On Sunday night in Los Angeles, the Hollywood elite gathered to celebrate themselves at the 73rd Emmy Awards. It was another event where California’s worst mask-scolds disregarded Los Angeles County’s COVID-19 safety protocols to have a good time.
This all-too-familiar phenomenon raises the question: Do these people really believe anything they say?
The Emmys stated that festivities “will be done safely, with all attendees at Academy events required to provide proof of vaccination.” They also stipulated that everyone present at the Emmys “must have had a negative COVID test within 48 hours of the ceremonies.”
But this appears to violate Los Angeles County’s mask mandate, which states that “in Los Angeles County, everyone 2 years of age and older must wear a mask in all indoor public places and at outdoor Mega Events, whether they have been vaccinated or not.”
Surprisingly, Seth Rogen was at least consistent enough to criticize the setup. He commented on how unsafe the venue was.
“Let me start by saying, there’s way too many of us in this little room. What are we doing? Rogen said. “They said this was outdoors. It’s not! They lied to us!”
Rogen continued, highlighting the hypocrisy of the event itself and seemingly those in attendance.
“I would not have come to this. Why is there a roof? Rogen asked. “It’s more important that we have three chandeliers than that we make sure we don’t kill Eugene Levy tonight.”
This comes only a few days after San Francisco Mayor London Breed was seen dancing in the city’s Black Cat nightclub, violating her own strict mask mandate. San Francisco’s mandate went into effect on Sept. 10 and stated that “everyone, including people who are fully vaccinated, must wear a well-fitted mask in indoor public settings.” People are permitted to remove their masks only when “actively eating or drinking.” Moreover, it states that “people are urged to be seated at a table or positioned at a stationary counter or place while eating or drinking.”
Yet, Mariecar Mendoza, senior arts and entertainment editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, reported that Breed “spent the night dancing, singing along and posing for photographs without a face covering.”
Video also showed the mayor without a mask, standing and dancing without any food or beverages in her hand. Breed even posed for pictures maskless.
When confronted with the hypocrisy, Breed glibly dismissed the accusations and said the main issue wasn’t that she was a mayor violating her own mandate. Instead, she said the reunion of a 90s R&B group was more important.
“The fact is, there was something that was really monumental that occurred, and that is, Tony! Toni! Toné!, the original members, the brothers, Raphael Saadiq and Dwayne Wiggins, who have not performed in public for, I believe, at least over 20 years, they are just really some of the most incredible artists in the history of this country, and the Bay Area in particular,” Breed said. “The fact that is getting lost here is very unfortunate.”
Breed made these comments after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that weekly COVID-19 death total averages are at their highest since February and nearly 20% higher than last week.
This is just the latest example of “mandates for thee, but not for me.” This routinely keeps happening, and people should not stand for it. No one is supposed to be above the law, but you can change it if you’re an affluent celebrity or a Democratic officeholder. As polarizing as COVID-19 is, how can anyone legitimately take warnings seriously when this keeps happening again and again?
