Mike Tyson Goes Vegan

[beforewisdom]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2 ... 1098_x.htm

[cubby2112]

Wow. Never saw that coming.

[vegimator]

Are ears vegan?

Seriously, that is unexpected.

[tuc]

Wow, this is wonderful news! GO MIKE!

[pazios2002]

I think he meant he eats vegans.

[Fallen_Horse]

I can't tell if this is good or bad for vegan activism...

[Vegan Joe]

How does pigeon racing fit into a vegan life style?
I wonder if he'll eat the pigeon eggs (if you know where I'm coming from)?

But on another note: Way to go Mike.
People are going to believe what they believe, until they hear the right (logical) argument.
So if it furthers the exposure to people, it's not a bad thing.

[Cold Fission]

If any of you from the US get the link to this when it airs please post it here.

Thanks!

[Ted Trendy]

as long as hes not a quitter like zooey deschanel...boooo.

[b.k.]

He was vegetarian for 25 years before that right? How come he is not featured on the profiles page of this website? Maybe we should wright a letter to him and he will be more than happy to support veganbodybuilding?

[VeganEssentials]

I can't tell if this is good or bad for vegan activism...

I can only see it as bad. Embracing a man who is a convicted felon/rapist/wife beater who has also bitten the ear off of an opponent in the boxing ring only tells the world "Those wacky vegans will embrace ANY kook who takes to their diet!"

I gripe to my wife constantly about the need for veganism to not look to make a poster child of everyone with a familiar name as if they are a great spokesperson for the movement. It makes us look desperate when we're willing to overlook a shitload of terrible acts someone performed just because they share a lifestyle and diet factor.

Good on Mike if he's been vegan for a while, but he's about the last person I'd bother to use as a reference point on encouraging others to change to a vegan lifestyle. It only cheapens veagnism by grasping for any famous name to add to the roster of people to say "So-and-so is vegan, so you should be, too!"

Old thread, but it's never too late to put in my 2 cents!

[robert]

Ryan,

I agree with the first couple of paragraphs, but one thing I would argue is to look at the actual transformation. Mike went from being over 400 pounds, to a trim, healthy and happy 200 pounds. Since 1/3 of the country is obese, I think this has the chance to resonate with tens of millions of people, perhaps hundreds of million nationally and globally.

He does have a rough and violent past, but the health transformation alone is worth considering to some degree.

A lot of us (me and you) and millions of others are animal-rights driven vegans, but (at the moment) the fact it, the "health" aspect of veganism is having such a profound impact on society. When we first became vegan it was actually a "health concern." Many people thought avoiding animal products was a direct health risk. It has taken a full 180 degree turn over the past 15 years, and now is not only not considered a health risk, but is becoming widely accepted as a dramatic health benefit.

That's my $.02

I met Mike briefly in January and he genuinely seems to be making sincere efforts to be a good, positive person moving forward.

[mrsbadmouth]

It only cheapens veagnism by grasping for any famous name to add to the roster of people to say "So-and-so is vegan, so you should be, too!"

Sometimes people will ask me what celebrities are vegan, and the only ones I will always say are 100% are Emily Deschanel and Joaquin Phoenix (oh, and Geezer Butler), because they're both long-term vegans and activists. Sometimes I will say Weird Al is 'almost vegan'. So many people announce their veganism, do work for Farm Sanctuary, then a year later they're on Jimmy Kimmel talking about bacon wrapped meatloaf or tweeting about how they had egg whites for breakfast (ahem, Ginnifer Goodwin and Bob Harper).

And yes it exciting when Ozzy and other people say they watched Forks Over Knives and changed their diet, but no-fat 'plant-based' eating is just the latest fad diet, and after the next new thing comes along, a lot of those people will follow that. But by publicly announcing these things, they're bound to influence readers to investigate veganism, and if even a few of them stick with it, there are more vegans in the world. Yay!

I'm not a fan of violent sex offenders and obviously I don't follow Mike Tyson around, but i'd like to think that people can change and be rehabilitated.

[Wamrage]

this should be good. Don't know about boxers but a few mma fighters are vegans (nate diaz,jake shields,mac danzing). Not sure about Nick Diaz tho.

[Duncan_Idaho]

Yay! Good news! Hope he sticks to it. And as I tell my friends "Hey, I'm vegan, not a saint!" Welcome, Mike!