Tom Hanks and his wife (and fellow actor), Rita Wilson, know first-hand the dangers of COVID-19. Back a few months ago, when the US was just starting to see cases of COVID-19 show up and Hollywood began shutting down, Hanks and Wilson both tested positive and had to endure the virus. Thankfully, they both are fine now, and Hanks is out there trying to get people to sign up for Apple TV+ so they can watch his new film. And he’s also trying to urge people to use their common sense and wear a damn mask.
During a press conference (via People) promoting his upcoming feature, “Greyhound,” Hanks discussed his frustration with how people are treating the COVID-19 pandemic and the guidelines being released by the CDC and other agencies. That is to say, he thinks if you don’t wear a mask, you’re just being a “prick.”
“There’s really only three things we can do in order to get to tomorrow: Wear a mask, social distance, wash our hands,” Hanks said. “Those things are so simple, so easy, if anybody cannot find it in themselves to practice those three very basic things – I just think shame on you. Don’t be a prick, get on with it, do your part. It’s very basic. If you’re driving a car, you don’t go too fast, you use your turn signal and you avoid hitting pedestrians. My Lord, it’s common sense.”
Clearly, Hanks feels, as many other US citizens do, that some parts of the country aren’t taking this pandemic seriously. And unfortunately, we’re seeing how this is playing out badly for some locations, who are seeing spikes in cases of COVID-19. And thus, we’re also seeing how some states are instituting tougher restrictions yet again to try to curb the outbreaks.
Basically, for those people who choose not to wear a mask because it somehow infringes on your freedoms or you think it’s some conspiracy to keep us all in line, listen to Tom Hanks. He’s a nice guy and actually had COVID-19, so he knows how shitty the virus is.
Lord knows, if the general public won’t listen to Forrest Gump, there’s no hope left in the world.