An Inclusive Litany

1/23/97

The Los Angeles Times, January 23, 1997:
Alicia Silverstone unveiled her latest video Wednesday afternoon at Beverly Hills High, but instead of donning stretch suede for the rock band Aerosmith, she was shunning scalpels—as part of an effort to persuade high-school students and their biology teachers to give up dissecting frogs.

And cats and pigs. And even worms. But especially frogs.

The 30-second video is dominated by close-ups of Silverstone caressing and even licking a frog.

"When it comes to animals, there's no need to be a classroom cutup," says the 20-year-old actress....

At the same news conference, Silverstone claimed she received an F in middle school for refusing to dissect a frog. However, the San Francisco Chronicle tracked down her science teacher at Crocker Middle School in the Bay Area. The teacher said that not only did Silverstone not receive an F, but that students in the class were not required to dissect animals. As the Los Angeles Times observed, "Silverstone is the first actress we can recall who exaggerated her educational accomplishments downward."