April 8th 2008
Flocke The Polar Bear Cub Showing Knut The Door
Hollywood's obsession with youth may derail career
Filed under: green and famous — michael @ 3:47 pm
Steve Martin once said while hosting the Academy Awards in 2005, “I love welcoming the young stars to show business because it reminds me of my own death.”
Not that Knut the famous climate change polar bear needs to be thinking about his own mortality at such a young age, but the competition is certainly stepping up to the plate — and if the Nuremberg Zoo has anything to say about it, his best days are long past. From the article,
“Flocke, born Dec. 11 and then rejected by her mother, made her public debut at the Nuremberg zoo just as interest in the Berlin zoo’s now fully grown polar bear sensation, Knut, seems to be waning. Aware of Knut’s star power, the zoo quickly set up its own polar bear cub Web site with regular updates — Flocke is a girl; Flocke’s eyes open; Flocke learns to swim; Flocke walks on grass, for example — accompanied with photos and video for her adoring fans.”
The Nuremberg Zoo is also stepping up attacks on Knut with posters advertising the new cub coming with the headline “Knut was yesterday.” Oh, snap!
Additionally, they have plans to make Flocke the new symbol of climate change. Said Zoo director Dag Encke, “Flocke is no more a polar bear, but Flocke is not a person — Flocke is an obligation, or a window into an obligation.”
Others believe Flocke will do well, but are quick to remind who came first. “Knut has the advantage of being a media star: He was the first,” said teacher Ulrike Robel who had taken her class to see the 330 pound bear. “Flocke is sweet, but she’s No. 2. I think that matters.”
As we mentioned on April 1st, Knut’s going to work hard to improve his game — and stave off the competition. In the meantime, we’ll be keeping an eye on Flocke.
Adding even more sadness to what is quickly becoming a typical Hollywood career implosion, Knut the polar bear was arrested today along the Pacific Coast Highway while driving under the influence. Malibu police also found trace amounts of cocaine and heroine in a cooler filled with sardines in the back seat. “We think he was attempting to ditch the cooler into the ocean immediately after we pulled him over,” officer Aprile Pazzo commented. “We quickly tranquilized him and called in refrigeration backup.”
You can’t argue Woody Harrelson’s commitment to green living; although you might have to first wait patiently to even make the attempt. Such was the case for one New Zealand reporter who was left hanging for 40 minutes for an interview with the actor. Apparently, Harrelson was not about to use one of the plastic toothbrushes on location and sent away an assistant to track down an organic replacement. Almost an hour later, and with a freshly brushed set, he was ready to go. In traditional Kiwi style, there were no hard feelings. [via 
