2019-06-01_VegNews

Jasmin Singer (jasminsinger.com) is the

Digital Director of VegNews, the co-host of the

Our Hen House podcast, and the author of the

memoir Always Too Much and Never Enough.

VEGNEWS.COM^ VegNews 25

or concern. We also have an au pair from

Scotland who lives with us, and he’s a

vegan triathlete, so we have quite a

vegan household.

VN: This year you starred in Star Trek:

Discovery, and in a recent episode, your

character Jett Reno was talking with

Lieutenant Commander Paul Stamets, and

when he walks away, he scolds you and

says, “Now eat your protein,” and all we

kept thinking was, “Well, at least in the

future, vegans won’t still be asked where

they get their protein.” Which kind of begs

the question: is all the food in outer space

in the future vegan?

TN: I like to think so. In real life, I would like

to think that the future is all vegan. I feel like

potentially it’s going that way. We just have

to hit a massive tipping point.

VN: In that same episode, your character

has a line about vegan steak. Has your

veganism been an influence in either

Star Trek or any of the other projects

that you’ve been able to work on?

TN: Yeah, definitely. Although, I feel like

now that I’m thinking about it, the reference

of vegan steak kind of implies that it’s not

a vegan future on Star Trek because I was

clearly making fun, you know what I mean?

VN: Well, maybe that will be the trajectory

of Jett Reno—to veganize the whole future

and save everyone, including animals,

from imminent death.

TN: Yeah, perhaps. I also have other projects

that I’m working on, where veganism is not

only part of the discussion with the shows

and characters, but it’s really crazy the

pushback that happens with networks and

studios and producers. People are really not

comfortable with it.

VN: You recently said that veganism

is an important political move. Can

you speak more about that?

TN: It’s just the really basic idea that

everything seems silly if you’re not

concerned about environmental issues and

veganism. Nothing matters if that’s not the

root concern. Because if the planet isn’t

saved, then we’re not going to be around

to make our arguments and fight about our

stupid “red” versus “blue.”

VN: I would think it would be a scary place

to be raising little kids, especially given

the implications of climate change, the

political climate, and the suffering of so

many. What kind of world do you want

your boys to inherit?

TN: I hope this is a time that their generation

looks back on and just laughs. That in

the future they can’t believe the kind of

ignorance and stupidity that was going on,

and that they evolve so far beyond where we

are now. It would not be truly comical in a

way where you’re having a fun laugh about

it, but just more that they really will not be

able to believe where we were in 2019.

VN: No pressure on them, but the future

of the world is basically on your kids’

shoulders.

TN: I’m remaining hopeful, and I’m also

trying to remain active and positive, but

I don’t want to be a stagnant-hopeful.

I’m for sure trying to do my part, but I

have to—for the sake of so many things,

especially my own children—believe that

there’s hope for the future.

How does a vegan stand-up

comedian, actress, radio

personality, and writer fuel

her day? To find out,

we asked Tig Notaro.

What Tig Eats

in a Day

Breakfast

Green smoothie with spinach,

dates, bananas, hemp, chia,

and sesame seeds

Lunch

Arugula salad with

cucumber, quinoa,

avocado, tomatoes, pine

nuts, pumpkin seeds,

and a squeeze of lemon

and lime juice

Dinner

Homemade pizza

with vegan cheese

sprinkled

with cashew

parmesan

Go-To Condiment

A mix of chia seeds, hemp

seeds, sesame seeds,

mushroom powder, and

nutritional yeast

Snacks

Apples, walnuts,

pistachios, and sometimes

vegan ice cream

(Tig loves Jeni’s Splendid)

JAN

TH

IJS

/C
BS