California has seen tens of thousands of new COVID-19 cases are reportedly daily. Hospitals are reporting low ICU capacity. Numerous counties are under mandatory stay-at-home orders. And yet, as per CNN, in the last couple weeks, former child star-turned-Republican and Christian activist Kirk Cameron has repeatedly organized mass Christmas caroling. And people are pissed that he’s putting untold lives at risk so he can sing and celebrate the holidays.
Not that Cameron doesn’t know what he’s doing. In an Instagram post from December 11, Cameron made clear it was both a celebration of a religious holiday and a thumb in the eye to authorities who have asked people to not endanger even more lives than have been already.
“We are going to be celebrating our God-given liberties, our constitutionally protected rights at this time at Christmas to sing Christmas songs to gather, to assemble, and to sing about the birth of our savior,” Cameron said in a video, encouraging people to meet him in the parking lot of the Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks, California.
Sure enough, dozens of people showed up, mask-less, shoulder-to-shoulder, and partaking in one of the activities that most spreads COVID-19: singing. Cameron’s pro-caroling post didn’t mention the fact that over 300,000 Americans have died, the 1.9 million cases in California alone, nor the hospital workers whose lives are now at increased risk thanks so that people can “Sleigh Bells.”
Cameron’s events may have attracted dozens, but they were condemned online by countless more. One critic was Tracey Gold, who played his sister on Growing Pains, the ’80s sitcom that made his name.
Checking in with my dear brother Mike. @KirkCameron As your more intelligent sister I want you to know that I disapprove. I’m worried about you brother AND your family. Wear a mask. Stay home. Sing later.
— Tracey Gold (@TheTraceyGold) December 16, 2020
“Checking in with my dear brother Mike. @KirkCameron,” she wrote. “As your more intelligent sister I want you to know that I disapprove. I’m worried about you brother AND your family. Wear a mask. Stay home. Sing later.”
Cameron was also slammed by other former child stars.
My very first date was with Kirk Cameron. I was 13. His mom picked me up at my parents house and dropped us off at Stanley’s in Sherman Oaks. He wore too much cologne. https://t.co/gGYYWCJhYu
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) December 23, 2020
A lot of us hurt ourselves, in many different ways, and I have tremendous empathy for that. But when we choose to hurt others, I can’t have any respect or empathy.
— Mara “Get Rid of the Nazis” Wilson (@MaraWilson) December 23, 2020
Other entertainers condemned him, too.
IF THERE WAS ANY DOUBT OF WHO’S THE BETTER KIRK…#WearADamnMask
#KidVicious
https://t.co/9LJoBRdNP7
— Kirk Acevedo
(@kirkacevedo) December 23, 2020
I’d like to see Kirk Cameron and every other ignorant, selfish dipshit make a public vow that if they or anyone in their families get Covid, the only treatment they will seek is prayer and prayer alone. https://t.co/blblzg22as
— Richard Marx (@richardmarx) December 17, 2020
Some lumped him in with other Hollywood (or former Hollywood) Trump supporters.
Chachi, James Woods, Randy Quaid, The My Pillow Guy, Kirk Cameron=
LOSERS#TrumpIsALoser pic.twitter.com/vGxbTWCmaI— Kristi Himmelfarts (@khimmelfarts) December 23, 2020
If you had told me back in the 80s that Kirk Cameron and Scott Baio would still be annoying douchebags in 40 years, I would’ve been like, shut the hell up.
— Jeremy Newberger (@jeremynewberger) December 23, 2020
And others pointed out what he’s doing, which is endangering lives.
Will Kirk Cameron be arrested for deliberately trying to spread a deadly virus by hosting super spreader events disguised as caroling like an unhinged fool in a Santa hat?
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) December 23, 2020
There were 13 ICU beds left in Ventura County on Monday. So of course the *best thing* to do is host an unmasked, 100-person event where everyone is singing and huddled close for warmth.
If you’re thinking you already read about this, it happened again. https://t.co/MYtr8ae2tJ
— Soumya (@skarlamangla) December 23, 2020
Cameron doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to Christmas revelry. Back in 2014 he starred in Saving Christmas, a comedy in which he unloaded on the secularization and commercialization of the holiday. While it made nearly $3 million at the box office — far, far lower than the faith-based hit Fireproof, which grossed nearly $35 million — it also nabbed four Razzies, including Worst Picture and Worst Actor. The Razzies tend attack pretty easy targets, but especially in light of recent events, this one seems about right.
(Via CNN)