Is Morrissey Vegan Yet?

By Published On: 22 May 2014Last Updated: 17 January 2017

Is Morrissey vegan yet? If not, how can such an outspoken voice for animals not see he's being a hypocrite?

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Is Morrissey Vegan

Is Morrissey vegan yet? He keeps making statements, offensive statements that I sometimes agree with. And yet, I keep reading that he isn’t vegan.

How can a man who talks about electrocuted fur victims with such passion, who says he’ll walk away when introduced to a meat-eater, how can he not be vegan?

Why do I care? How is this different than Beyoncé & Jay Z?

Because Moz takes the ethical stance. I mean, he’s been singing “Meat is Murder” for decades. He’s got to know that cheese and leather are, too, right?

If he doesn’t, he’s dropped the ball. If he does and chooses to look the other way, he’s a hypocrite.

Why do I care? How is this different than Bill Clinton & Al Gore?

I am a walking contradiction. I hate the misappropriation of the philosophy I subscribe to, and yet I am fascinated by celebrity culture. I watch Tori Spelling’s umpteenth reality show with reckless abandon. I get excited when I discover that Mayim Bialik, formerly Blossom Russo and currently Amy Farrah Fowler, is an ethical vegan. I get disappointed when Snow White herself, Ginnifer Goodwin, gives up veganism and mocks it on late night television.

Celebrity vegans aren’t going away.

So, back to the topic at hand: Morrissey. I know, he really offends people. But sometimes, sometimes he says the things I’d like to say when I’m at my most exasperated, my most fed up, my most utterly befuddled by people who turn a blind eye to the exploitation of billions of sentient beings every day.

Let’s take inventory:

2009: Morrissey leaves the stage at Coachella, explaining “The smell of burning animals is making me sick. I can smell burning flesh . . . and I hope to God it’s human.” (Ok, I would only say half of that statement, if I in fact had a sense of smell.)

2011: “We all live in a murderous world, as the events in Norway have shown, with 97 dead

[sic]. Though that is nothing compared to what happens in McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried s—- every day.”

2013: On cancelling an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel after learning the Duck Dynasty crew was also scheduled: “As far as my reputation is concerned, I can’t take the risk of being on a show alongside people who, in effect, amount to animal serial killers.”

2014: Just this week, at a Denver, CO concert: “Of course freedom does not just mean for humans. I drove past the Denver Zoo, which boasts 4,000 animals from around the globe but I suppose what they should really say is 4,000 trapped, unhappy, suicidal, imprisoned animals.” and “I drove through Greeley, which is of course the murder capitol of Colorado. And if you don’t believe me, ask a cow.”

The guy’s got to be vegan, right? Someone please settle it for me, once and for all.

Photo credit: JD Lasica via Flickr

14 Comments

  1. Gloria August 14, 2016 at 1:55 pm - Reply

    He’s not vegan.
    He loves swedish Plopp. A candy which cointens milk, he said so himself at a swedish festival called Way Out West. Even the newspapers made fun about it…

  2. Na Sah July 26, 2015 at 4:42 pm - Reply

    Geez, he doesn’t have to announce anything. It’s almost like all the gay celebrities that feel they have to announce their preference to make it official. They don’t and it’s so annoying that they think they do.
    I’m mostly vegetarian and although I feel like I’m a hypocrite sometimes, I have to realize that I’m doing better than most people. Little by little ill get there. What if morrissey isn’t completely vegan just yet?? I wouldn’t think less of him because he’s doing the best he can right now.

  3. pete organic May 27, 2015 at 2:54 pm - Reply

    Milk is murder!

  4. MarcusD May 4, 2015 at 11:05 am - Reply

    It remains to be seen whether he will start promoting veganism with the same zeal he has displayed regarding the single animal product of flesh. From October 2014: “Meanwhile, Morrissey must confront vexing moral and aesthetic dilemmas.
    He opens his heart: “I have a problem with synthetic leather shoes. I
    stopped using fake leather jackets because people became confused and
    accused me of using real leather. It’s easy to stop eating meat and
    forget about eggs and milk: immediately you feel better ethically and
    physically. But the synthetic leather shoes are more uncomfortable than
    genuine leather. It is the last barrier for those who do not want to
    exploit animals in any way. ”

    http://www.morrissey-solo.com/content/2117-Morrissey-interview-in-El-Pa%C3%ADs

  5. MarcusD May 4, 2015 at 11:02 am - Reply

    A criticism piece he did, labeling dairy worse than meat: http://true-to-you.net/morrissey_news_150409_01

    • Daria Zeoli May 4, 2015 at 6:03 am - Reply

      Thanks, Eric, for sharing with our readers, In short: Morrissey’s upcoming show at NYC’s Madison Square Garden will be vegan – the venue has agreed to change their normal menu.

      That and his recent open letter about Live Earth are indications that Moz has perhaps ditched dairy and leather.

  6. Grace April 9, 2015 at 5:13 pm - Reply

    During his recent UK tour he showed videos of dairy + egg cruelty, and in a recent post about Glastonbury festival he explained that the festival is not animal friendly due to it being a dairy farm. I can only assume that he’s vegan but doesn’t want to suddenly announce it as it’ll mean admitting to year and years of eating dairy + eggs and therefore contributing to animal cruelty. I love Moz, but I think he maybe won’t make a song and dance about his personal veganism because it’d mean admitting his wrongdoings in the past. That’s just a possible explanation I have, anyway.

    • Daria Zeoli May 4, 2015 at 6:01 am - Reply

      That’s as good a theory as any I’ve hard, Grace!

  7. Daria Zeoli November 23, 2014 at 7:09 am - Reply

    Ooh, interesting to hear that, LilyBee. I’ve never seen Morrissey live or heard of him answering questions like that.

  8. Tom November 17, 2014 at 7:53 pm - Reply

    so, so glad someone finally is seeing it the same way. thank you for bringing it up. i hope you don’t mind me adding my thoughts.

    i unfortunately do not think he has gone vegan over the years. very disappointing, just like you say, because this man speaks of ethics. would be very pathetic if he could not keep up with them. he did say in the 80s how he could never live without eggs or dairy, but we all make mistakes. but then again, what do you expect from someon who says he
    will smash somebody’s windows for wearing fur, all while he himself is wearing leather shoes and belts, because there, and i quote, “is no sensible alternative”. yes, there is. plenty and affordable. and you are rich, you twit! i dearly hope this two faced behavior is far, far in the past. we all make mistakes, nobody is perfect and i too was a vegetarian too at a point. what a shame.

    what i wanted to tell you – i was really (!!!!!) wondering this year after seeing him live.when he played meat is murder in the past, he would show a clip of animals being abused in slaughterhouses. the past months, the clip played mostly shows scenes fromdairy farms and chickencages. that really left me wondering. if he is not vegan, he is an absolute pathetic loser. i stand by what i say.

    Tom

    • Daria Zeoli November 23, 2014 at 7:10 am - Reply

      Did you hear about the shirt he began selling recently, Tom? It says “Be kind to animals or I’ll kill you.” And things get curiouser…

  9. shawna May 23, 2014 at 7:14 pm - Reply

    I am really hoping that morrissey, at this point, has finally gone ‘all the way’. How can you partner with peta without being dedicated to a vegan lifestyle? Personally, i am a bit obsessed with the moz after loving the smiths so hard for so long, and while im not that interested in mainstream culture (and there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying it like you would a piece of candy), i have followed morrissey for years..waiting..and waiting..for that interview/article that says that he finally stands for what is true and real. Which is not being a vegetarian. God bless your half assed souls. So, please let us find out that in his 55th year, morrissey is finally vegan. Thanks for this well written article.

    • Daria Zeoli May 24, 2014 at 5:24 am - Reply

      Thanks for reading, Shawna! If you spot Moz’s vegan declaration before we do, please be sure to let us know!

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HELLO! I'm KD Angle-Traegner.

Writer, activist, and founder of Four Urban Paws Sanctuary. I’m on a mission to help people live a vegan life. Read more about KD…

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