Animal Planet

Mondo Times editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 10:54pm on Saturday, September 12th, 2009

Rascal has been named winner of the country's oldest "Original Ugly Dog Contest." Compared to a Chupracabra, Rascal, a 7-lb. naturally hairless African Sand Dog, owned by actor Dane Andrew of Sunnyvale, California, won for the second year in a row the coveted title of Ugly Dog at the contest held in the city of Fort Bragg, during the 70th annual Paul Bunyan Days. Later the hairless wonder led a group in the town parade.

Rascal, who is already a Ring of Champions "World's Ugliest Dog" and only one of two living and competing dogs, had already set history by being the first dog to ever hold so many Ugly titles at the same time and the only dog to have ever won so many different contests. He may now be in line for the Guinness Book of World Records, like his grandfather Chi Chi, who is in the book for winning the World's Ugliest Dog title 8 times, a record that may never be beaten.

Rascal is from a family dynasty of winning ugly dogs starting with rescue dog Chi Chi and his mega-wins, his grandmother Lady Pink, who won 3 times, and his mom Mai Tai, who won 3 times as the World's Ugliest Dog.

Rascal's master, Dane Andrew, may be eligible for the Guinness records book as well after showing ugly dogs for 33 years straight, since starting as a kid.

Dane Andrew and Rascal are currently "Distinguished Residents" of their hometown, as named by the Mayor in the annual State of the City, and even have a Mayoral Proclamation from Sunnyvale and Mayor Gavin Newsom and the City of San Francisco.

Rascal is so ugly that Jay Leno had him on The Tonight Show before he even won his first award, and since has been interviewed by Barbra Walters on The View, Last Call with Carson Daly, Jane Pauley, People Magazine, Hello, and even spoofed on Perez Hilton, and so many more.

They finished their fourth Animal Planet show and a 35MM film "The Profile," in which Dane Andrew plays an FBI agent opposite a star from the TV show Heroes.

A favorite of the horror film community, with films like Tele-Zombie, Curse of the Smoke O'Lantern, Carma, and The Adventures of Scanky Doo, Rascal is the basis for an upcoming documentary movie, "The Ugliest Dog," which has over 30 celebrity and political cameos.

Mondo Times editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 2:29pm on Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Animal Planet Media has promoted Jason R. Carey to vice president of production, the company announced on July 29, 2009. He will be Animal Planet's lead production executive.

Jason R. Carey, executive producer for Animal Planet's successful "Whale Wars" and "Jockeys" series, has been promoted to vice president of production for the network and will report directly to Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager for Animal Planet Media. Carey is based in the network's New York office. His promotion is effectively immediately.

In his new role, Carey will oversee the network's current series and will work closely with Kaplan and the entire executive team to help shape the next phase of new content.

While maintaining his executive producer oversight for key series, Carey's role and responsibilities have expanded to include partnering with the development team to produce new show concepts while maintaining and improving the quality and integrity of hundreds of hours of original content.

Mondo Times editors    Boulder, Colorado USA

Posted at 1:18pm on Thursday, July 2nd, 2009

Animal Planet's large predator expert Dave Salmoni will try to save magnificent lions marked for death in a new series.

Leaving the city life of Toronto, Salmoni heads deep into the Namibian bush to spend six months alone among a pride of lions and the diverse and often deadly wildlife in Africa. His mission is to save a rogue pride of lions from elimination.

Premiering Thursday, August 13, at 8 PM as a five-part series, "Into The Pride" takes viewers along with Salmoni on a tenuous journey -- accompanied by a camera crew by day and completely alone once darkness falls. Setting up camp deep within Namibia's Erindi Private Game Reserve, Salmoni spends each solitary night while African game roam through his campground. He awakes early each and every morning determined to get closer and closer to the lions he's trying to save.