It’s Betty White fever: The animal-loving star’s camp announces new clothing line, book and calendar
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We love animals, and we love Betty White. So we’re thrilled by the actress and animal advocate’s recent publicity surge, and we’re especially pleased to learn that some of her latest projects involve animals.
White has officially signed off on a line of hoodies and T-shirts bearing her image, including the one at left, described by The Times’ All the Rage blog as ‘our favorite -- a black and white riff on Shepard Fairey’s famous Obey Giant image, with White’s sweet countenance subbing in for Andre the Giant’s.’
A portion of proceeds from the Betty-themed clothing benefits the Morris Animal Foundation, an animal health charity for which White is a trustee. You can see more styles and order online at HoodieBuddie.com.
The Times’ celebrity news blog, Ministry of Gossip, recently clued us in on another of White’s projects, a book she’s penning called ‘The Zoo and I: Betty and Her Friends.’ The book, to be published in 2012, will feature photos and stories about White’s favorite animal residents of the L.A. Zoo, where she’s a board member. (She was honored by the zoo for her years of support in a gala event, the Beastly Ball, earlier this summer.)
It was announced in July that a 2011 calendar featuring White would be released, with proceeds from its sales also benefiting the Morris Animal Foundation.
White’s fellow Golden Girls, the late Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan, were also devoted animal advocates. Shortly before her death in June, McClanahan signed on to help feral cats for the organization Alley Cat Allies, and she’d previously worked with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals on numerous campaigns. Arthur was a fellow PETA supporter who made (posthumous) headlines in April when the animal-rights group ran an ad that featured her image alongside the text ‘McCruelty: It’s enough to make Bea Arthur roll over in her grave.’
In contrast to her former costars, White has said that she is an animal welfare and health advocate but isn’t a supporter of the animal-rights movement. Explaining that stance, she told TVGuide.com, ‘You know what the problem that animal activists sometimes have? They only concentrate on the heartbreaking things to the point where the general public think, ‘Oh, here comes those animal folks again and I’m going to hear all the things I don’t want to hear.’ They forget to celebrate all the gains that we’ve made.’
RELATED ANIMAL-LOVING CELEBRITY NEWS:
Pamela Anderson helps canine victims of oil spill (and returns home with two new rescue dogs)
Ellen DeGeneres loves rescue pets, stew and stamps; Portia de Rossi speaks out for feral cats
-- Lindsay Barnett