I haven't seen the movie or the interview, but if I were face-to-face
with Ben Stiller, I'd bite him too!  What a whimpering baby.  It only
confirms my opinion of him.  Besides the fact that he's in the movie, the
trailer bothered me the way the ferret was banged into that garbage can,
and I was afraid there'd be more of that, which isn't funny, it's
ignorant and mean.  So I don't think I'll see it.
 
It seems whenever ferrets are in the media, all you see or hear about is
them biting someone.  Because of this, that's all people know about them
and the negative stereotype will never go away.  For example, when I
first told a friend I was thinking of getting a ferret, she said, "Don't
do it; they bite." Her boyfriend concurred.  That didn't deter me because
I had already done so much research online about ferrets and they seemed
like the coolest animals.  Also, I met some in person.  Besides that, I
kind of liked the idea of having an "outlaw" pet.
 
The prejudice against ferrets reminds me of the attitudes toward black
people--that they are all violent muggers.  The only way these attitudes
will change is by actual contact and positive images in the media.  If
only there were more TV shows, films and articles about ferrets about
all their good attributes.  Usually, the only place you see authentic
information about ferrets is on Animal Planet and they are far and few
between (There was a good show about ferrets and a woman who had a small
shelter in her home on Jan.  15.)  And then there was "Beastmaster" and
"Kindergarten Cop," which no one talks about.  I guess it's true that
only bad news sells.
 
In conclusion, every time I have told someone I have a ferret, the
response has almost always been, "Oh, I love ferrets."  In most cases
these people either had a ferret in the past or knew someone who did.
And everyone who has met Rocky has found him totally charming.  Luckily,
he didn't bite anyone's socked-foot!  He only does that to people he
knows, like me and my friends.  "I can't help it Mom; it's just soooo
tasty," says Rocky.
 
Shron & Rocky
 
P.S.  I just read about his apology.  Well that's something, but would he
have done it without feeling his career was threatened?  We still need an
apology from Whoppi.
[Posted in FML issue 4397]