Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
MELBOURNE, May 18, 2006 (UPI via COMTEX) -- U.S. comedian Joan Rivers abandoned her tough image to perch on an Australian beach amidst a parade of little penguins, The Australian reported Thursday.
Rivers took a break from her performances at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival to visit the colony of small penguins on Phillip Island in Victoria last week, her third visit to the spot, the report said.
Rivers, 72, has agreed to serve as an ambassador for the penguins, and help raise funds for research and rehabilitation at Phillip Island, the Penguin Foundation said.
A foundation spokesman said Rivers declined VIP treatment and sat on the beach with other tourists to watch the penguins in their nightly routine, as they swam ashore and waddled to their nests, ignoring their admiring spectators.
The foundation supports projects like penguin rescue and rehabilitation following man-made disasters such as oil slicks, building new penguin nesting areas, monitoring penguin health and behaviors, and protecting their natural environment.
URL: www.upi.com Copyright 2006 by United Press International
