Last week, we told you about how SeaWorld has come under fire, especially since trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed by a killer whale in Orlando in 2010. SeaWorld was fined by the Labor Department and ordered not to let trainers in the water with the animals -- a ruling SeaWorld is appealing. In the meantime, animal rights folks have been petitioning hard against the company's keeping killer whales in captivity, and the documentary Blackfish, which has been airing on CNN, has brought SeaWorld's problems to light.
See also: Sea World Facing Huge Backlash After Blackfish Documentary Airs
Now, Howard Stern -- who just bought a house in Palm Beach and is our new neighbor -- is jumping into the mix. According to Ecorazzi, he was heard on his radio show opining that, "I happen to believe that you can't lock a whale up in captivity," Stern said. "That is so cruel. Come on, give me a break... From what I'm reading, whales are like, almost like people in terms of intelligence and family, and then they separate them out, and it's, like, heartbreaking. F*****g leave them in the ocean! I don't have to see a whale that bad at SeaWorld... What kind of idiot goes to SeaWorld anyway?"
See also: Sea World: Record Earnings Despite Orca Controversy
Back in 2011, Stern also spoke out against SeaWorld. When the whale who killed Brancheau was put back to work in shows, Stern reportedly said, "You would think after a horrible tragedy like that, there would be no more 'whale exhibit' at SeaWorld."
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