Being a loser was never so cool. When I was in Los Angeles a few weeks ago I sat down with Bob Harper, host of NBC’s Biggest Loser to discuss his role as the 2010 National Spokesperson for Farm Sanctuary’s Walk for Farm Animals. We discussed his recent evolution to a vegan diet, how he grew up on a cattle farm, and or course, food and nutrition! Check out the full interview, and sign up for the Walk for Farm Animals in your town! The new season of NBC’s Biggest Loser premieres tonight.
• Former Prez William Clinton, or as most like to call him – Bill – has been test-driving a vegan diet in hopes of sticking around for his grand-kids. Most people think that shifting to a vegetable-based diet is difficult or tasteless, but as William is finding out, it’s really nothing! In fact, it’s healthy, delicious and good for the planet and animals too. Read the full article at Ecorazzi.
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• I recently got Beiber Fever when I shot this Peta2 ad about adopting dogs featuring Justin Beiber, himself. The Beiber loves pooches and we also had a interesting chat about going veg at the photoshoot. We’ll see what happens…
Happy Fashion Week! I am thrilled to officially announce the launch of PINNACLE. PINNACLE is a collaborative initiative for designers, artists, and other creatives who want to craft an accessory that symbolizes the growing anti-fur sentiment.
Our first digital-tabloid is available online and can be downloaded and shared (a full-screen option will pop-up by hovering your cursor in the center):
The PINNACLE website, ReinventTheicon.com provides all the details about how to get involved and showcases contributions from designers, models, photographers, and artists. The gallery section is currently highlighting our maiden editorial story featuring wardrobe by Stella McCartney and John Bartlett and our spokesmodels, Karolina Babczynska and Adam Wallace (Ford Models), Photography by Gregory Vaughan, Styling by Joshua Katcher, Makeup by Brian Duprey, and Hair by Alejandra Nerizagal.
Please pass this magazine along.
As the weather grows colder, our fire grows fiercer.
Joshua Katcher
• These two plaids from Steve Alan in a soft, autumn-weight, organic cotton are on my wish list! $198
• Hugh Jackman going vegan? He plans to according to this article, quoting him as saying “there’s every chance that I will be a vegan by the time you read this book” in a nutrition guide about to hit the stores within a week. Brendan Brazier’s “Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life” is set to be on the market starting September 14, 2010.
What happens when you unplug an electronic artist? Moby will be performing a fund-raising, acoustic set up at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. If you haven’t been to upstate New York in the autumn, it is not to be missed. Get tickets!
Opening for Moby will be his frequent female vocalist and award-winning film composer Kelli Scarr, who is now a solo artist in her own right. Also playing will be Mercury Rev Clear Light Ensemble, featuring members of Mercury Rev performing a live soundscapeto Albert Lamorisse’s beloved 1956 classic “The Red Balloon” (this will be after Moby performs, with Moby sitting in).
• Vegans of Nevada and ethical gambling tourists will rejoice now that there are “dozens of vegan dining options …available at Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Las Vegas, two resorts operated by mogul Steve Wynn, who recently decreed that every restaurant at his Vegas properties would provide several vegan choices. That includes, yes, even the lowly buffet, which now has a vegan dessert section,” according to AOL News. The 68-year-old casino mogul is rumored to have gone vegan recently. Read the full story here.
• Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders is set to launch a line of clothing called Fairground Luck, featuring “leather” jackets, skinny jeans, and cowboy boots – all totally vegan, according to WWD. The line is a collaboration with her recording partner, JP Jones, a Welsh singer – and this leads me to believe (and hope) that the line includes things for men! Discerning Brute pals Todd Oldham and John Bartlett are rumored to have consulted on the line. Full Article.
• The Elvis & Kreese collection of recycled fire-hose tube accessories is now on sale at Bourgeois Boheme!
• John Bartlett, renowned designer and animal activist, will be hosting an animal adoption event at his 7th Ave Store. The North Shore Animal League is bringing their 
mobile unit full of adoptable mutt-igrees as well as a couple of puppy mill rescues. I snapped the image above of Bartlett’s rescue pup Tiny Tim the last time I swung by his studio. Look at that face!
Saturday July 31st
Noon – 5pm
143 7th Avenue South
New York, NY 10014
• Get your tickets now, and get up to the gorgeous Woodstock, NY! The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (GOASTT) is the new project by Sean Lennon and his musical partner and girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl. Their first album “Acoustic Sessions” is due Oct. 26 and being released by Chimera Music. Listen to samples here. Opening for GOASTT will be an acoustic set from Undersea Poem, followed by Woodstock locals Jonathan Donahue (Mercury Rev) and Amy Helm (Levon Helm’s band and Ollabelle) performing as a duo called Love Is For The Birds. The concert will be held on an open lawn at the Sanctuary in Willow, NY, directions here.
By Pierre Grzybowski
In his November 2008 interview with the Discerning Brute, life-long vegetarian and professional fighter Jake Shields was asked to complete the sentence: “In a perfect world…”
His answer: “…I’ll be the UFC Champion next year.”
Well, he’s a little behind schedule, but it looks like he will finally get his chance. Sherdog.com is reporting that Jake Shields has signed to fight in the UFC welterweight division, where he will make his debut October 23 at UFC 121. Ultimately, Shields will face reigning champ Georges St-Pierre to decide the best 170-pounder in the world.
While waiting for his October 23 UFC debut, read up on everything Shields has done for animals while not busy winning 14 consecutive fights over the last 5 years.
Pierre Grzybowski is the manager of the fur-free campaign for The Humane Society of the United States. He holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Fighter KJ Noons to animal abusers: “Pick on someone your own size”
KJ Noons joins other professional fighters like Jake Shields, Mac Danzig, and the impressive list at www.knockoutdogfighting.org who have spoken up for animals.
Check out his new PSA against animal abuse and dog fighting.
KJ Noons’ 8-2 record includes wins over Nick Diaz to secure the EliteXC 160 pounds title, and a subsequent title defense against Yves Edwards. He most recently won his fight over Andre Amado at DREAM 13 in Japan.
KJ’s next fight is with Strikeforce Live on June 16.
Check out KJ’s website and fighter profile at Sherdog to learn more about the Hawaii native.
Scott Jurek is a vegan, and his diet certainly isn’t slowing him down. He holds the fifth-, sixth- and eighth-fastest times in race history on the 153-mile course between Athens and Sparta. He is tall, strong and shows boundless energy – completing training-weeks of 140 miles or more. “He said he needs 5,000 to 8,000 calories a day, “and I get that all from plant sources. It’s not hard, either. I like to eat, and I don’t have to worry about weight management. All I need is a high-carbohydrate diet with enough protein and fat.”
Read the rest of this inspiring article HERE.
• How I wish Dunkin’ Donuts were totally vegan. Too bad they use rotten eggs. Thank your lucky stars that Danielle Konya of Vegan Treats whisks icing with brass knuckles and turns dust into earth-shatteringly amazing donuts. Now through May 21st, you can vote for the next Vegan Treats donut flavor! Time to make the donuts...
• Tuthilltown Spirits, my favorite distillery, is embarking on a three year program to exit the Grid by converting all its waste byproducts to fuel. They just won awards at American Distillers Institute Annual Conference.
“It’s an exciting time for us. The distillery is really established and our products are well received,” founder Ralph Erenzo said. Economy of scale andrecycling of heat and materials are high on the list of improvements.
Brian Lee, the engineering mind behind Tuthilltown Spirits, estimates the distillery could be independent of outside sources of fuel by making use of the waste stream. “We have unpotable alcohol at high proof that burns clean and hot. Our dry distillery grains, grain stalks and chaff can be burned in a furnace to make steam to fire the stills and cookers.
“The CO2 created in the fermentation process is destined to be pumped into a greenhouse where we will experiment with starch bearing algae that can be fermented and distilled to be used as fuel. And then there’s cellulosic fermentation of stalks, cobs and other grain parts for distillation to ethanol. Don’t get me started.”
Lee is enthusiastic about the prospect of a business without fuel bills. “It’s the way of the future for the agricultural distiller.”
All this has a practical side. Virtual elimination of transportation costs for fuel delivery, thereby lowering carbon emissions. Near elimination of dependency on typical fuel sources. No matter what happens out there in the world, says Erenzo, “We’re still making whiskey.”
• Go to the Veggie Prom!
