Posted on 12/10/2004 7:45:12 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Actor and ocean advocate Ted Danson toured the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Thursday afternoon, where he was particularly taken with the great white shark and jellyfish exhibits.
He also was here to support the work of Julie Packard, executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, who last month was named recipient of his 2004 Ocean Hero award from Oceana, an international ocean advocacy group.
"She's one of my heroes," Danson said.
Later Thursday evening, Danson would deliver a "state of the ocean address" to some 500 international aquarium experts gathered in Monterey for a weeklong conference.
Danson said his speech would promote the work of Oceana and would cover worldwide fishing practices, ocean pollution and cruise ships' effect on the ocean environment.
"I'd like aquariums to move from pure science to becoming a bit of an advocate," he said Thursday afternoon.
As founding president of American Oceans Campaign, which two years ago merged with Oceana, Danson has a lengthy resume of ocean causes. He has spoken on behalf of the ocean environment for more than 17 years.
He has a lengthy list of TV credits, including his well-known role as barkeep Sam Malone on "Cheers."
"'Cheers' was paying me way too much money," he said, and he wanted to use it for something worthwhile. He joined a local fight against Occidental Petroleum Corp., which was trying to place a large number of oil rigs just off Santa Monica beaches. Danson said he soon learned that ocean pollution is much more than just oil spills.
"The ocean is an ecosystem that starts in the mountains," he said. Runoff from farms, communities and industry close to the shorefront all contribute far more to ocean pollution than oil spills, he said.
Now a board member of Oceana, Danson has testified before a federal oceans commission and campaigned for a moratorium on bottom-trawling fishing practices.
Danson stressed that ocean advocates need to get involved in politics to make a real difference, citing national legislation introduced last spring by Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, that would prohibit cruise ship sewage discharges within 12 miles of U.S. shores.
Most importantly, Danson said, he wants people to stop taking the world's oceans for granted.
"There is the temptation to say 'It's huge, it's beautiful. What could possibly be wrong?"
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What is Oceana? • A nonprofit organization with more than 200,000 members worldwide • It campaigns to protect and restore the world's oceans • Its Web site describes ocean threats, current campaigns and proposed legislation • Contact: www.oceana.org
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Actually it was about 15 years ago, but who's counting? Stop thinking, just feel.
Or an actor who probably couldn`t survive in the "real" working world that most of us inhabit.
This idiot couldn't stay married to Whoopi Goldberg!
Didn't Ted predict ten years ago that there wouldn't be any ocean in ten years?
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Yes, and anyone who could be attracted to Whoopie Goldberg should be delivered a mercy killing, to stop his massive suffering from terminal liberalism....
It's a long time cause of his. The question is what practices truly result in ocean conservation.
Probably has his own refinery operating with whale crap as feedstock.
This guy is a real piece of work.
Ocean ADVOCATE? These Hollywood types really have no hold on reality.
Where is George Costanza when you need him?
Well let's just close all the factories, shut down all the farms, and eliminate all communities. We could then drill and ship all the oil our hearts desired.
The fact he married her in the first place speaks volumes.
I'll never forget his quote about making love to Whoopie.
"I'ts like throwing a hotdog down a hallway."
ROFL!!
Me too.....I guess I will take my toilet and flush elsewhere
Didn't Ted try a revival of Amos n' Andy called Ted & Whoppi at the NY Friars Club ten years ago? I think that program got cancelled right after the pilot episode, if memory serves...
That be one ugly woman.
As a matter of fact, yes. Ted showed up with a black face and white lips. A throwback to the minstrel shows of the nintenth century. So much for cultural sensitivity on Ted and Whoppi's part.
"Danson has testified before a federal oceans commission and campaigned for a moratorium on bottom-trawling fishing practices."
I'd suggest that he stick to his area of expertise--tending bar.
I had a friend in high school who's mom was nuts about Ted Danson. She thought he was sooooo handsome. I thought she was crazy--this was before I knew anything about his political leanings, and even if I did at the time, it wouldn't have mattered since I didn't care less about politics at the time. I thought back then and still do now, that he was simian-looking.
"This is what you do when you are a dried up, bald-headed actor"
How many badgers died so that he could have a deluxe toupee. Some needs to speak out about the carnage of badger toupees.
Danson....GO FISH!!
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