I once overheard someone say something about the city of Paris along the lines of: “Ah Paris, you either love it or hate it.” It stuck with me, that assertion, and over time I came to believe in its accuracy. No one was ever on the fence— comme ci, comme ça—about Paris; people really did either seem to love it or hate it. Over time, it also came to me that the same could be said for any number of things: Brussels sprouts, roller coasters, Dostoyevsky.

When I recently learned I’d be interviewing A-lister—sorry, A+ lister—Katherine Heigl, however, and started poking around to get a better sense of who she is as a person, one thing swiftly dawned on me. Katherine Heigl is nothing like Paris or Brussels sprouts. Everyone—no, really, everyone—loves her. One of the few names on a short list of big stars no one seems to have any of the proverbial dirt on, Heigl has occupied a special place in the hearts of fans for well over a decade, appearing in some of this generation’s favourite hits on the big and small screen alike. But for a woman loved by everyone, she herself famously expresses unabashed disdain for one thing—make that two things—with her much-forwarded Funny or Die mockumercial. A viral clip that shot around the Internet at breakneck speeds, IHateBalls.com serves as the forum for an undeniably effective pro-spay/neuter campaign.
In what is arguably one of the most memorable pieces of animal overpopulation-control communication ever, she sarcastically tells viewers: “A lot of people say to me ‘Katherine, you promote neutering so much, you must really love animals.’ I’m like: ‘Yeah, they’re okay, I guess. But the real reason I’m so pro-neutering is… I hate balls.”

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