For 18 years, Cate Blanchett has railed against the leaf blower, calling it “everything that is wrong with the human race” in a 2007 interview. The two-time Oscar winner has since ranted about the garden gadget on Hot Ones, Subway Takes, and red carpets, even during the Cannes press conference for a film unrelated to gardening. Her hatred has become so renowned that she appeared in a sketch with Gina Gershon, and internet compilations and memes now celebrate her obsession.
Blanchett is not alone. Hugh Grant has described leaf blowers as a pet peeve, telling Seth Meyers that users should have the device “rectally inserted”. He tweeted in 2018 that this would be a policy “when I am prime minister”. Danny DeVito monologued on Lovett or Leave It, recalling his days as a gardener: “We did everything with a broom – you don’t take a fucking thing and make all the noise and blow the leaves from one neighbour to the next.”
Other stars include Michael Fassbender, who said “Bring back the rake!” during a shared interview; Ricky Gervais, who wants to ban leaf blowers as “bad for the environment, noisy, pointless”; and Teri Hatcher, who complained on Inside the Actors Studio about the sound every Saturday morning. Tom Conti went on a Channel 4 documentary to call for psychiatric help for neighbours who use leaf blowers, while Rainn Wilson got into a spat with Elon Musk over the issue.
The united contempt among celebrities highlights a broader cultural debate about noise, pollution, and the effectiveness of leaf blowers versus traditional rakes and brooms. For now, the war continues, with Blanchett leading the charge.
