Editor's Message: When I first read about Mike Tyson turning vegan last year, I was in total disbelief. I immediately searched the internet looking for contrasting stories. But I couldn't. It was real! A year later, this is what he had to say in an interview with Greta Van Susteren in April: he wished he'd been a vegan since birth. "When you find out about the processed stuff you have been eating. I wonder why I was crazy all those years." (source)
So besides Mike Tyson, are there other famous vegetarians? Here is a good defense list for all the skeptics out there.
Can you name some vegetarians I may have heard of?
We've got bragging rights. Vegetarians have been found among the ranks of geniuses such as Albert Einstein, founding fathers such as Benjamin Franklin, humanitarians such as Mahatma Gandhi, Olympic gold medalists such as Carl Lewis, military commanders such as British air chief marshal Hugh Dowding, gifted musicians such as Paul McCartney of the Beatles, talented actors such as Tobey Maguire (who played Spiderman), and great men of faith such as the founder of the Salvation Army, William Booth.
There are so many vegetarians, it's hard to know who to include. We've picked a selection of those you may have heard of. To see a more complete list, go to www.ivu.org/people or www.peta2.com. Remember that the list of famous vegetarians is changing all the time, as more people decide to go veggie.
Historical and Well-Known Figures
Susan B. Anthony, American suffragist and civil rights leader General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army Charles Darwin, British naturalist who first proposed the theory of evolution Leonardo DaVinci, artist and scientist Thomas Edison, inventor of the electric light bulb Albert Einstein, physicist who devised the theory of relativity Benjamin Franklin, founding father of the United States Mahatma Gandhi, Indian civil rights leader Gustav Holst, classical composer Abraham Kook, first chief rabbi of Israel Gustav Mahler, classical composer Isaac Newton, English mathematician who formulated the theory of gravitation and laws of motion Plato, Greek philosopher Pythagoras, Greek mathematician Albert Schweitzer, physician and theologian who won the Nobel Peace Prize Coretta Scott King and Dexter Scott King, wife and son of Martin Luther King Socrates, Greek philosopher John Wesley, founder of the Methodist Church Ellen G White, founder of the Seventh Day Adventist Church
Present-Day Musicians
Paula Abdul, American singer, choreographer, TV personality Bryan Adams, Canadian singer André Benjamin (André 3000), American rapper Tom Higgenson, lead singer of Plain White T's Andy Hurley, drummer with Fall Out Boy Anthony Kiedis, lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers Avril Lavigne, Canadian singer Leona Lewis, British singer Travis Miguel, guitarist with Atreyu Moby, American singer and instrumentalist Jason Mraz, American singer-songwriter Paul McCartney, lead singer of the Beatles Prince, American singer-songwriter Shania Twain, Canadian singer Carrie Underwood, American singer
Present-Day Actors and Entertainers (and their current and well-known movies or shows)
Penelope Cruz, Nine, Vanilla Sky Ellen DeGeneres, The Ellen DeGeneres Show Emily Deschanel, Bones Michael J Fox, Back to the Future Ginnifer Goodwin, He's Just Not That Into You Woody Harrelson, Zombieland Dustin Hoffman, Rainman, Hook Tobey Maguire, Spiderman Hayden Panettiere, Heroes Natalie Portman, Star Wars, Black Swan Alicia Silverstone, Silence Becomes You, Clueless Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Athletes
Hank Aaron, baseball player; former home run record holder Desmond Howard, former NFL wide receiver, Super Bowl MVP Georges Laraque, former right wing for the Montreal Canadiens Carl Lewis, track and field athlete, winner of nine Olympic gold medals Bode Miller, alpine ski racer; Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion John Salley, basketball player; four-time NBA champion Dave Scott, triathlete; won six Ironman world championship events Ed Templeton, champion skateboarder Jamie Thomas, champion skateboarder Ricky Williams, running back for the Miami Dolphins
Excerpt from Say No To Meat by A. Strombom and S. Rose
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