Cincinnati Man Is Finalist in PETA's 'Sexiest Vegetarian' Contest

The Vote Is On--Winners Will Head Off to Maui for One Week

For Immediate Release:
March 26, 2010

Contact:
Kristina Addington 757-622-7382

Cincinnati -- What do Heroes hottie Milo Ventimiglia and country music crooner Kellie Pickler have in common? They are the reigning king and queen of PETA's annual Sexiest Vegetarian Alive contest. PETA has now expanded the contest to include the Sexiest Vegetarians Next Door--one male and one female--and 31-year-old Cincinnati resident Tommy Dishman beat out hundreds of other entrants from across the U.S. to become one of 10 male contestants to advance to the final round.

While enrolled in a college ethics course, Dishman learned about the cruelty of factory farming. He subsequently went vegetarian after visiting a chicken slaughterhouse. Dishman has now been vegan for 11 years, and he gives his diet credit for his 30-inch waist, swimmer's build, exemplary stamina, and resistance to illness. He and his wife share their home with a variety of animals, including Petey, a dog they adopted from a shelter. Dishman enjoys running 30 miles or more a week, acting in films and on television (he particularly admires vegetarian actors Forest Whitaker and Casey Affleck), and knowing that his choices save the lives of beings who cannot speak for themselves.

"On average, vegetarians are slimmer and healthier than meat-eaters are, and that makes them sexier too," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman, who notes that vegetarians get all the protein, vitamins, and other nutrients that they need without consuming all the cholesterol and saturated fats that are found in meat and dairy products. "One look at our radiant lineup of sexy finalists and it's clear that they're all winners."

To see Dishman's photo and bio, along with profiles of the other sexy vegetarian finalists, please click here. The second round of voting ends March 31, and the two winners will be announced on April 14. Each winner will spend seven nights in beautiful Maui, courtesy of the PETA Member Advantage Program.

For more information and to vote in the contest, please visit PETA.org or click here.