Ellen Degeneres Eats Eggs?

Today, disappointment is felt by vegans everywhere (myself included) after Ellen Degeneres stated during her interview with Ellen Pompeo that she gets her eggs from her neighbors’ chickens because they are “happy” chickens. What is up with that? Vegans don’t eat eggs! Is she no longer a vegan? What about Portia de Rossi? Does she eat eggs from “happy” chickens too?

Here is my opinion…

Although I applaud Ellen Degeneres for her clear compassion towards and advocacy for animals, I am truly disappointed in her statement that she gets her eggs from her neighbors’ “happy” chickens. Ellen has chosen to be a celebrity role model for veganism and her admission that she eats eggs undermines the movement. Although I don’t think that celebrities are better than the rest of us because they have chosen similar paths, the fact remains that our culture celebrates celebrities and they have an enormous impact on what we eat, buy and wear. So when a superstar like Ellen promotes veganism, I believe that mountains could be moved. Therefore, I believe that Ellen should be held to a higher standard of “vegan excellence” than others since she has chosen to be a vegan advocate in the public eye. In my opinion, her egg eating has certainly “botched up” her impact as a celebrity role model for veganism.

On the other hand, I don’t think that veganism is about perfection. For the record, I personally strive for perfection with my diet and I do not intentionally eat eggs or anything else that comes from an animal. But I applaud anyone and everyone who recognizes the far reaching implications of eating animals and has taken action in any way in this regard. I believe that the world would be a better place if everyone would adopt “Meatless Mondays,” and an even better place if the majority of people ate “mostly” vegan. For example, if someone follows a vegan diet and slips up “once in a blue moon” with cheese, then I tip my hat off to that individual!

There are so many reasons why people choose to become vegan. They could make this choice for their health, the environment or to avoid contributing to animal cruelty. Therefore, finding a “perfect” vegan would be like finding a rare gem. Could we really pick on someone who eats no animals, but wears a silk blouse or a pair of cloth shoes with a leather sole? I say “no.” In my opinion, such a person is a “gem” in his own right. Perfectionism is not mandatory.

All things considered, it is my opinion that Ellen Degeneres should be held to a higher standard of “vegan excellence” than others since she made the clear choice to use her celebrity status to promote veganism. I believe that her egg eating is one big fat “no-no” and I am extremely disappointed in her choice, although she claims that the eggs came from “happy” chickens. I wonder what will happen to those “happy” chickens when they can no longer produce eggs!

Debby

xoxoxo