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Animal activists are rejoicing after SeaWorld officials announced the company would end its longstanding practice of both breeding orca whales and making them perform in theatrical shows. "[This] is what I have fought for since the beginning," John Hargrove, a former trainer at the theme park and now one of its biggest critics, tells People. "This is what I wanted, to end the breeding program and for this to be the last generation of orcas in captivity." The company made the announcement on Thursday, vowing to end orca breeding that day and introduce "new, inspiring, natural orca encounters, rather than theatrical shows,...

Animal activists are rejoicing after SeaWorld officials announced the company would end its longstanding practice of both breeding orca whales and making them perform in theatrical shows. "[This] is what I have fought for since the beginning," John Hargrove, a former trainer at the theme park and now one of its biggest critics, tells People. "This is what I wanted, to end the breeding program and for this to be the last generation of orcas in captivity." The company made the announcement on Thursday, vowing to end orca breeding that day and introduce "new, inspiring, natural orca encounters, rather than theatrical shows,...

“Blackfish” star and former SeaWorld killer whale trainer John Hargrove is experiencing a week of ultimate highs and lows. Just days before his scathing tell-all, “Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish” — detailing SeaWorld’s alleged abuse of killer whales in captivity — hit the New York Times best-seller list, his former employer released a damning cell-phone video showing an intoxicated Hargrove spewing racial slurs. “When I chose to speak out I knew that SeaWorld was going to resort to tactics like this. It was only a matter of time,” Hargrove told TheWrap. “But I watched it.

Welcome to the March 30, 2015 edition of Outrage Watch, HitFix's (almost) daily rundown of all the things folks are peeved about in entertainment. Today's top story: Katy Perry scores a win over the tabloid press. Ok! magazine has retracted a story claiming that the pop superstar was pregnant and planning a wedding with ex-boyfriend John Mayer, presumably after threats of legal action by the singer. Perry subsequently retweeted the magazine's entire retraction before following up with the tweet: Remember these magazines are fiction designed for entertainment. No One speaks for me. Instead let the previous tweets speak for themselves. — Katy Perry (@katyperry) March 30, 2015 Assuming she typed this from atop an animatronic tiger. Want more? There's plenty of indignation to go around. See below for a full roundup of today's kerfuffles. Outraged: Twitter Target: Roger Moore Why: The former 007 star became the target of vitriol over the weekend after he was quoted...

In his new tell-all book, “Blackfish” star and former SeaWorld killer whale trainer, John Hargrove, blasts the theme park conglomerate for its “inhumane practices” which he claims to have witnessed during his 12 years working for the company. In TheWrap’s exclusive excerpt from Chapter 8 of his explosive book, “Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish,” Hargrove describes how SeaWorld artificially inseminated the orcas only to separate mother from calf for monetary gain and how the company allegedly brainwashed its staff in a systematic effort to keep them in line. Also Read: ‘Blackfish’ Star on Tell-All...

SeaWorld is about to take another hit as a damning new tell-all book hits shelves, claiming the company is a “soulless,” money-grubbing enterprise. In the new book, “Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond ‘Blackfish’” former Orca trainer John Hargrove reveals new details of physical and mental abuse that he says killer whales were forced to endure . Those conditions led to brutal and even fatal attacks by killer whales on their trainers, which the company swept under the rug. Hargrove also claims SeaWorld has silenced trainers who sued the company by dragging out court cases, then promising money if.

Recently, Fox released the new,official synopsis/spoilers for their upcoming "Gotham" episode 9 of season 1. The episode is entitled, "Harvey Dent," and it turns out that we're going to finally see the young Harvey Dent make his way into Gotham, partnering up with Jim, and more. In the new, 9th episode press release: Gordon is going to go to Arkham. Press release number 2: Trying to close the Wayne murder case, a young Harvey Dent (guest star Nicholas D’ Agosto) and Gordon will team up, much to Mayor James’ (guest star Richard Kind) chagrin. In the meantime, Penguin will make contact with Mooney’s (Jada Pinkett Smith) secret weapon, Liza (guest star Mackenzie Leigh). Guest stars feature: Richard Kind as Mayor James, Drew Powell as Butch Gilzean, Mackenzie Leigh as Liza, Nicholas D’Agosto as Harvey Dent, Leslie Odom Jr. as Ian Hargrove and Luke Forbes as John Hargrove. Episode...

“Blackfish” star and former killer whale trainer John Hargrove has signed a book deal with Macmillan Publishing for his upcoming memoir, “Beneath the Surface.” Hargrove (above), a former SeaWorld employee, will tell the extraordinary stories of the whales he worked with and came to love, his experiences in and out of the water, and his determination to advocate for this being the last generation of killer whales in captivity. See video: ‘Blackfish’ Clip Accuses SeaWorld of Lying for Years Hargrove previously spoke to TheWrap about “Blackfish,” director Gabriela Cowperthwaite's documentary exploring — and showing — the harrowing effects captivity can have...

The documentary “Blackfish” is proving to have a long tail. The hit doc, which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, then aired on CNN and later put up for live streaming on Netflix, detailed the circumstances surrounding the deaths of several whale trainers at SeaWorld, and the alleged abuses and neglect with which the parks treat its captive marine mammals. Despite the company's denial of the film's claims, Gabriela Cowperthwaite's doc has inspired several protests and national outrage, and now, it may lead to severe legal ramifications. Also read: ‘Blackfish’ Star John Hargrove on SeaWorld's Bullying Tactics and PR Blunders,...

John Hargrove, a former killer whale trainer for 14 years, left SeaWorld in August of 2012 after witnessing his employer blatantly lie about the danger the massive mammals pose to people in captivity. A week later he was being interviewed on camera by director Gabriela Cowperthwaite for her eye-opening documentary “Blackfish.” On the eve of the 2014 Academy Award nominations announcements, TheWrap interviewed Hargrove about his experiences leading up to the life-changing decision to help Cowperthwaite expose SeaWorld’s role in covering up numerous incidents of whales threatening their trainers, as well as the harrowing effects of keeping them in captivity solely...

In her new documentary, Blackfish, opening July 19th, filmmaker Gabriela Cowperthwaite uses the story of a notorious performing whale, riveting interviews and never before seen footage to reveal the devastating consequences of keeping intelligent, sentient creatures in captivity. February 24, 2010 is a day whale trainers and fans of sea parks will never forget when veteran killer whale trainer Dawn Brancheau was brutally attacked and killed at SeaWorld Orlando by one of the park’s oldest residents, an orca names Tilikum. Her death became the catalyst for former SeaWorld trainers Jeffrey Ventre, Samantha Berg, Dean Gomersall, Carol Ray, Kim Ashdown and John Hargrove to speak out. During my recent interview, Cowperthwaite and Ventre talked about what led them to tackle this subject, how the film’s financing came together, the challenge of making it without SeaWorld’s participation, how the trainers’ perspectives changed over time as they became disillusioned, why they became...