By FMT’s Lifestyle Desk
When you think of celebrities who are spokespeople for compassionate eating, this bunch might not be the first to come to mind.
They’re the ones who make it into the tabloids for doing wild, crazy, illegal, (or all of the above) activities.
They have tempers, bad habits and, in some cases, a penchant for violence, be it in real life or in the art that they make. They also happen to eat plant-based diets.
Mike Tyson
He has gained some wisdom over the passing years, moving beyond that unfortunate ear-biting episode (didn’t taste too good, did it?) which earned him so much infamy.
He’s become a poster child for turning one’s life and health around.
Sure, he’s done a lot of terrible things (drugs and violence against women among them), but the public does appreciate that Mike seems to have turned over a new leaf.
“Becoming a vegan, it just gave me another opportunity to live a healthy life. I was just a hard wheel, so congested from all the drugs… I could hardly breathe, had high blood pressure, was almost dying, and had arthritis,” he said of his transition.
“Once I became vegan, all that stuff, it diminished.” Losing over 100 pounds, Tyson seems like an entirely different person now.
Billy Bob Thornton
Renowned for playing roles ranging from vaguely creepy to deeply disturbing (as well as bizarre public antics now and then), many of Thornton characters spare little thought for either kindness or health. One wouldn’t necessarily leap to the conclusion that Thornton sticks to a plant-based diet.
The truth is, not only is he vegan, he’s also very committed to his health.
Rob Zombie
The man behind “House of 1000 Corpses” and “The Devil’s Rejects,” Zombie recently confirmed that he and his wife are vegan: “The only thing I ever really care about is animals and animal causes,” he said of his animal activism.
He’s worked with PETA and supported fundraising efforts for animal sanctuaries, even participating in a campaign to raise awareness for the treatment of turkeys in factory farms.
Kurt Sutter
This heavily-tattooed, motorcycle riding, seriously outspoken creator of the “Sons of Anarchy” and “The Shield” is one of the last people you would think of when you think of veganism.
Often railing against the politics of Hollywood on Twitter and acting as head writer for a show that hands out violence like Valentine’s Day cards, Sutter lives with a stark duality: “I live in two worlds. The right wing, gun-toting, meat-eating, Harley-riding, racist, homophobic, masochistic fantasy dynasty, that is ‘Sons of Anarchy’. And the centrist-liberal, anti-gun, vegan, Tesla-driving, gay-priding, civil-minded, pro-choice existence, that is my personal life.”
These men reflect our own imperfections.
They aren’t trying to be role models or spokespeople , they’re humans who are trying to do the best they can, and the public can relate to that.
On the outside, these seem like the last people who would opt for a vegan diet, but they make daily choices that lead to a more compassionate world.
First published in the world’s premier meat-free lifestyle platform, www.KindMeal.my