Animal Practice #FAIL

***UPDATE: Since writing this post, NBC has announced that “Animal Practice” is being cancelled. Now I’d like to think we had something to do with this, but I have a feeling it has more to do with a little known group called PETA. Regardless, I couldn’t be happier!***

When I first heard about “Animal Practice,” the new NBC sitcom that takes place in a veterinary hospital,  I had high hopes. What a great opportunity to show the world how amazing animals and animal people can be. Especially cats and cat people of course!

Upon watching the pilot episode, I was left in awe of the terrific feat achieved by the show’s writers. One that might previously have been deemed impossible, and is unlikely to ever be rivaled.

What achievement you ask?  That of alienating half their target audience in the first two minutes of the episode by being tasteless, perpetuating stereotypes and endangering cats because people see things on television and try to recreate them. (Just wait until you see the picture after the jump)

This post was originally titled  “Animal Practice, Three Strikes and They’re Out!” until I realized they struck out way more than three times. Let’s do a quick tally shall we?

Tally of cat-related offenses in pilot of “Animal Practice”:

1) Cat jumps off high-rise in the opening scene

2) Cat’s name is Giggles 

3) Depiction of cat owner as Crazy Cat Lady complete with sweat-pants, bathrobe, house slippers. And of course in order to be completely realistic, she is she is single and depressed.

4) Cat survives fall from high-rise because as we all know, cats always land on their feet.  Or as the vet on the show so expertly explains to the crazy cat lady, due to a phenomenon known as “highrise syndrome, cats that fall automatically twist their bodies into a riding reflex (whatever that means).”

5) Vet explains Giggles was just trying to get laid because she’s in heat. His advise? Well it certainly wasn’t “get her fixed so she doesn’t try to kill herself by jumping off your balcony again.” No, the medical experts advise was to “set her free” to experience the joys of cat sex.

“Animal Practice” cat consultants

6) Vet tells Crazy Cat Lady that she too needs to get laid (I’m paraphrasing but there was no room for interpretation on that one).

It’s shocking to me that in this age of consultants and focus groups the show made it to air with so many gross offenses.  What a huge disservice to cats and cat lovers. NBC should be ashamed.

A new episode of “Animal Practice” airs tonight on NBC at 8pm EST. I implore you, DO NOT WATCH IT. If you want to see and hear the stupidity first hand, watch the pilot online but let’s not give the networks the pleasure of high ratings. Please.

Instead of this drivel, NBC should produce a show like “Pets In The City,” a reality show featuring real vets and animal lovers (some are celebs!) portraying animal lovers realistically.  Oh, and it was created and produced by my friend and animal-advocate (and hot NYC singleton) Lisa Alexander!

Lisa’s been shopping her idea around to no avail, though she got close with OWN and Oxygen.  So instead of watching “Animal Practice” watch “Pets In The City” and tell the networks to produce it instead!