Talking cloning on ABC’s Nightline
The end of this week got a little frantic — as things generally do when air travel is involved — but I managed to make it to my New York hotel room just in time for a live phone interview on Atomic Dog Radio.
I’d gone to New York Thursday night to tape an interview Friday morning for ABC’s Nightline. Its report on dog cloning (above) aired last night.
But I was trying to keep an earlier promise to Atomic Dog to be on the show, by phone, Thursday night, to talk about my book, “DOG, INC.: How a collection of Visionaries, Rebels, Eccentrics and Their Pets Launched the Commercial Dog Cloning Industry.”
My flight to Newark was delayed, and re-delayed, but I managed — by skipping the large cup of coffee I required by then to be semi-articulate — to check in at the hotel and make it to the room in time, at what was 8 p.m. for them, but was 11 p.m. for me. Or, as I informed them at the beginning of the interview, bedtime.
Still, I mostly managed to speak in complete sentences, and hosts Jillian Boyd and and Russ Avison were great to talk with. In addition to having actually read the book, they both, being dog trainers, know their dogs, and both have senses of humor to boot.
To hear the Atomic Dog interview, broadcast on LA Talk Radio, an Internet radio station, click here.
The next morning, Dan Harris at ABC interviewed me for his report about one of the latest customers of dog cloning — a New York woman named Danielle Tarantola who cloned her dog Trouble, producing Double Trouble, and, soon to arrive, Triple Trouble.
Purchased from a pet store, Trouble died at age 18, and Tarantola’s home is all but a shrine to him.
“He was bascially my son,” she said.
Tarantola contacted Sooam Institute in South Korea, agreeing to pay $100,000 initially for the cloning, an amount later discounted in exchange for sharing her story with TLC, which is doing a report on pet cloning next week.
Posted by jwoestendiek January 7th, 2012 under Muttsblog.
Tags: animals, atomic dog radio, book, books, books on dogs, cloned, clones, cloning, dog books, dog inc., dogs, interviews, jillian boyd, john woestendiek, la talk radio, nightline, pets, russ avison
Comments
Comment from Tamara & Fanny
Time January 7, 2012 at 6:20 pm
Nicely done John. Kudos on both interviews.
Comment from Sylvie
Time January 8, 2012 at 12:24 am
Just kidding: did you wear your new big boy pants for the interview ?
Comment from Sue
Time January 8, 2012 at 8:48 am
Great interview! At the beginning of the vid clip, Danielle says “Do you remember me?” Though it’s not explained, I couldn’t help thinking that this woman is confused. This is NOT the same dog; it is a CLONE. A physical replica… Now must listen to the radio interview.
Comment from Kelly
Time January 9, 2012 at 4:55 am
Good job, John!
Comment from debbie
Time January 9, 2012 at 12:11 pm
John, you looked marvelous..
Comment from Rachel Lynn H.
Time January 9, 2012 at 3:04 pm
It’s wrong to clone a dog because once a dog dies, it’s dead. It’s a huge waste of money when that money could go to feed the homeless, improve medical conditions like cancer, give books to schools and libraries that need them the most, etc. And besides, she could’ve adopted a homeless/abandoned/neglected/abused pet and brought him/her home and give a ton of TLC, shelter, healthy food and water to eat and drink to the homeless/abandoned/abused/neglected dog. This is totally not cool at all.
Comment from debbie
Time January 10, 2012 at 7:48 pm
I totally agree with Rachel. I believe that our animal companions spirits’ are sent to us for a purpose for a particular part of our journey, and like all journeys, there is a place where that particular road ends and another begins. Much like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. The Scarecrow, The Tin Man, The Lion, Oz, Glenda, and the Wicked Witch…. and toto too… each taught a different lesson… . I personally believe that when our loved ones die, both human and animal ..they are only physically gone. I believe their spirit and light remains. So maybe the best we can do, as we journey on , in my humble ,is to share that light( and those lessons learned ) with others who may be seeking and in need.
Comment from Pat DeWald
Time January 7, 2012 at 4:50 pm
Saw you last night. You were great! They wouldn’t let Ace come on the show? huh.