Jason Mraz is some guy who plays music of some sort. I guess he’s pretty popular. He has a fedora growing out of his head. He was a strict vegan until recently. He’s decided to eat eggs. Not just any eggs mind you: eggs from his neighbor’s chicken. Here’s the scramble from Spin.com.
What made you become a vegan?
I'm actually no longer a strict vegan. I don't hang out in the cheese section—I don't even eat cheese. I don't drink milk. But every once in a while I'll have an egg. I'm going to eat eggs that come out of my next-door neighbors farm, that's just the way it is. I just choose not to eat factory food, the processed food, just whole foods, real food. It all started with watching one too many documentaries, or reading one too many books. After a while you just lose your appetite.
I suppose I could go all haterade on the guy. I’m not. I haven’t had coffee yet. I will say two things though: 1. Vegan celebrities can be a double edge sword. 2. Mraz’s song I’m Yours is gonna’ be a big hit someday. It’s really catchy. It could even be in a commercial! Huzzah!
I was excited to see Jack White of the White Stripes' side project Dead Weather perform in Prospect Park's Bandshell the other night. But I walked out scratching my head about a couple of things. First, what was the point of the three dead animal heads that his roadie dragged out on stage right before the band came on? Seriously, I know he's a rock star with Michigan roots but I didn't take that to mean he was anything like that other one.
Then, as I was bumping around a dark Port-O-Potty during the set, I heard Jack say "I bet you read Brooklyn Vegan too. Any other vegans in the crowd out there? Come on stage and we'll kill a cow together." And then it sounded like he mentioned something about bringing an Amish person on stage (again, I was temporarily confined in a small, stinky potty at the time). He continued on to say something about people eating only "salmon and avocado," which seemed to upset him so he blurted out "get the fuck out of here."
OK, so a couple of issues: What was the Amish thing about? And since when did vegans eat salmon? (Avocado, well yes, obviously). And finally, WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM JACK WHITE? What did I (or any other vegans in the audience for that matter) do exactly--other than purchase a ticket (with Ticketmaster fees, mind you) and support the Bandshell?
Rue McClanahan, actress, star of stage and screen, vegan and ardent animal rights activist died today of a Massive Stroke; she was 76. She’ll forever be remembered as the saucy southern belle Blanche Devereaux from the hit 1980’s sitcom “The Golden Girls”.
Here’s an amazing quote from Ms. McClanahan:
"Compassion is the foundation of everything positive, everything good. If you carry the power of compassion to the marketplace and the dinner table, you can make your life really count."
For those of you who missed Chrissie Hynde's new side project JP, Chrissie & The Fairground Boys'benefit show at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary last weekend, they will be doing a show tonight at Brooklyn Bowl in W'burg. Doors at 6pm, show starts at 8pm. Admission is free but donations are encouraged; all proceeds collected at the door and from advance ticket sales will be donated to Stray From The Heart, a non-profit dog rescue organization that rescues, rehabilitates and places homeless dogs in good homes.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member, lead vocalist for The Pretenders and animal rights activist Hynde joined forces with Welsh songwriter JP Jones and his bandmates and the result is down home, blues-influenced, folksy rock. They played a benefit show last week at Housing Works bookstore with singer and WFAS supporter Tracy Bonham, whose husband Jason Fine of Rolling Stone organized the WFAS benefit--the first of a series of concerts at the farm. Stay tuned for updates about future shows!
To some unfortunate, uninformed few, veganism will always be strange; a bit of mockery and misconception come with the territory. But, I swear to you. Veganism will neverout-strange Nicholas Cage’s eating habits.
The once-viable-star-turned-over-acting-bad-haircut-having-financially-irresponsible savant might just take the cake for saddest, weirdest, smack my face and shake my head diet ever.
A vegan diet is not only practical, but it’s ethical and environmentally-conscious too. Nic Cage’s diet? Stupid, weird and sad - just like his acting (see below).
Well, last Tuesday what Joan Jett did was help launch PETA's Vegetarian Starter Kit (VSK) "blitz" of Manhattan in which thousands of VSKs were to be stocked at 30 stand-alone newsstands throughout the city. PETA rep Amanda Schinke explained that they decided to start offering VSKs at newsstands after the group filled more than 400,000 requests for the brochures in 2009 alone. There are also stands in Chicago and DC; those of you not lucky enough to live in any of these veg-awesome cities can order a free copy on PETA's site.
Jett has been veg for 20 years and has done a "vegetarian testimonial" for PETA as well as helped out Farm Sanctuary in the past (check out the amazing photos of her visit to the farm).
When I asked Jett why she decided to do the launch for PETA, she explained that she liked the organization because it's "intense" and it "doesn't stop." Explaining that you "can't always do things with smiles and kisses," it was clear that Jett approved of this grassroots approach to spreading the veg message (though this event featured more polite conversation than in-your-face ranting).
Lea Michele, star of stage, television's Glee and mini-Streisand ingenue please make up your mind - you're confusing me!
Look, I'll admit it. When it comes to my life's personal trajectory, I look to the stars. Not astrology, silly! Celebrities! Their trials, tribulations and triumphs act as my own personal eight ball - the rudder that steers the Rudy-boat on this river called life. When they shine, you can find me emanating success like a thousand glow sticks at a 90's rave. And. Well. When they're having problems. You should see my life. I turn into Eeyore at an Emo concert.
Things are usually pretty black and white; A-to-Z one-two-three kinda easy. That was until little Miss Lea Michele, threw a wrench into the works.
Lea Michele, please get your life in order. Because, after all and in the end, Veganism only counts when you're a celebrity. And, if you can't get that right you just make things complicated for those of us in the trenches who care about the actual definition and what it means to be vegan.
And, seriously, can Rachel just get with Finn already?
Moby is a successful musician and DJ. He's an outspoken vegan and animal advocate--and a dedicated New Yorker.
Moby hit my radar over a decade ago when he released his CD Animal Rights. I was struck by the title, of course, and found it an energetic, righteous manifesto full of indignation and surprisingly hummable melodies. A few years later he gained international acclaim with the release of Play.
Moby is now expanding on his long history of animal advocacy with Gristle, a collection of essays by animal advocates and experts, co-edited with Miyun Park. Miyun is a long-time animal advocate and Executive Director of Global Animal Partnership. Written for meat-eaters and animal activists alike, Gristle is a short, readable book that packs in a comprehensive overview of the issues.
Moby answered SuperVegan's burning questions via email.
Q: What inspired you and Miyun to come up with the idea for Gristle?
Moby: We realized that most people were unaware of the horrifying consequences and ramifications of factory farming.
What does a world without animal exploitation look like to you?
Simply: better. A world where people and animals and the environment are all happier and healthier and better fed.
What are the first three laws you'll put in place when you become Moby the Benevolent World Dictator?
What do you call a gathering of vegans?... A buzzkill. This witty observation sprouts from the genius of Doug Abel, co-founder of the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. "Recently I was joking around with Dan Piraro about the words used for plurals of animals--a gaggle of geese, a cackle of hyenas, a murder of crows--and I came up with a 'buzzkill' of vegans," he explains.
This punchline will be proved all kinds of wrong this Thursday at Comedy for Karma, the all-star stand-up comedy event to benefit the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. The tall "boyish man" Gary Gulman and sidesplittingly self-deprecating Louis C.K. return for their third time, while gritty insomniac Dave Attell makes it for a second round. New this year are two Daily Show celebs, co-creator Lizz Winstead and fake news correspondent Wyatt Cenac. Em-cee will be illustrious funny-man Dan Piraro.
Doug elaborates on his buzzkill coinage:
"I recall a joke from my college days in the late '80s...
Q: How many lesbians does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: That's not funny!!!!
"If written today," Doug says, this joke "would certainly be about vegans. We have a reputation for being militant misanthropic schmucks (because we refuse to eat corpses). Actually, the version I heard just a few years ago was, 'That's worse than a vegan birthday party'--probably a reference as much to the dry, carob-based cakes of a decade ago as the dry, carob-based personalities that vegans are supposed to have."
"But the reality is that lots of vegheads have well-formed funnybones despite their Buzzkill Baselines," he adds. "And in fact the phrase "happy vegan" kicks angry vegan's butt by a factor of 15 on Google!"
Today's Boston Globe features an article about men who are vegans. Actually, make that "hegans." Yes that's right, we have a new vegan subcategory. Hegans are "real men" (whatever that's supposed to mean, maybe this?) who have adopted a vegan diet for health reasons. One recent convert gave credit to The China Study, and its research linking animal protein to the acceleration of the growth of cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, for scaring him away from cheeseburgers. And he's now converted his wife and 8-year-old daughter (not the other way around for once!).
Another guy featured in the article gave this choice quote: "Sure there is a stigma attached to it, that it's for yuppie, tree-hugging, emaciated weaklings. That is far from the truth. I like to say that real men eat plants." (Just wondering, what's so wrong with hugging trees anyway?).
Apparently there are no hard numbers on how many hegans exist because "by nature most men don't make their eating habits public." Except when they eat out at Candle Café, I guess.
