The show will be detail Vick’s comeback to the NFL as he attempts to clean his rather “bloody” public image.  About the new series, Vick says:

“I just want people to really get to know me as an individual. What I want to do is change the perception of me. I am a human being. I’ve made some mistakes in the past, and I wish it had never happened. But it’s not about how you fall, but about how you pick yourself up.”

What do you think about Vick’s new reality show? Will you watch the ex-dogfighter try and pick himself back up? Chime in and share your thoughts.

Last week, PETA President Ingrid Newkirk appeared on MSNBC to discuss her thoughts on Michael Vick being allowed back in the NFL.  During the interview she said:

“I think you have to wonder is the guy a psychopath, and only time will tell. So I would be very weary. He may be able to throw a ball nicely, but he’s not a role model and he never should be held up as one.”

Earlier this year PETA offered to work with Vick, but only if he would take a series of psychological tests and an MRI brain scan in an effort to find evidence of clinical psychopathy or anti-social personality disorder. Vick refused the request.

Check out the video below to view the entire interview.

We’ve been covering Michael Vick’s apologetic media blitz the past couple days — and the latest one comes to us via Russell Simmons’ hip-hop community site Global Grind. Vick wrote a blog on the site in which he reveals that it was his meetings and discussions with animal lovers — and not his prison time — that made him feel remorse for his actions. His full entry is below:

“I’m sorry. That’s the place where I need to begin. My feeling of remorse. I ain’t never written a blog before, so putting my thoughts down on paper is a challenge – however it’s a challenge I must face. I can look a 250 pound linebacker in his eyes at the line of scrimmage and have no fear. But expressing myself when I know that there are millions of people who are so angry with me, and rightfully so, is a challenge unlike any other I have faced before.

“What I did was horrendous. Awful. Inhumane. And I’ve no excuses for my actions. It makes my heart hurt now to think about what I’ve done. And I’m gonna be real honest, it took a while for me to get to this place.”

“Sitting in a prison cell didn’t make me feel remorse. It was meeting so many animal lovers, speaking with them and looking them in their eyes. Staring at them. Looking so deep into their eyes that I began to feel their pain. Allowing that pain to enter into my body is when I started to understand how bad it really was. I have been trying hard to connect with people who feel this pain,because for my whole life I was disconnected from the suffering of animals. And you might say, “come on Mike, how could you do those things to those dogs?” And you’re right…I ask myself those questions every day. What kind of person does this? How does a human-being treat dogs or any animal with such pain and cruelty? And the hard part for me is the answer to these questions. Because the answer is ME. And I am trying so hard right now to become a better person, because who I was, I am ashamed of.

“Cause see, my whole life has been numb. I was numb to the violence in my community…cause I saw it all the time, ever since I was a child. I mean, how does one grow up in a city that’s nickname is Bad Newz? You can probably guess that from the jump, ya’ know I’ve seen some bad things in my life. And football was the only way that I could escape. As a kid, I even used to go out fishing, and most of the times I wouldn’t catch a darn thing, but just needed to get away from the chaos every once in a while. So, when the commissioner called my name as the #1 draft pick in the NFL – the first time a black quarterback had ever been chosen as the #1 pick, I thought my life was all good. But, what I didn’t realize then, that I have begun to realize now, is that even though I had more money in my pocket, big cars and big houses, I was still numb. And when I say numb, I ain’t talkin about not realizing the stuff that was going on around me, it was just like I was living life asleep. However, that is still no excuse for what I did. But let’s not forget that there are still hundreds of thousands of young people growing in similar environments and seeing violence at a young age has severe consequences.

“Now that I’m trying my best to wake up, I know I have a lot of work to do. And this isn’t about trying to win a Super Bowl ring or a MVP trophy…this is about trying to save lives. I think back to when I use to play football and of course I use to see all those kids in the stands wearing #7 jerseys. And I would never want them to look up to the Michael Vick who did all of those terrible things to the dogs. I know where I need to do the most work is with all of the people around the world who continue to fight dogs. Let me be straight forward with y’all: What I did was wrong, and what you’re doing is wrong. We must stop dog fighting, and I will do everything in my power to be a voice of someone who has finally woken up from the numbness, and knows just how bad it really is. My mission now is to be a source of service to save many animals. I am working very closely with The Humane Society and will be launching a new campaign shortly. If I had one hope in life, it would be that my actions will speak louder than my words. I know it will be hard to forgive me until you see my sincerity through my actions, but I promise you and I promise myself that that day will come.

“Lastly, I accept this challenge, not of writing this blog, but of redeeming myself.”

Last week I wrote a post for VEGdaily and Ecorazzi explaining why I supported both the Eagles and the HSUS’ decision to work with Vick.  Boy, did I get some emails about that one! It was expected though, and in the aftermath I remain firm on my position.

Two days after we published the article, Vick appeared on 60 Minutes to talk about dogfighting and his thoughts on the situation. Vick said:

“There’s no way of explaining the hurt and the guilt that I felt and that was the reason I cried so many nights. And that put it all into perspective.”

What do you think about the interview? Watch the clip below and tell us your thoughts on Vick’s appearance on 60 Minutes.

Yesterday news broke that Michael Vick has signed a two year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. I posted an editorial on our sister site, VEGdaily.com. Here’s how it went down:

Take a quick glimpse on the ol’ Facebook page and you’ll see that the veggie world is pretty fired up about the Philadelphia Eagles giving Michael Vick a two year contract. But you know what? I’m not. Now hold your fire and let me explain.

Dog fighting is an awful, terrible thing and should be without-a-doubt punished by law. And it was. Michael Vick confessed to the charges brought against him and served almost 2 years in prison for his involvement. He did the crime and served the time.

Now what?

The football player is free and has the right – just like any ex-convict in this country – to go back to work. Whether you believe him or not, Vick has shown public remorse for his crimes and has even agreed to work with the HSUS campaigning against dogfighting. What better educator than a reformed sinner?

Many of us choose a cruelty-free lifestyle because we believe that all animals should be treated with compassion. Let us not forget that humans are animals too. What Michael Vick did was horrible – hands down. But what would also be horrible is showing the world that those who stand up for the welfare of animals do not stand up for the welfare of their fellow man.

Michael Vick has the right to work and we have the right to give him a second chance. I choose that right. Even if it means I stand alone.

What do you think about this story? Chime in and share your thoughts on the Philadelphia Eagles’ decision to sign Michael Vick.

Michael Vick

Last week I wrote a piece announcing that the HSUS had agreed to work with Vick in an effort to assist in his reformation. While many approved,  some readers were skeptical of the partnership and not completely confident that Vick could change his wicked ways. However, one man’s story just might convince otherwise.

Sean Moore participated in dogfighting on the streets of Chicago for over 15 years. In that time he watched over a hundred dogs die agonizing deaths for the sake of this atrocious “sport.” Now, he’s a changed man.

Moore has spent the last two years as an anti-dogfighting advocate (ADA) for The HSUS’s End Dogfighting program, to help educate and transform young people.

“It’s a sad situation what I’ve done to these animals that haven’t really asked to have anything done to them,” says Moore, who now owns three pet pit bulls. “[I thought] that’s what pit bulls are supposed to do; that’s what we were taught.”

Moore’s story is absolutely inspiring and proves that anybody can be reformed with just a little bit of education. Read this powerful piece at HSUS.org!

I think it’s safe to say that here on the Razz we’ve been quite thorough with our coverage of both the HSUS and the Michael Vick dogfighting case. Therefore, I am not at all surprised to hear that the animal advocacy organization has agreed to let Vick join their thriving dogfighting campaign.

According to HSUS President Wayne Pacelle:

“I sat with the man, but I still don’t know what’s in his heart. He told me he did terrible things to dogs. He said he grew up with dogfighting as a boy, and that he never sufficiently questioned it as he grew into manhood.

He said this experience has been a trauma and he’s changed forever. And he said he wants to show the American public that he is committed to helping combat this problem. He asked for an opportunity to help. I want to give him that opportunity.”

Personally, I believe that now Michael Vick has served his sentence he should be given a fair opportunity to prove his rehabilitation. Freedom lies in education and I’m optimistic that he has the potential to reach the millions who still condone this thoughtless abuse. In short: I’m excited to hear this news.

What do YOU think? Are you happy to see this partnership or are you still weary of Vick’s motives? Chime in and share your thoughts.

To read Wayne’s entire piece on the issues, visit HSUS.org!

As we wrote about a few weeks ago, PETA and Michael Vick late last year were in discussions to have the convicted dogfighter appear in some public service announcements for the organization. That deal fell through after a U.S. Department of Agriculture report revealed even more nasty facts regarding his abuse of animals.

Now, the comedians over at LandLineTV have imagined just what that PETA ad might have looked like. Have a look below:

American Idol

His thoughts on the First Family’s new pup:

I think we’ve got to be balanced on this. I think—on a positive note, I think it’s nice that they have made an issue of buying a dog for the kids. What I think would be great would be if they also took in a shelter dog, just from anywhere, to balance it. I’ll even pay for the dog food!

On people who chain dogs up for life outside:

That’s disgraceful. The awful thing about what that person doesn’t realize is that in the dog’s mind, as he’s being chained up … that dog has put his trust in the person who’s chaining him. That dog would give up his life nine times out of 10 for the person who’s chaining him up. … For a dog, under those circumstances, just to be left alone, starving to death, lonely and thirsty, is about as low as a person can go. You’ve got to have a really warped, disgusting personality to want to do something like that. That really disgusts me.

On Michael Vick’s animal abuse:

He should never, ever be publicly supported again. Ever. If people really knew the gory details of what he was doing …. They think it was just a dogfight, but what do you do after the fights? The way they kill the maimed dogs ….

Check out the rest of the interview here.

Oh Onion — How thee makes me laugh. Check out the latest issue here.