mother Nature Network) co-founder and keyboardist for the Rolling Stones, Chuck Leavell, sat in with Jimmy Fallon’s band on last night’s show — and he even managed to score a plug for the site. The two-time Georgia Tree Farmer of the Year started the online green site back in January — and we’re happy to see them get some promo from Fallon. Check out the video below:

June 17th 2009

PETA Says: The Price Is Right Will No Longer Give Away Carriage Horse Rides

Filed under: film-tv, television — Michael Parrish DuDell @ 2:50 pm

As previously mentioned, last night I spent the evening listening to PETA Co-Founder and President Ingrid Newkirk speak at Borders in NYC as she promoted her new book The PETA Practical Guide to Animal Rights. 

Besides running into some awesome fans (hey, guys!), we also managed to get some sizzling hot news! 

According to Ingrid, The Price is Right has just agreed to no longer give away horse carriage rides through Central Park as prizes on their show. 

Of course, we’re happy to hear that they’ve wiped the cruel giveaway off their menu for good and we’re sure that Bob Barker is jumping for joy as well. As many know, Barker is an animal warrior and would certainty not endorse prizes that exploit our fellow earthlings! 

Learn more about the cruelty involved in the horse carriage industry at PETA.org! 

Also, you can get a full run down from the event last night at BeeGoodNow.com!

June 17th 2009

Planet Green Launches New Documentary Block “Reel Impact”

Filed under: film-tv, movies, television — Michael Andre d'Estries @ 11:27 am

Planet Green — the all-eco programming network from Discovery Communications — is getting ready to launch a new block of television aimed specifically at showing off feature-length green documentaries. The move catapults the network into territory once solely owned by Sundance Channel’s THE GREEN and gives even greater exposure to the eco-doc industry.

Called “Reel Impact” the weekly two-hour block of documentary programming will “feature an eclectic slate of high-profile films including some world and U.S. premieres.” Flicks slated to appear include The Last Beekeeper, No Impact Man, A Sea Change, DiCaprio’s 11th Hour, and many more. Over the next few months, Planet Green hopes to add more than 20 films to the lineup. “The influential films ‘Reel Impact’ brings to the small screen truly illustrate the tremendous impact humans have and how we interact with the planet. These films tap into the emotions of every viewer and will inspire and move them through engaging and provocative storylines,” said Laura Michalchyshyn, President and General Manager of Planet Green.

It’s definitely a positive move on PG’s part to add this new segment to their lineup of original series. The environmental doc scene has absolutely exploded recently (this year’s Sundance is a perfect example) and giving these films a large audience is a huge boost for green filmmakers. Look for Reel Impact to launch September 12th.

June 15th 2009

Josh Dorfman’s Lazy Environmentalist Series Debuts Tomorrow Night!

Filed under: film-tv, green and famous, television — Michael Andre d'Estries @ 4:05 pm

In terms of hype, Josh Dorfman’s new eco-series The Lazy Environmentalist on Sundance Channel’s THE GREEN probably ranks up there right behind the release of the new iPhone. We’re so excited that we’re actually camped out in front of our televisions in expectation.

Adoration aside, Lazy is the live-action version of the successful green brand that Dorfman has been behind for the past several years. The new series follows Josh (with the help of some experts) helping out families and individuals go green in an inexpensive and down-to-earth style that anyone can mimic. ”I’m not going to tell you to do things that when I leave I know you’re not going to do,” he said in a recent interview. “I look for choices that are easy. If they work for me, I think they’re going to work for a lot of other people, too.”

Sundance has a bunch of clips to tide you over till the series premiere tomorrow night at 9pm — but you can get an idea of how Josh helps one family after the jump.

Click here for a preview of Josh Dorfman’s The Lazy Environmentalist…

June 11th 2009

Tom Hanks And Stephen Colbert Send A Care Package To Iraq

Hilarity ensues

Filed under: campaigns, film-tv, television, web — Michael Andre d'Estries @ 8:59 pm

Before Stephen Colbert left for Iraq last week to entertain the troops, Tom Hanks joined him for a segement on preparing a care package for the troops. As you can imagine, hilarity ensued with such items as Tang, ice cream, beer, and puppies. The USO also got a nice plug in the end for people looking to help send some real care packages to the troops. Check it out below:

June 8th 2009

Heidi And Spencer’s “Torture Chamber” Looks More Like Luxury Camping

Filed under: film-tv, television — Michael Andre d'Estries @ 2:47 pm

If you have an aversion to Heidi and Spencer Pratt news, please read elsewhere. I won’t be offended — but rather, hopeful. Nevertheless, if like the scene of an accident, you simply must know more about these two idiots, allow me to weave a new tale of woe.

Apparently, after the media (ahem, us included) were tricked into believing Heidi and Spencer Pratt (The Hills) had left the set of NBC’s wildly spinning-out-of-control reality series disaster I’m A Celebrity…Now Get Me Out Of Here due to well, being divas — they returned. OMG what a surprise! Unfortunately for them, NBC forced the pair to endure a night in a labeled “torture chamber” near the camp. To you and me, the word torture chamber might conjure images of a really horrible setting — but for Heidi and Spencer, sleeping on sheets with a thread count of less than 1,000 is probably enough to unnerve.

Anyways, after spending a night in “the dark room” — and only allowed beans, rice and water (shocking!) — the duo have quit once more alleging that they were really tortured. Give me a break. According to the new shot above, that looks to me like a cabin with an earthen floor. Hell — they even gave you bamboo cots! I think the 4H cabins from my youth were more of a torture than this setup.

Mother Nature, 2, Hedi and Spencer, 0

Image credit: TMZ

June 8th 2009

Larry King Chats Whale Wars With Sea Shepherd Crew

Filed under: film-tv, television — Michael Parrish DuDell @ 8:57 am

Sea Shepherd seems to be all the rage these days! 

A couple weeks ago we featured a video of Daryl Hannah visiting the crew as they prepared for Whale Wars Season Two. Then, of course, just a few days later we spotted Christian Bale rocking a Sea Shepherd shirt while passing through the LAX airport. 

Most recently, on June 4th, the crew  took time out of their busy schedule to appear as guests on Larry King Live. Captain Paul Watson spoke passionately about Sea Shepherd’s mission, saying:

“Our objective is to sink the Japanese whaling fleet economically, and for the last three years we’ve cost them their profits. 305 whales saved this year,  500 last year, 500 the year before, and we’re gonna keep this up. As long as we’re persistent — we don’t retreat — I think we can bankrupt them. That’s our objective. 

That’s all sounds pretty sweet to us! What do you think about Sea Shepherd? Chime in and share your thoughts.