PETA pride: Bear bashing? Fox Report weekend anchor Julie Banderas joined her weekday counterpart Shepard Smith today in finding great delight in the pain of the Trampoline Bear. In a Fox News “Bear Alert,” Julie announced that New Jersey had given approval to its first bear hunt in five years as Fox Report producers ran the exploitative almost-seven-year-old video of a tranquilized black bear falling from a tree onto a trampoline, being bounced high into the air, and then crashing headfirst into the unforgiving ground. As the footage ran, Julie laughed, “Maybe, all they [New Jersey authorities] need is a few trampolines. That’ll take care of ’em: It’ll wipe ’em all out!”* (The floor crew roared with approval.)
Not so very funny. Perhaps, the Kardashian sisters, Kloe and Kim, should have given their apparent friend Julie a lesson on animal appreciation earlier this month during their Fourth of July yacht cruise of the Hudson River.* Both of the beauties have been given an education of their own on animal rights by PETA. In 2008, Kloe posed for PETA’s “Fur? I’d Rather Go Naked” campaign against the killing of animals for their coat after the organization told her what occurred to the animals during fur harvesting. In April of this year, Kim had to defend herself for holding a kitten by the nape of the neck in a Twitter photo after coming under fire from PETA for doing so. Perhaps, they can now help explain to Julie that the Trampoline Bear deserves some respect as well.
The author is certainly not suggesting that Julie is cold-hearted after following her copious love Tweets about baby daughter Addison. However, regardless of one’s views of PETA, one would be hard pressed not to agree that animals should be treated as humanely as possible. To find humor in the harming of an animal, i.e., the Trampoline Bear, is simply regrettable at best. Hopefully, Julie (and Shep) will soon so concur.
[As to Julie’s friendship with the Kardashian family, her sister Melissa Bidwell is co-executive producer of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.” As to the aforementioned cruise, Julie, hubby Andrew, and their daughter Addison all were aboard with the Kardashian family for that luxurious outing on July 4th. The next day an appreciative Julie Tweeted, “@KhloeKardashian @KimKardashian @KeepinUpWKris It was great seeing u guys! Addison says she’ll never forget her 1st 4th!!! :)”]
*Fox Report – 07/25/10 (@7:41 p.m. ET)
Update: Citing this article specifically, Julie responded, “I’d like to go on the record by saying all who know me are aware of my passion for animal rights. I would never condone animal cruelty and have informed my producers not to air the bear on a trampoline video on my show ever again. http://bit.ly/bVNExX”
Update2: Julie has scrubbed her Twitter page of her Trampoline Bear Tweets and reTweets, including her animal rights stand and her decision not to ever air the Trampoline Bear vid again on her weekend Fox Report.
Tags: Fox Report, Julie Banderas, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Kim Kardashian, Kloe Kardashian, Melissa Bidwell, PETA, Shepard Smith, Trampoline Bear
Carpe Diem 
July 25, 2010 at 11:49 pm
The trampoline bear was unharmed. It’s also hilarious.
July 26, 2010 at 5:18 am
Al, even Julie did not assert that Trampoline Bear was unharmed. In fact, she indicated just the opposite when she said, “Maybe, all they [New Jersey authorities] need is a few trampolines. That’ll take care of ‘em: It’ll wipe ‘em all out!”
July 26, 2010 at 8:41 am
The bear was fine. From Orlando Channel 6:
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/2469188/detail.html
July 26, 2010 at 10:21 am
Aw, give ’em a break! Even our US Presidents have ‘gotten into the act’, so to speak. Remember the great LBJ holding up the dog by his ears? Also, remember Harry Truman’s participation in the rabbit clubbing broadcast live on ‘raddio’ (“And there goes another one….give em more h****, Harry!”
Not to mention Rutherford B. Hayes’ butchering of a hog at the 1878 convention.
July 26, 2010 at 10:27 pm
I can understand why some might not find anything funny about that video. It’s a perspective thing, probably framed partially by our experiences along with our proclivity to find humour in life, and our tastes vary wildly. Had the bear been maimed by that incident, common decency tells us that we should at least not “LOL” about it.
But the bear wasn’t hurt and clearly many find the video funny. Seems to me that common decency now suggests that those who don’t find any humour in it should at least allow those who do some slack. Doing so wouldn’t harm them in the least and it certainly doesn’t harm the bear.
Also, my veterinarian advises us to lift a cat by the nape of its neck, especially if the cat tends to be uncooperative. Could be PETA wanted the… exposure.
July 26, 2010 at 10:54 pm
That is an idiotic story. Julie never has condoned animal cruelty, and what that trampoline was there for was to attempt to ease the fall of the bear after it was tranquilized.
Don’t be ridiculous in assuming that there is some connection between airing that clip (her producers choice) and animal cruelty. The arguments made here are non-sensical and go against common logic. Didn’t you do your follow-up…the bear wasn’t harm. It was out cold….how did that constitute taking “great delight in the pain of the trampoline bear? You assert that there was harm done to the bear. Prove your assertion. Show the facts. Al pointed you to a link to prove you are wrong “Officials said the bear is fine and will be released into the wild in the morning.” Where is the harm you speak of? Show me an example of where Julie has EVER approved of animal cruelty. You can’t!
So, this whole blog is just trash. Made up puffery to get your name out there against a popular newscaster, or possibly to just have a go at bashing anything related to Fox.
Ridiculous!
July 26, 2010 at 11:17 pm
Let me be clear, I would never harm an animal nor condone anyone else doing the same. Animals are NOT human therefore humane treatment of them is not possible. PETA is a fringe group, people who need a cause to survive. They can’t get along with other people so they take up with animals who cannot defend themselves against them. They delight in destroying other PEOPLE’s property and make it their mission to ruin PEOPLE’s careers and reputation. The bear in the FOX video was NOT harmed. The trampoline was there to protect the bear. The bear on the trampoline is just funny, not because the bear is harmed or hurt but because it is just funny…get it!? But no, PETA doesn’t get it because they are idiots; a group of morons on a mission. Leave Julie Banderas and Shepherd Smith alone. Paint yourselves with honey and go lie in a bed of ants.
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