Alicia Silverstone Honored as PETA Humanitarian

Image by Getty Images

By John A. Oswald October 1, 2015

When it comes to animal cruelty, actress Alicia Silverstone says she’s not clueless.

The 38-year-old still-stunning Hollywood beauty, who grew up in a conservative Jewish family, was one of several big-name vegetarians and vegans of the year Wednesday night.

It was a star-studded bash celebrating People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ 35th year — and came on the eve of today’s World Vegetarian Day.

The other honorees included “Real Time” host Bill Maher, the son of a Hungarian Jewish mother and Irish dad who was raised Catholic but is now an atheist; and “American Pie” star Jason Biggs, who is often mistaken as Jewish, has joked he usually gets role playing Jewish, but is not a Jew.

Silverstone, whose silver screen flicks include “Clueless,” “The Crush,” and “Batman and Robin,” has been meat-free for two decades.

“If you ever have a chance to meet a cow, pig, turkey, or goat, you will see that they are just as cute and funny as your dogs and cats and that they, too, want to live and feel love,” the animal activist has said.

“They don’t like pain. Now when I see a steak, it makes me feel sad and sick because right away, I see my dog or the amazing cows I met at a sanctuary.”

She also has her own advocacy website: The Kind Life.

Performing at Wednesday night’s gala were famous PETA allies, Sir Paul McCartney, and Beck.

John Oswald is The Forward’s deputy digital media editor.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO