Playboy model Joanna Krupa is playing up her Catholic roots in a typically provocative naked ad for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Krupa, fresh off a successful stint on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, is part of the left-wing lobby’s "Be An Angel For Animals" campaign. In the Christmas season, the latest ad features Krupa naked but hidden behind a strategically placed holy cross. Paul Bedard of U.S. News & World Report noted the Catholic League went into "battle mode" on this one Said its leader Bill Donohue:
"PETA is a fraud. It also has a long and disgraceful record of exploiting Christian and Jewish themes to hawk its ugly services. Those who support this organization sorely need a reality check. They also need a course in Ethics 101."
Donahue said before Thanksgiving, Krupa was featured topless with a dog and a rosary. Bedard then sought out the other side:
Through PETA, Krupa emailed this to us: "It's understandable that the Catholic League is wary of another sex scandal, but the sex we're talking about pertains to dogs and cats. As a practicing Catholic, I am shocked that the Catholic League is speaking out against my PETA ads, which I am very proud of. I'm doing what the Catholic Church should be doing, working to stop senseless suffering of animals, the most defenseless of god's creation. I am a voice for innocent animals who are being neglected and dumped by the millions at shelters. In my heart I know that Jesus would never condone the suffering that results when dogs and cats are allowed to breed."
Bedard did not ask whether Playboy models should be lecturing the Catholic Church on moral issues, or whether the Playboy model realized that PETA kills animals.