To be honest, I wasn't that excited to interview Gary Yourofsky. Yes, I admire his advocacy for animals. Yes, I recommend his speech. Yes, I think he is a hero for the animals. Yet...I wasn't stoked. And no, it's not for the reason you think. It's not because of Gary's various controversial statements. It's not because of his views on politics or war. No offense to Gary or any other animal activist, I care about as much about his views on the Middle East as I do about his favorite color. I care about his views on what he's an expert on, animal rights and animal liberation. And Gary knows a lot about it. So why wasn't I revved up?It's because I didn't think I had anything to offer to the conversation. Gary has come back after a years-long hiatus from public advocacy. He was basically out of the spotlight by the time I even went vegan. Since coming back several months back, he's done dozens and dozens of interviews. What could I possibly add to this?Well, I was wrong to think about it this way. I'm going to try to explain why. In texting with Gary and then the few moments we spoke before recording, I don't think I've ever been more at ease in a conversation. Usually there's at least a small moment of familiarization that's needed for a genuine, authentic conversation. Not so with Gary. There is no filter. It doesn't matter what I bring. Or Gary, for that matter. Only so much as Gary is a mouthpiece for the animals. And if I was an animal, I would want someone speaking EXACTLY like Gary Yourofsky. And talking with Gary even briefly, I could see this was going to be easy. I felt like I was talking to an old friend before we even started. So by the time we started recording, I was pretty pumped. So did I clickbait you into reading this? Guilty. Gary is a wrecking ball, a force of nature. You may not agree with him on everything, or like or respect him. That's your right. But if you want to question his effectiveness or dedication, you might direct your questions to Sasha Farm sanctuary, or to the animals he helps care for there or to the animals whose cages he opened. I hope you can overlook the messy signal. We did our best. Just like my conversation with John Curtin of Camp Beagle, some of these old school activists are the amazing people they are exactly because they are so uninterested in things like that, so unpolished. I love it. Despite all of this, I honestly feel this is one of the most beautiful and surprising interviews I've ever conducted, exactly because it was so natural.This conversation is also available on YouTube.Links:Donate to SashaBest Speech You'll Ever HearGary's IGADAPTTWatch EarthlingsWatch Dominion