Some people have been taking the quarantine well. Some people have used it to catch up on passion projects or take advantage of valuable family time. Others, not so much. It’s time to hunker down for the good of society, no matter how much money or influence a person has.
“High School Musical” star Vanessa Hudgens made news with her complaints on the COVID-19 shutdown during an Instagram Live on March 16.
“It’s a virus ― I get it,” Hudgens said. “I respect it, but, at the same time, like, even if everybody gets it, like, yeah, people are gonna die. Which is terrible, but, like, inevitable? I don’t know. Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this right now.”
That little bit of introspection at the end is exactly correct. Just because you are young and healthy and have money doesn’t mean you should disregard warnings from the CDC.
Sam Smith posted about their “stages of quarantine meltdown” while staying in their $14 million home in London brought on by boredom. Former “Lost” star Evangeline Lilly dropped her children off to gymnastics class with #businessasusual attached at the end of her Instagram caption.
“Some people value their lives over freedom, some people value freedom over their lives,” Lilly said. “We all make our choices.”
Then there’s the issue of prominent people getting their hands on tests sooner than at-risk people. While the government has encouraged all who have been exposed to the virus to get tested, those who are rich and famous have prioritized themselves over the general welfare.
Eight NBA teams were tested for COVID-19 in the first eight days after the virus first appeared in the league’s sphere. That’s hundreds of tests used on some of the most in-shape people in the country.
Some celebrities have done their best to continue to entertain the masses, with one group led by “Wonder Woman” actress Gal Gadot posting a cover of “Imagine” by John Lennon. The public didn’t exactly appreciate their rendition, as people implored celebrities to donate money to help the cause rather than posting a song on social media.
The people are right. Athletes don’t need the tests first, and celebrities have pumped out enough entertainment for people to live on for a while. It’s time to buck up and lead with the influence they have, rather than belittling the problem.
Take media personalities Michael Schur and Bill Simmons. Schur, nicknamed Ken Tremendous on Twitter, and Simmons raised over $250,000 for food banks in Los Angeles and Boston.
Be like Michael Schur and Bill Simmons other celebrities. They’re finding the solution, rather than dismissing the problem.
