PETA Asks Phish to Change Name to 'Sea Kittens'

Quickly, for relevance purposes: people who listen to a lot of Phish travel frequently, and Phish's new green travel blog is known as "Traveling Light" (lawsuit forthcoming, natch.) With that out of the way, let's get down to the nitty gritty (and get this show on the road): PETA spokespeople have asked Phish to change their name ... to the "Sea Kittens."

Is this the stupidest thing ever and a blatant publicity stunt by an increasingly irritating organization hell-bent on punching everyone in America squarely in the eye? Most likely. Hence, a letter issued to media outlets!

The letter, addressed to Trey Anastasio, Jon Fishman, Mike Gordon and Page McConnell, says the request is an attempt to gain empathy for fish, "because few people are aware that fish are actually smart animals with personalities."

"For example, they communicate and develop relationships with one another, feel pain when injured (their lips are particularly sensitive, and they use them like we use our fingers), show affection by gently rubbing against other fish, and even grieve when other fish they like die," the letter continues.

OhmysweetGod. COME ON. I mean, really. REALLY? This is what it's come to now that Michael Vick has served his prison sentence and Phil Spector is no longer allowed to wear dead squirrels on his head? Harrassing a hippie-trust-funded jam band that doesn't seek in any shape or form to take empathy away from actual fish?

It's not even annoying anymore, it's just freaking sad.