Amanda Beard got naked, again, this time for a cause. But the dirty Commie Chinese tried to keep her down.
Olympic swimming gold medalist Amanda Beard had to launch her naked, anti-fur campaign poster outside the Athletes’ Village on Wednesday after Chinese authorities canceled a planned unveiling, citing safety concerns.
In a poster for the animal rights group PETA, the reigning 200-meter breaststroke champion appears naked in front of the U.S. flag and the slogan “Be comfortable in your own skin. Don’t wear fur.”
Jason Baker, an Asia-Pacific spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said the launch was “a bit more dramatic than we had planned” after Chinese security officials visited a hotel where an official news conference had been scheduled and shut it down. “From what I’ve been told from the hotel, the public security bureau showed up at midnight and told them our specific event had to be canceled for safety reasons, without going into any specifics,” Baker said. “When I arrived at 8 a.m., there were public security officials in the press conference room we had booked. “Amanda didn’t want her voice to be silenced, so we went ahead and arranged something else — we never knew if we were going to be stopped at any point.”
Baker said the protest was not against China and did not interfere with the Olympics. Police and security saw the launch going ahead outside the south gate of the Athletes’ Village but did not interfere.
“It was a sexy ad really designed for the U.S. market. It was positive and it was (supposed) to be done in a private function room,” Baker said. “I’m surprised they were so concerned, given we’ve done similar (things) with Asian celebrities in the past.”
Beard, 26, who has posed nude in men’s magazines, said she decided to participate in the PETA campaign because she loved animals and was horrified to see how fur was produced for fashion in some places.
She said the Olympics was the perfect forum to get out a positive message, but now she was concentrating entirely on competition. “It’s an important issue — I’m proud to be part of this,” she said. “The more I’ve heard about what happens to the animals … fur ripped off them when they’re still alive — it’s heart breaking.” “I have seen a lot of the videos, and (it) brings me to tears,” the four-time Olympian said in a PETA statement. “What (some people) think is pretty is actually something that’s very gruesome and gross.”
Amanda Beard, though, is awesome and not at all gross. PETA had this to say:
Swimmer Amanda Beard might be the sexiest and most compassionate U.S. Olympic athlete of all time. Need proof? Check out the anti-fur ad that she did—naked—for PETA.
Even with her busy and demanding training schedule, Amanda took the time to bare her skin to help save animals’ skins. With the tagline “Be Comfortable in Your Own Skin. Don’t Wear Fur,” Amanda posed nude to help raise awareness of the cruelty inherent in the fur industry.
There’s also a video interview with Amanda about the making of the poster.
Source: Olympic swimmer’s ‘naked protest shutdown’ [AP]
People magazine has issued a “sneak peek” into their 100 Most Beautiful People issue and I have to ask… are they saving the best for last? Rumer Willis?
KATE HUDSON
She’s on the cover of this year’s Most Beautiful issue, but Hudson doesn’t owe her famous sun-kissed looks to thousands of hours logged at a spa. “I don’t even remember the last time I got a manicure,” says the 29-year-old mom to son Ryder, 4. “I even got to the point where I started waxing my own legs because I don’t have the time. I’d rather be home with Ryder sitting there waxing my legs. I haven’t gotten a facial in a million years. I don’t do those kinds of things. And when I do, I always think, ‘I should do this more often.’”
SALMA HAYEK
The new mom is beautiful inside and out, having signed on as ambassador for a Pampers/UNICEF program that provides tetanus shots to babies and mothers in developing countries. (Every pack of diapers with a UNICEF logo sold pays for one shot.) “You give them the vaccine, they don’t die,” says Hayek, 41. “It’s not just about creating a better world for my daughter, Valentina, but also being more passionate about diminishing the suffering of women and children all over the world.”
MARY J. BLIGE
“I’m at my most beautiful when I’m in a good mood, not dealing with any drama, and feeling healthy,” says the singer, 37. But when she wants to get glam in a pinch, Blige has a quick beauty tip. “I put on eyeliner and mascara and some liner on my mouth and some gloss in the middle, and that’s the perfect five-minute face.”
RUMER WILLIS
“I grew up with a mom that most moms don’t look like,” says the 19-year-old star of the summer comedy The House Bunny. But with a little help from mom Demi Moore, and a some experimentation, she’s finding her own way: “There’s a cool Korean spa my mom found in L.A. I go with my best friend, [Gossip Girl's] Jessica Szohr. That and getting my nails done are my biggest indulgences.”
SARAH SILVERMAN
“It sounds corny, but when I’m with my comedian friends, I just feel good. I’m lucky because I feel way more beautiful than I really am,” says the comic, 37. And although she, ahem, “paired up” with Matt Damon, Silverman’s still going strong with boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel. “Thank God for Jimmy, because all the things I don’t like about myself are the things that he likes the most. Like my inner-thigh fat. He grabs it and he’s like, ‘I love this!’ ”
CHRISTINA APPLEGATE
The 36-year-old actress admits to a new beauty addiction that she picked up on the set of her hit comedy, Samantha Who?. “They airbrush my makeup on,” she says. “Now I don’t want to do anything without that – it’s quick and it’s good. I want to get out of the makeup chair as soon as possible. I’m so low-maintenance.”
EVA LONGORIA & TONY PARKER
They’re one of PEOPLE’s Most Beautiful couples, but the Desperate Housewife – known for her knockout red-carpet appearances – looks the best when she’s low-key, according to her husband. Putting a cute spin on it, the NBA star says, “I like her best in jeans, a T-shirt and Hugs.” Says Longoria Parker, “He means Uggs.”
ISLA FISHER
Her fiery locks aren’t just a signature style – for Fisher, 32, they also provide a convenient excuse! “It was great having red hair as a kid because I had something to blame my temper on,” the Aussie actress says. “Now I go for the same color palette as Conan O’Brien. I did dye it blonde once, but it backfired, as I had nothing to blame my temper on!”
AMANDA BEARD
“To look good in the water, you have to pick the right swimsuit,” advises the gold-medal Olympic swimmer, 26. “I own close to 500.” And that’s not her only tip for a pretty poolside look: “I wear makeup in the water. I always wear a waterproof mascara, Maybelline Volume Express. All my makeup is waterproof, even my concealer.”
THE GOSSIP GIRL CAST
Onscreen, they are gorgeous, scheming, backstabbing high schoolers. Off-screen, Blake Lively, Chace Crawford, Ed Westwick, Jessica Szohr, Penn Badgley, Leighton Meester and Taylor Momsen (clockwise from bottom) are still gorgeous but somewhat kinder to one another. “I assure you,” says Badgley, “we are all fun and charming as hell.”
JULIANNE MOORE
The natural redhead says that when she was younger, she hated her flame-red hair. “Nobody likes being different as a kid. In first grade kids called me Freckleface Strawberry – it was a drink mix. It is also the title of my children’s book,” says Moore, 47. Recently she dyed her hair blonde for the upcoming film Blindness. “It was fun for two days, then I started to hate it. I spent all my life wishing for different color hair, but now I felt too weird to enjoy it. The minute the movie wrapped, I changed it back.”
JASON TAYLOR
If he hasn’t already taken enough ribbing from his Miami Dolphins teammates about his elegant moves on Dancing with the Stars, more is on the way. “This article will be plastered in the locker room,” predicts the 6′6″ Taylor. But the defensive end, 33, is taking the jokes in stride: “In the guy world, it’s a sign of respect. I’d be more worried if they didn’t tease me.”
VANESSA HUDGENS
“I grew up in the business, so I was used to putting on makeup every day,” says the 19-year-old star of the High School Musical movies, who went without makeup for her PEOPLE photo shoot. “Just recently I’ve learned to be okay with myself without wearing makeup. I think it was a special someone telling me that I didn’t need it. I started taking care of my skin and realized I didn’t need as much as I thought I did.”
TAYLOR SWIFT
“I have blonde eyelashes and blonde eyebrows, so my typical insecurity is that my eyes go away when I don’t have makeup on,” says the Grammy-nominated country singer, 19, who also went makeup-free for her PEOPLE shoot. “But it’s important to be comfortable with who you are and go natural once in a while.”
ZOË SALDAÑA
“I feel self-conscious when I have makeup on. It just doesn’t feel like it’s part of me,” says the actress, 29, who didn’t wear any for her PEOPLE shoot. “I feel my most confident when I am at my most natural. However, I do have my days when I really want to do something dramatic, whether it be really dark, dark eyes or dark lipstick. I love red lipstick.”
JESSICA ALBA & CASH WARREN
“[Pregnancy is] the most beautiful thing that can happen to you,” Alba says, admitting that she has a bit of a “glow.” “Everything in my face is puffed up. I have the face of a teenager! I feel like I’m 16 again.” Even Warren says he’s gotten in on the action, admitting, “I don’t know if it’s as much of a pregnancy glow as kind of a barbecue-grease glow. I’ve gained probably about 10 pounds.”
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
The Grammy-winning beauty, 25, admits that she still gets nervous on the red carpet. “I feel more beautiful when I see the pictures after. I’m like, ‘I wish I had felt like I looked like that when I was actually there.’”
source: World’s Most Beautiful People [people]
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Hot Momma Gossip linked with Hot Momma Gossip Weekday Links 04-30-08
Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard has gone nude for Playboy magazine.
She recently talked with Sports Illustrated writer Richard Deitsch about her decision.
SI: Do you consider yourself sexy?
Beard: No, not at all.
SI: How is that possible?
Beard: You should see me when I wake up for morning workouts. I don’t feel sexy at all.
SI: Are you happy with the photos?
Beard: I love the photographs. I’m really excited for everyone to see them.
SI: How many pages do you appear in?
Beard: The pictorial is eight pages and there are eight nude photos.
SI: Is there a swimming theme?
Beard: There are a lot of themes, but there’s a definitely water involved.
SI: Is being naked easy for you?
Beard: I think I’m a lot more comfortable being naked because my work attire is little swimming suits. You get used to not being covered very much. I’m more comfortable with a lot of skin showing than most people.
SI: How have people reacted to your decision to pose?
Beard: So far I feel like it’s been a lot more positive than negative, and I’m excited about that. People are always surprised when I tell them that I get a lot of nice compliments from women. They approach me all the time and say that they look up to me and that it’s really great to have an athletic, healthy body for people to look at.
SI: Have you ever autographed a naked picture of yourself?
Beard: (Laughs). I was thinking about that other day. Do I open the magazine? Do I sign the outside? How is that going to work? I have no idea what it is going to be like but I always sign on my stomach. That’s my area to sign.
SI: Why the stomach?
Beard: There’s a lot of space between the top and bottom.
Fascinating.
Lots more pics available in the magazine and elsewhere around the Web but they’re NSFW and would likely get us in trouble with our advertisers. I’m sure you can find them if you try hard enough!
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