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"The T-shirt has become a form of public dialogue," says Sonja Jacob, publisher of StyleChronicles.com, a shopping news Web site. "It's almost like a form of blogging. Everyone has a chance to express an opinion, take sides and make a joke. And it's true for stars as well as their fans."

Certainly modern American politics — from "Impeach Nixon" to "Just Say No" to drugs — has a tradition for advocacy apparel. But somewhere along the line, messages like "Free Nelson Mandela" morphed into "Free Winona," and now "Feed Lindsay."

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The Feedlindsay.com Web site has actually collected an online petition with more than 43,000 signatures urging Lindsay Lohan to stop losing weight.

"What you're seeing now are spoofs of spoofs," says Los Angeles graphic artist Sheila Cameron, who launched the Internet's "Free Katie" campaign in May, after she saw Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah Winfrey's couch, breathlessly declaring his love for Katie Holmes as something "beyond cool."

Within two weeks, more than half a million Internet users visited Cameron's site — FreeKatie.net — which offers hats, mugs, buttons and various apparel, including thongs, that say, "Run, Katie, Run" and "Stop Sofa Abuse."

Cameron's "Free Katie" shirt even popped up at the premiere for Lohan's latest movie, "Herbie: Fully Loaded." It was worn by actor Peter Pasco, who has a minor part in the film, and might not have received any media attention at the party, if not for the shirt that seemed to indicate his apparent stance on Tom Cruise's love life.

"It's nothing against the Scientologists," Pasco told The New York Times.

"I just think Katie should be free to call me at any time and hang out with me anytime.''

'Naomi Hit Me … And I Loved It'

When a novelty shirt isn't funny, few things can be more annoying, especially if the joke is on you. Last fall, the Olsen twins threatened to sue the manufacturer of "Save Mary Kate" shirts, even after the designer, Randy & Moss, vowed to pledge 20 percent of its profits to the National Eating Disorders Association.

But if you're a public personality, sometimes it's best to prove you can take a joke. Naomi Campbell tried showing that controversy suits her to a T, when she strutted through Manhattan in February in a shirt that read, "Naomi hit me … and I loved it."

A few months earlier, a judge ordered the catwalk queen to attend anger management classes, after former assistants complained that she had been physically and verbally abusive.