Uh-oh: The fat activists are out to squash the animal activists over Elvis. It is a culture war of, well, generous proportions. For their new "Viva Las Veggies" campaign, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has sent a tubby Elvis Presley impersonator on a national tour to promote vegetarianism. Overweight Americans, they say, "shake, rattle and roll" because they love their steaks and chops just as much as the late singer did. PETA's faux Elvis makes his public appearances astride a toilet, most recently outside San Antonio's Alamo on Monday afternoon. Meat eaters, he tells his audience, are "four times as likely to be obese as vegetarians." The Rubenesque are not amused. It's sizeism, they say — and bad health advice. "It's not acceptable to portray other groups this way," said Jeanette DePatie, spokeswoman for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. "We wouldn't see Asian or African-Americans, short people or disabled people in a campaign like this. So why fat people? This promotes the idea that it is shameful to be fat." Hunters and scientists are the groups PETA should attack, she said yesterday. "We're not to blame for hurt or dead animals. Many of us send donations to PETA. I think they are just preying on people's fears of getting fat for the sake of their agenda," Miss DePatie said. "We are not against fat people. We are against fat," countered PETA spokeswoman Ingrid Newkirk. "Obesity is a sign of a societal problem. We didn't used to be fat. Our children did not use to waddle. And we need to stop being so sensitive about pointing out that people are overweight." The "fat Elvis" campaign was crafted by Elvis Presley lovers, she said. "And would we be lying if we said Elvis died fat and constipated, sitting on the toilet?" Miss Newkirk asked. She is also weary of excruciating sensitivity in a politically correct nation. "Nothing is acceptable to mention anymore. Why, if we used a bunch of svelte models in our campaigns, I'd hear from all the feminists about it," the PETA spokeswoman said. "We can't talk about beer, sex, fat. You'd think we were under Taliban rule." Meanwhile, the International Size Acceptance Association is taking PETA to task for promoting the idea that vegetarianism is a viable dieting method. "ISAA must summarily condemn PETA's insistent antagonism based on faulty information. Vegetarianism does not mean weight loss," the group said in a written statement, calling the campaign "ill-informed and malevolent." In recent months, the group also attacked PETA for another ad campaign featuring a photo of a fat belly and the motto, "Don't Pay for Two Seats: Go Vegetarian," created after Southwest Airlines decided to double-charge its rotund passengers earlier this year. The ISAA is calling for a nationwide boycott of PETA by "the size-acceptance community" to help stop "fat hatred." The community itself is ready to roll. "Funny, I was a fat vegetarian for 10 years," one visitor wrote at www.bigfatblog.com, an online community of those who are comfortable with their size. Indeed, the testimony of vegetarians who weighed in at 210, 230 and even 486 pounds chronicle the experience of the beefy but meatless. "The PETA people are just kidding themselves. They claim they're against fat, not fat people. Well, you can't separate those two," said fat activist Miss DePatie, a certified fitness instructor who has produced her own exercise video for big women. "It's called the 'Fat Chick' video," she said with emphasis. "Because I am the fat chick."

Making fun of Elvis is just so wrong.

I think it's wonderful when two Political Correctness groups go after each other.

i would love to see how vegetarians would far in a world when hunting and gathering was the means for survival, instead of in a world of supermarkets filled with loaves of bread and piles of produce.

i think it's funny, as is elvis.

I am going to see that other Elvis tonight,a band called Phantom Planet will open the show,good thing Ryan reminded me to look at my tickets because I thought it was the Oct. 3 and I'd be really pissed if I missed it.

Elvis fucking rocked,the only other time I saw him he was acustic with just him and Steve Nieve,and he rocked then,even singing his last song without a mic.This was the first time I went to the Dodge and probably the last as I have issues with Jerry Colangelo and don't want to throw any money his way,but it was really nice and I had great seats and I swear it seemed like he was singing right to me the whole time,the actually seats where miserable like being in coach class on a airplane.The band that opened up for him rocked too,I'll buy their C.D. when it's used.After tonight,I will never wear heels to a concert I finally just took my shoes off and threw them in my husbands lap as he was just sitting there like a bump on the log anyway,and then I got out in the aisle where I had some room.Elvis was still going at it when we left I would have loved to have stayed to the end,but marriage is a two way street and he has to get up at 5 in the morning so we left maybe a song or two before the end.His back-up was the Imposters,which was the Attractions with a different guitarist and Elvis is better than I remember him being on it,he just rocked,and Sunday I'm going to see Robert Schimmel who I think is the funniest guy in the world,this has been the best week I've had in eons.

And it's almost 3 in the morning and I'm still hopped up,I am going to be so sorry tomorrow.I'm kind of sorry now.

Did he do mostly stuff from his new CD J?

"And would we be lying if we said Elvis died fat and constipated, sitting on the toilet?" Um, no.

J, that sounded great!! What songs did he play? I'm so glad you got to see him!

He's playing tonight, but I'm not going since it's my mom's birthday and I am (perhaps a little too big on) filial piety. Also, he is playing in Santa Fe -- I loathe Santa Fe. Tart still holding steady as my favorite, though I think the best single lyric is 'Maybe Jesus wants you for a sunbeam' off Alibi.

I like "Sorry that your mommy doesn't love you," too. God, what a nasty song! He sings it perfectly.

Yes he started out doing songs from When I was Cruel,he did 45,Tart,Alibi,Spooky Girlfriend,Tear Your Head Off,Soul for Hire,but to tell you the truth it was a pretty constipated audience and most of them were just sitting and politely clapping and I swear I could see on his face the moment he thought fuck it I guess they want to hear my old stuff and he did a mean version of Watching the Detectives,Radio,Pump it Up,ect.I was hoping he'd do What's so Funny bout Peace Love and understanding,he probably did after I left.

Sounds real cool J. He probably does get tired of cranking out the oldies, but he's got to see it from a fan's perspective too. I watched a PBS(!) documentary on Willie Nelson last night. It was really good. There's really something endearing about old Willie and his band and his sister.