Here’s a puzzle for you. I’m going to name three famous people. Your job is to figure out what they have in common. Ready?
Aristotle. Napoleon Bonaparte. Sylvia Plath.
Have you figured it out? That’s right! They were all beekeepers!
Beekeeping is rapidly becoming a trendy hobby. Increased awareness of the plight of the honeybee has triggered a surge in backyard beekeeping. There are plenty of famous people in the past who have taken up the art of beekeeping. This blog, however, is dedicated to current celerity beekeepers. These are our top 5 Coolest Celebrity Beekeepers.
#5. Jon Bon Jovi
Yes this famous 80’s rocker is a beekeeper, but there is suspicion as to why he keeps bees. Rumor has it that it’s not just because he loves bees. Some say it’s more to do with being a savvy businessman, than an advocate for the bees. You see, apparently there are certain tax exemptions in his home state of New Jersey. These exemptions offer tax deductions for land that produces agricultural revenue.
Could it be that Bon Jovi is beekeeping for tax relief? Maybe so…but who cares! As long as the bees are healthy and well tended, it’s still a good thing!
#4. Scarlet Johanson
Legend has it that prior to becoming a beekeeper, Scarlet Johanson was a vocal proponent of saving the bees. Apparently after a few conversations with Samuel L Jackson on the topic, he figured out the perfect gift for her. On their wedding, Jackson gave Scarlet and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, a beehive as a wedding present. The rest is history.
#3. Steve Vai
Steve Vai is best known for his guitar work and associations with artists and bands like Frank Zappa, David Lee Roth, and Whitesnake. In addition to rocking out on his guitar, Steve is also known for tending bee hives and harvesting honey. Apparantly Vai harvests the honey for friends and produces a special crop of honey to help raise funds for his Make a Noise Foundation. He is also an honorary member of the British Beekeepers Association.
#2. Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is a relative newcomer to beekeeping. He began beekeeping in July, 2014 and he describes having a deep connection with his bees. In an interview with Jimmy Fallon, he explained that he doesn’t even wear a bee suit while feeding his bees. He describes his role as a beekeeper as becoming “one with the bees”.
#1. Flea
Our number one coolest celebrity beekeeper is Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Why is he number one? To be honest we just think he is a really cool guy. Plus he posts lots of pictures of himself tending bees on social media. The word on the street is that his backyard now houses three fully established bee hives.
Honorable mentions: We would be remiss if we didn’t mention Sting and Moby for their charitable contributions in educating people about the plight of the honeybee. We also want to give recognition to former beekeeper Suggs from the 80’s British pop group Madness. Bez from the The Happy Mondays also dabbled in beekeeping for a while.
