Voting for PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities of 2010 is still open. I read on Facebook that octogenarian Cloris Leachman, apparently not to be outdone by that minx Betty White, is currently one of the forerunners in the contest.
Who will 2010’s winners join as sexy vegetarian celebrities? Newly single Shania Twain won in 2001, the first year the contest was held. Shania said she became vegetarian when she married her ex, Mutt Lange. At least she took something good away from the marriage.
In 2002, PETA decided to have a sexiest male and female vegetarian celebrity. The male honors went to Tobey Maguire, who at that point had been a vegetarian for 10 years. The female honors went to equally sexy Natalie Portman, who has been a strict vegetarian since age eight.
President George W. Bush’s niece, Lauren, was named the sexiest female vegetarian celebrity in 2003. Lauren has since become involved helping the United Nations’ FEED Projects. The male winner in 2003 was Josh Hartnett, who became a vegetarian when he was cutting a chicken with his mom, hit a tumor, and was sprayed with blood.
Alicia Silverston, 2004’s female winner, is a vegan who has written a book about her diet. The male winner was Outkast’s Andre 3000.
Carrie Underwood, who wore a “V is for Vegetarian” shirt when performing on “American Idol,” won the female title for 2005. Coldplay’s Chris Martin took home the male title. He and wife Gwyneth Paltrow are both vegans.
Kristen Bell, 2006’s winner, said she had “a hard time disassociating the animals I cuddle with…from the animals on my plate.” Prince, the male winner, said he wouldn’t eat anything with parents and just in case some of the cows were orphans, he added “thou shalt not kill means just that!”
Carrie Underwood took the title home again in 2007. “The Tonight Show” bandleader Kevin Eubanks was named the sexiest male vegetarian celebrity that year.
Musicians once again took home the title in 2008 with Leona Lewis being named the sexiest female and Red Hot Chili Pepper lead singer Anthony Kiedis being named sexiest male.
The current title holders for 2009 are country crooner Kellie Pickler, who said the cruelty to the animals led her to quit eating meat, and “Heroes” heartthrob Milo Ventimiglia, a lifelong vegetarian.