Joe Namath's Insane Fur Coat Caused A Twitter Uproar. Here's What PETA Said About It.

Impact

Warning this post contains some graphic images.

The news: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is mad at Joe Namath. In typically subtle fashion, the animal rights organization tweeted this horrific picture in response to the former New York Jet’s Max Julien-esque wardrobe choice at last night’s Super Bowl:

Well played, PETA. Excuse me while I cry-vomit into my shirt.

The background: It was shaping up to be a relatively normal NFL coin toss until Joe Namath happened:

Whether Namath stole this coat from your great-aunt’s closet or skinned a herd of chinchillas and made it himself remains unknown. What is known is how passionately Twitter responded, proving yet again that it only takes one man and some pimpalicious threads to unite a divided nation:

But PETA was definitely not laughing. Founded in 1980, the Virginia-based non-profit has earned both respect and notoriety for its vociferous take on animal rights advocacy. It is the largest such organization in the world, boasting over 3 million members and supporters. Specialty areas include “public education, cruelty investigations, research, animal rescue,” and “protest campaigns.”

The takeaway: Namath’s coat was an unquestioned highlight of last night’s festivities, but a low point in the lives of whatever animals were slaughtered to make it. PETA’s response held unsurprising shock value. But it was also likely an accurate representation of the reality behind the fur industry. Agree or disagree, but either way, we are certainly best served knowing the real costs of the products we buy.