I never thought I would write this. SuperVegan co-founder Olivia Lane is no longer vegan. Olivia and I have been friends for years, and without her, SuperVegan would likely have never come to exist. I’m sad and I’m angry. Olivia had tremendous spirit, dedication, and enthusiasm for all things vegan. No more.
This morning, Olivia and I, along with her girlfriend, Jessica Valdez, attended the Post Punk Kitchen brunch at Vox Pop. We were running late and just missed the burritos, but enjoyed some tasty waffles. We had a chance to catch up with PPK star Isa Chandra Moskowitz. It shocked us all to see Isa unwrap a slice of Kraft cheese and add it to her own burrito. Isa didn’t see the big deal. She explained that the godfather of animal rights, Peter Singer, had convinced her that there’s no harm in eating “only a modicum” of egg or dairy.
“I’m really OK with animal products, as long as they’re responsibly produced,” explained Isa, “you know – free range, organic. Obviously, the animals need to live a natural life. I’m completely opposed to factory farming.” Disturbingly, she didn’t seem to see a disconnect between this outlook and her career as a vegan cooking icon. “Of course my business and books are still vegan. It’s an important market segment, and I’ve built a strong brand. I won’t be turning my back on the vegan community.”
Jessica and I were outraged and offended by Isa’s callous attitude. But Olivia seemed to be swayed by her arguments. Complaining of chronic incontinence and outrageous prices at Whole Foods, Olivia declared that this would be her “last vegan meal.” Jessica left in disgust, while Olivia proceeded to a nearby Popeyes to “celebrate.” As Olivia explained over her Country Chick-N-Combo Deluxe, “I just wasn’t being honest with myself. I’m tired of all the infighting in the vegan community. There’s no judgments at Popeyes!”
I later had a chance to discuss things with Jessica over e-mail: “I’m not sure where Olivia’s choice puts our relationship. I guess I still love her, but I’m not sure I can trust her anymore. I’m hurt and confused.” I think we all share Jessica’s feelings. We’ll miss you, Olivia.
Update: I realize this is hard for many of you to believe. It’s hard for me too. I’ve just posted some more photos from Vox Pop and Popeyes to the SuperVegan Flickr Pool.
28 Comments
Laura Leslie
on #I feel so betrayed! Livi, Isa, how could you???
mrsbadmouth
on #One time I saw Isa in a back alley, buying spam and Banquet salisbury steak dinners. She told me it was okay because they’re not *really* made out of meat.
ksum
on #I actually created an account to ask…is this April fools?
BlindTurtle
on #Come on. If you’re going to destroy veganism, you’ve got to use more than *once* slice of Kraft cheese.
bowood
on #Whether or not it is April Fools I do think this is an interesting topic. People like to use the behavior of other individuals (such as various celebrities) to validate their own values yet inevitably are disappointed with the consistency of those individuals.
QueenCouscous
on #Is this april fools?
Canaduck
on #“There’s no judgments at Popeyes!”
Hahahaha, that’s fantastic.
SexyPeanut
on #Kraft!?!? As in owned by JP Morgan!?
I’m not sure what I’m more disappointed in…shame on you, Isa.
Is this an April fools joke???
quietgrrrl
on #I definitely smell an April Fools.
Jason Das
on #I realize this is hard for many of you to believe. It’s hard for me too. I’ve just posted some more photos from Vox Pop and Popeyes to the SuperVegan Flickr Pool.
Jdvjess
on #I think it’s time for me to weigh in on what’s been going on between me and Livi after everything that’s happened since this afternoon. Obviously, as her girlfriend, I love Livi but I can’t understand how something that has been so important to her could so easily be given up in the course of one afternoon. Ironically, we used to joke about the days that I used to have Popeye’s and lychee martini parties and how I’ve changed so much. I made the decision to become vegan because I wanted to start acting self-consciously according to my beliefs and now I really don’t know how to handle this situation with Livi. Sure, I assume we all have to live with some minor inconveniences like incontinence and excessive flatulence but I thought I was at least in this boat together with Livi. All I know is that this is still a vegan household so there’s no way in hell Livi is coming into this house with any Popeye’s…she’ll have to eat it outside!
IsaChandra
on #This article is completely inaccurate! It wasn’t Kraft, it was Key Food Brand, and I found it on the street, a single slice, completely untouched (as far as I could see). If I find it that means it’s okay, doesn’t it? This is totally sensationalist and you are just using it to sell papers.
ThatVeganChick
on #Finding it on the street does not make it okay, and I sincerely hope the person who posted the above comment was someone pretending to be you because I am very disappointed and hurt. You are capitalizing on vegan’s money–and most true vegans vote with their dollars, abstaining from meat and dairy and animal testing corporations for ethical reasons, so you are in essence a backstabbing hypocrite to call Supervegan sensationalist. I’d rather know the truth. And if this is an April Fool’s joke, I think it’s pretty freaking twisted, but either way I’m trashing my cookbooks. Thanks PPK. You’ve been a real role model for vegans everywhere. (Now, aren’t you glad you don’t have that Go Vegan tattoo on your body like me? Then you might actually have a conscience and feel for the animals and the people you deceive.) And I’m sorry if I’m a bit radical today (I’m a very nice person normally)–I’m just really upset over this. I realize everyone has their own journey, but not when their using their image as a vegan to make money off of other people. THAT’S WHEN I GET MAD.
mrsbadmouth
on #Maybe you wouldn’t be so uppity if your iron levels weren’t so low.
IsaChandra
on #I like how no one is disappointed at Olivia, she’s the one who ate at Popeyes! And she even paid for it!
calcuhater
on #how much money is isa making off people, anyway? because she still borrows from me left and right!
also, what parlor gives you a conscience free with every tattoo? i want!
justvegan
on #Jason,
You’re joking right? This is just an April Fools day thing right?
Olivia hasn’t really fallen for the exploiter “happy” animal slave
products propaganda brought on by that sell out to the animals Peter
Singer right?
If this is a joke, and I hope it is, then bravo for throwing a very
creative spotlight on the reality of what the welfare “happy” meat
movement is doing for the animals–hurting them.
If this isn’t a joke, then please let Olivia know that there is no
such thing as a “happy” slave. That throughout history the exploiters
have always tried to put a “nice” spin on the way they do their
business. And, those folks who bought into their lies, have always
protected them and even helped them get away with their nasty deeds.
Most importantly, explain to Olivia that luckily for the exploited,
there has also always been those few individuals that stood their
ground and could not be bought. That us vegans are the only chance
the animals (humans and nonhumans) and the planet have at ending all
the needless suffering once and for all.
Thus, if this isn’t a joke and Olivia truly has gone over to Popeyes,
please let her know that once all the welfarist smoke and mirrors
have been removed there only exists two sides. Those who needlessly
torture/murder and those who are doing every thing can to stop them–
which, of course, begins with veganism.
Sincerely,
Randy W. Sandberg
San Jose, California
Phillyvegan
on #Where is the April Fools!” post?????????? The last two posts can not be true, I refuse to believe!
iowavegan
on #THAT is like WOW. I couldn’t ever eat animal flesh again. When I was veg, I slipped up on cheese…but after everything I know and love and fight for to make other people see…. I couldn’t take a bite of animal flesh. NEVER again. I just don’t see how someone could see any other living being’s flesh as good filling food. How repulsive. I HOPE this is an April Fool’s joke.
danek
on #oh come on guys that stuff is so obviously crispy soul chicken. get over it!
leunerj
on #Supervegan…. Please put us all out of our misery and confirm that this was an April Fools!!!
vegangel
on #Basically, when you read an unbelievable story posted on April 1st, it’s a given that it’s an April Fools joke. Here’s the clincher: Olivia complains of the infighting in the vegan community. Ha! What infighting? It’s a joke. :)
chrisjs
on #Peter Singer is nothing other than a utilitarian who puts a high cost on non-human sentients’ pain. It’s pretty apparent considering his views on animal experimentation and this whole “modicum” of dairy thing.
Still, who cares what he says? I became vegan because I believe these animals have the right not to be used like this. It’s that simple. “Inhumane” treatment surely makes it all worse, but at the end of the day, it’s the killing and use of them as possessions that is wrong. Peter Singer’s remarks can’t change that. Why does everyone follow Singer so closely and change what they do based on this remarks. Do these people reflect on what he says or just blindly follow? If I wanted to blindly follow I’d have stayed a Christian.
Even if there was something significant to “responsibly produced” animal “products” how exactly does Kraft cheese fall into such a category?
accountable
on #I think this just confirms that many people make changes in their lifestyle (diet, clothes,activities,religion, etc.) because they want acceptance and want to be cool. Such changes lack conviction and rarely, if ever, are lasting.
Laura Leslie
on #IT’S AN APRIL FOOL’S JOKE!
*bangs head repeatedly against keyboard*
familyman
on #Ha Ha! I was about 3 paragraphs into it before I realized it was April Fool’s day. Whew.
gigi
on #Isa is a jokster. She also made an April 1st joke on Facebook; she has a funny sense of humor. Isa does not need to eat animal milk cheese; she knows all the brands out there to chose from and really knows how simple it is to make vegan cheese; she puts the recipes in her books! I do it all the time. She’s an amazing author, vegan cookbook icon, and friend to all vegans and animals!
Christine
on #I think this is a perfect example of why a lot of people hesitate to try veganism for themselves. Not because they don’t think the issues are valid and the health benefits are good. But because they see, from posts like the ones above, that if they try it, don’t like it, and want to quit, they’ll be ridiculed and insulted. It’s like a religion.