Michael Vick in Talks to Become PETA Spokesman

[babylonsister]

Michael Vick in Talks to Become PETA Spokesman
Jailed NFL Superstar Looks to Rehab Image After Dog-fighting Rap

By Rich Thomaselli

Published: May 01, 2009

NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Michael Vick is in talks to become the new spokesman for PETA.

Yes, you read that correctly. The disgraced one-time NFL superstar serving prison time for funding an illegal dog-fighting ring is primed to do public-service ads for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals upon his release later this month. According to three people with knowledge of the matter, the proposed endorsement is part of a comprehensive PR scheme aimed at rehabilitating the quarterback's image and gaining him readmission to the league that banned him from playing.

"I'm familiar with {the plan}," said Dan Shannon, director of youth outreach and campaigns for PETA. "We have been in discussions with Michael Vick, with his management team, about the possibility of him putting out a public-service announcement with PETA when he's out of jail. We want him to discourage people from taking part in dog-fighting. I can do it until I'm blue in the face and it might not convince anybody. Michael Vick sure can. He can say, 'Look, I did it, I was wrong, and it ruined my career.'"

Other image-changing moves

That's not all Mr. Vick will do to try to rehabilitate his image. People with knowledge of his comeback plan said it will also include mea culpa TV interviews, PSAs and charitable donations to other animal-rights organizations (or perhaps the formation of his own foundation), along with the possibility of working with PETA.

more...

http://adage.com/article?article_id=136403

[OhioChick]

1. PR scheme is all that it is. Bottom line....the idiot wants to play football. n/t

[babylonsister]

3. If he's in talks, that suggests PETA is talking back. nt

[OhioChick]

6. But do you trust him?

He's shot in the NFL unless he redeems himself. What better way than a PETA spokesman. :shrug:

[babylonsister]

13. Dog fighting is horrible and cruel, and I'm glad he was penalized,

but I also think he was made an example of because of his high profile. Maybe that's what it took for people to stop, but I'll just bet they haven't. They've just moved deeper into the woods, or wherever this happens.

Do I trust him? I trust he'll never do it again, and I also trust he does want to redeem himself and his career.

[OhioChick]

16. Good points....

But do you really think that if he didn't have the NFL to think about (and all the big bucks) he'd consider this?

[babylonsister]

19. If he didn't have the NFL to think about, he probably wouldn't

have been arrested in the first place, and this trial wouldn't have received the publicity it did.

[OhioChick]

27. True.

Hey.....I think you and I had our "first" debate. :)

[Thothmes]

32. It certainly would not have been Federal Charges

if he had just been another black guy fighting dogs.

[Cha]

26. True redemption stories

always choke me up because of all it took to make that happen.

People can change and getting busted and sent to jail can be a life altering situation.

[Enrique]

8. seems all good to me

a good football player gets to play football, and the work he does for PETA could make a big difference for some innocent doggies out there.

[OhioChick]

11. True.....but do you think that he's sincere? n/t

[mike_c]

2. that ka-CHUNK was the sound of my jaw hitting the ground....

:rofl:

What a bizzaro world!

[Tim01]

4. His cell door should have been welded shut.

Is PETA really this gullible?

[Tab]

5. In other news...

George W. Bush is in talks with both the ACLU and Amnesty International as a spokeman for human rights.

[SoxFan]

7. Amy Winehouse to serve as Alcoholics Anonymous spokesthing

[OhioChick]

9. Man, that chick looks bad. n/t

[MADem]

10. That's pretty sick. Sorta like George Bush becoming the spokesmodel for the

Human Rights Campaign.

Some things are just not to be believed.

I call it a lead balloon.

[MrSlayer]

12. I liked his cameo on Family Guy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22J7X2vdjIE&feature=related

He'll never escape his reputation, this is ridiculous.

[Mr. Ected]

14. But...But...If He Can Convince Just ONE Dogfighter To Quit....

Oh, who the hell am I trying to kid?

[LostInAnomie]

15. Craven bullshit by both parties.

PETA looking to get in the news again.

Vick looking to clean up his image.

Sadly, we're stupid enough for it to work.

[Raine]

17. I sure wouldn't trust him

I don't see that a stretch in jail has caused him to grow a heart to care about animals. :-(

[Bleacher Creature]

18. I'm somewhat skeptical, but maybe he really has learned his lesson.

When this all came out (and before he was sent to prison), I wanted him locked up forever. Now that he's truly paid for his crimes, I really would like to see him grow and make something from this. That said, I completely understand that it may be nothing more than self-preservation.

[Kajsa]

22. The optimist in me wants to believe

that change too, BC.

The realist keeps talking back though, telling me
it's that he's itching to get back in the NFL.

I hope it's both.

[spanone]

20. ...and junior bu$h* is joining the peace corps

[Mike 03]

21. It's hard to know how seriously to take this. You'd have to be a sociopath to get into

dog fighting, and it's easy for a sociopath to pretend to "make amends." Let him volunteer at an animal shelter for a year. He'll see things he won't believe.

[and-justice-for-all]

23. It's part of his community service...nothing more..

this bastard is not sorry for a damn thing.

[Thothmes]

33. As long as he does not do it again

it does not make a fat rats behind if he was really sorry about what he did.

[DireStrike]

24. I don't care what he gets out of it. If it helps animals, I'll cheer for it.

Of course he is self-interested here. Let's make good use of that.

[LanternWaste]

25. If I had a popped pimple on my butt...

If I had a popped pimple on my hairy, skinny butt, Vick still wouldn't have the humility, grace, class, or dignity to kiss it (the pimple or my butt-- either way...). He should be given a second chance-- no more, nor no less than he gave his pups a second chance.

Sometimes I think we use the word "animal" on the wrong species.

[Tab]

29. Thank you for the visual.

NOT.

[LanternWaste]

30. It was a bit too... descriptive.

It was a bit too... descriptive. Sorry. :P

[Tab]

31. You can PayPal me the money for tonight's sleeping pills

PM me for delivery information.

[TheMightyFavog]

28. Just another reason for me to dislkie PETA.

End of line.