Just when you thought Britney Spears and PETA had stopped their catfighting, along comes claims that the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals may not have been so ethical in their treatment of Spears.
The pop thongbird's publicists are fuming at the animal-rights group over a report in the New York Post implying Spears was planning to get nekkid for an anti-fur photo shoot.
Well, wipe that drool from your mouth, perverts. It ain't happening. Turns out Spears was just planning to give PETA a regular, clothed photo (which, granted, isn't usually that far from naked). And now, after the media whirlwind, she says she's not going to do anything for the group.
"Notwithstanding the meaningful work that PETA does, we cannot be involved with an organization that would distort the truth," Spears' publicist told Reuters, adding that Britney "still feels strongly about animal rights" and would "find another organization to be involved with."
For its part, PETA denied it ever told the Post that Spears was actually stripping down. Wednesday's Page Six report (with the typically understated Post headline: "Britney strips for fur-fighters") suggested that Spears would be posing for PETA's ongoing "I'd rather go naked than wear fur" campaign. Celebs to go native for the campaign have included Pamela Anderson, Kim Basinger, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Melissa Etheridge.
Group spokesman Dan Mathews told the Post that Spears' involvement was "exciting" and setting "a great example."
"We never said she was doing anything naked," Mathews says. "It was all innuendo--in one article. I can understand why it would freak her people out, although I think her representative probably overreacted."
Still, Mathews hopes there are no hard feelings, saying the PETA people remain "big fans" of the 20-year-old singer. In fact, Spears can still be seen donning pleather on PETA's anti-leather Website pleatheryourself.com.
On the bright side, Mathews said, "We're thrilled the entire world knows that Britney is an anti-fur animal advocate."
This isn't the first time PETA and Britney have hissed at each other. In September, the group publicly complained over her use of live cheetahs and a snake during her performance of "I'm a Slave 4 U" at the MTV Video Music Awards.
But lately, PETA's clothes-shedding activities have riled up more than just Britney. On Monday, the superintendent of schools in Los Angeles abruptly cancelled a planned unveiling of actress Dominique Swain's "I'd rather go naked" poster at Venice High School, after getting a look at exactly what was being unveiled.
Swain, the 21-year-old star of Lolita and the forthcoming Pumpkin, poses in the photo completely naked (albeit with crucial bits and pieces hidden) while standing in front of a chalkboard and repeatedly writing, "I'd rather go naked than wear fur."
