PETA has a lot of work to do if they want to enforce their agenda in a winter where fur and snakeskin are two huge trends. They've just successfully made one high-profile example of Reese Witherspoon, who the organization targeted after she was seen walking around L.A. with a python-skin Chloe bag. When the photos surfaced, they sent her a video narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, whom she acted opposite in Walk the Line, which explains that the skin on her bag is obtained by nailing a snake's head to a tree, skinning it alive, and then leaving it to languish for sometimes days before dying. From PETA's blog:

Reese said that she was grateful for the information we had sent her, and we were so appreciative that she bagged the bag that we sent her flowers as a thank-you. It's good timing, too: Her upcoming movie This Means War co-stars Laura Vandervoort, who just shot a naked exotic-skins ad for PETA, so now those two can slink down the red carpet together rocking mock croc and fake snake.

Sales of snakeskin fashion items in California has been illegal since 1970. In terms of getting their message out, making an example of someone like Witherspoon — who is known for being sweet (remember her pink wedding dress?) — was a smart move for PETA. She's not the kind of star who can be exploited by animal rights' activists for carrying an insensitive bag and easily weather choosing the bag over their message. Besides, can't you just see her telling a red carpet reporter she's "rocking mock croc" [wink!] ?

Reese Witherspoon Ditches Python Bag [PETA]