People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has launched a new offensive against fast food giant McDonald’s with a new campaign ad called McCruelty. What is most jarring about this new promo campaign is that the late Golden Girl Bea Arthur is featured in the ad with the claim that she would “roll over in her grave” if she knew what McDonald’s was up to. To me, this seems terribly offensive to the late actress’s memory but PETA maintains that they have the support of Arthur‘s son in the matter. Here is what this new PETA campaign promo photo looks like and excerpts of what it says:
A new PETA ad aimed at shaming McDonald’s into changing their chicken-slaughtering practices stars a familiar glare — one belonging to Bea Arthur. A ‘Golden Girls’-era photo of the actress appears in the ad next to the jarring headline: “McCruelty. It’s enough to make Bea Arthur roll over in her grave.” Arthur died last April of cancer shortly before her 87th birthday. Arthur was a long-time supporter of PETA when she was alive, and the ad states she left money to the animal right’s group for their campaign against McDonald’s. It begins: “Death couldn’t stop this Golden Girl from fighting the Golden Arches’ cruel slaughter practices.” The ad is running in Chicago newspapers on Thursday to reach the Illinois-based fast food company. Dan Matthews, a PETA vice president, told the New York Times that he consulted with Matt Saks, Arthur’s son, “who especially liked that the copy was in Bea’s irreverent voice.” According to the ad, PETA is using the money Arthur gave “to pressure McDonald’s to switch to a less violent, USDA-approved chicken-slaughter method” that they say would spare birds of broken legs and “being scalded to death in defeathering tanks.” The ad specifically calls out McDonald’s CEO Jim Skinner, who has resisted changing slaughtering methods. It ends with a popular saying by Arthur’s ‘Maude’ character: “God’ll get you for that.”
I suppose if Bea‘s son Matt is OK with this ad then I should be as well … I just wish that PETA used better language. Bea only died last year and, at least to me, the loss still feels very present. It seems cruel to me to be making jokes about the woman’s death so soon after her passing. It’s tricky because even tho her son approves, we can’t know if Bea would’ve been ok with an ad like this. In the end, I suppose we have to trust that her son would know best. What do y’all think?
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Wow, that’s terrible! WAY too soon, I mean I think maybe 10 yrs+ deceased is okay. They should have had better taste than that, and if they HAD to use her to promote their new campaign they definitely should have used better language “Bea would never have approved!…” instead of going with the cheap tagline. Sad.
eh. i’m all for humane treatment of animals, but PETA is something else entirely.
if she didn’t enhance their brand of crazy when she was alive, i’m not buying into this supposed endorsement.
Even though her son may support it, it’s still in very bad taste. Peta has a good message, but they are horrible in getting that message out.
I think if it is not in her will as expressed wishes after her death then it shouldn’t be done. You never know who is profiting off of this add. Her son, different lawyers, who ever, when ever there is a famous face to profit from shady hands are never far behind.
so disrespectful
Definitely in poor taste. I know Bea was a PETA supporter, but still. Too soon.
Even if her son is ok with this..I am not. PETA seems to be getting more and more extreme.
way to win people on your side, PETA… with poor taste! I’m disgusted.
If nothing else at least we can all agree that it was a cause very close to Bea’s heart and she supported that organization in life.
If I supported a group or charity very strongly (which I do) I would absolutely let them use a picture of me after I’d died. Death happens to all of us so I might as well keep supporting the causes I love and believe in!
I think it’s a completely appropriate ad and I’m glad her son approved it. Did y’all read the “being scalded to death in defeathering tanks” part? This is about reducing the cruelty to those chickens, and I personally think Ms. Arthur would have appreciated the use of her picture to draw people’s attention to this issue.
well her son support it….not sure about the rest of her family. in terms of showing respect, isn’t that the extent they owe it? (im on the fence on that though). either way, they should have thought the initial reaction from fans would be that theyd be offended, esp if they dont hear that her son approved….that being said. . . this is NOT even remotely CLOSE to being on her best withering glares. We’ve seen much better ones many times before! If you’re gonna do it, do it well PETA!
PETA has started to get all kinds of ridiculous recently. It’s one thing to be against the cruelty of animals and to do something about it, but the routes that PETA has been going down just makes them seem crazy!
To be honest, I have less of a problem with this than with most PETA campaigns.
I’m all for animal rights, but the way PETA go about it sickens me. This may be disrespectful, but it isn’t degrading unlike most PETA ads.
approved or not, it’s uncouth.
@ SLT, no, everyone’s reading the part about Bea. The outrage is centered on the AD’s controversy, not the animals. Thats the mistake they keep making.
Nobody is going to stop and read all that fine print! Geez.
Because everybody’s too lazy to read the fine prints ? Or being interested in something else than their own little problems is too much to ask ?
If I remember correctly, wasn’t Bea Arthur a long-time supporter of PETA? If she was, I’m sure she knew first-hand how radical the organization was & something tells me, with her dry wit, she wouldn’t be at all surprised that they would use her for one of their campaigns.
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I don’t know if that’s true or not or what’s in her Will about it… Or if her son has REALLY given his approval… Who says he has – PETA, right?
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I doubt she’d be rolling in her grave… so much as laughing at them. They are getting pretty desperate for attention, aren’t they? I’d rather have a bee hive fall on my head, then give PETA MY attention. Besides, the only thing I like from McDonald’s is their fish fillets with a large side of fries. Yum!
If Bea’s an avid animal supporter….then shut up and be proud that her son let her name represent and help animals….Bea…thanks for still helping for above!! The rest of you…..shut up!!
@Jean — First, Bea is not an avid supporter because she is no longer living. Second, no one is saying her name shouldn’t be used to help bring attention to animal rights … the problem is the way her name is being used. Saying that she is “rolling in her grave” is insensitive so soon after her death, don’t you think?
PETA has a good message but they tend to really annoy me. I strongly encourage signing up for the humane society newsletter. They’re a great organization and have a wide variety of important causes to aim for concerning animal rights. PETA seems to rely on getting attention and come off negatively to me.