A bogus organization in the mid 1900's campaigned to clothe naked dogs and other animals for the sake of decency.
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| A Dog in Boxer Shorts appeared in an article with instructions on how to make the boxers |
In 1959, comedian and prankster Alan Abel created a hoax about an organization called the Society for Indecency to Naked Animals (SINA). Using the language of conservative moralists opposed to the changes in postwar society, he argued that 'naked' animals, including pets, farm animals and those in zoos, were scandalous and needed to be clothed. Abel employed actor Buck Henry to play the organization's president, G. Clifford Prout, who gave interviews in television news and talk shows.
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| Supporters marching in front of the White House |
The organization was taken seriously, and SINA actually acquired over 50,000 members. According to Abel, "It was outrageous - the people around the country really seriously believe that this campaign to clothe naked animals was justified..." Some even contributed large sums of money (including a $40,000 check), which was returned to prevent being charged with fraud by accepting donations for a bogus charity.
The hoax was finally exposed in 1962 when a staff member recognized Buck Henry while giving an interview as Prout by Walter Cronkite. "When Cronkite eventually found out that he’d been conned, and I was the guy behind it, he called me up. I’d never heard him that angry on TV—not about Hitler, Saddam Hussein, or Fidel Castro. He was furious with me," said Abel.
In 1963, Time magazine formally exposed the hoax, and Abel revealed the true message of his operation: SINA wasn’t just a hoax — it was a commentary on the state of affairs in America. "I had no interest in actually putting shorts on horses, or mumus on cows. SINA was a satirical riff on censorship: it mocked the moral maniacs who were banning films, books, records, and plays during that time period."
