Michael Jackson's "Ben" may Become Tune for PETA

PETA is seeking the rights from recently deceased Michael Jackson for his 1972 song “Ben”. They wish to utilize the tune for raising awareness regarding animal experimentation on lab rats. The Animal Welfare Act excludes birds, rats, mice, livestock intended for food, cold blooded vertebrates and all invertebrates from protection from cruelty.

Jackson’s song was included on the soundtrack for a movie also entitled “Ben”, a film about a lonesome boy who befriends a rat.

PETA and Jackson have clashed in the past. As recently as March of 2009, PETA protested via post and blog to reports that Jackson planned to replicate a “jungle” theme onstage at the ill-fated O2 arena shows. The rumored guests included elephants, panthers, snakes, tropical birds and monkeys. Jackson later decided against it.

After abandoning Neverland Ranch in 2005, PETA believed Jackson left the remaining animals in undesirable living conditions. Jackson’s ranch was subsequently inspected by federal officials and was cleared from PETA’s cruelty allegations.

In other Jackson news, his former personal chef Kai Chase plans to publish a cookbook of the King of Pop’s favorite dishes. Media reports and the singer himself claimed Jackson was a vegetarian, but Chase’s version of his diet includes tuna and chicken. Jackson’s nutritionist shares another variation of his eating habits, claiming the singer subsisted on a juice and smoothie diet, along with a little bit of trail mix and an occasional treat of fried chicken.

Like many facts regarding Jackson’s lifestyle, the vegetarian issue continues to be cloudy and without significant substantiation.