Tone-Deaf Celebrities Get Roasted for Their Quarantine Posts
In times of crisis, well-meaning celebrities can sound completely out of touch.
25. Ellen compared being in quarantine to being in prison (she lives in a mansion)
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Ellen DeGeneres drew some serious blowback online after she joked during her first taped-from-home show about how being in quarantine was like being in jail.
Although the $24 million beachfront mansion she shares with wife Portia de Rossi may not have the rustic charm of, say, Alcatraz, we have it on good authority that the food at Degeneres Penitentiary is significantly better.
How people reacted:
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24. Elon Musk dropped some science on everyone worrying about the pandemic
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On paper, Elon Musk is a certifiable genius. On Twitter, not so much. The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX is notorious for posting impulsive – occasionally Ambien-inspired – tweets, and his hot takes on the coronavirus pandemic did not go over well.
To be fair, Musk has since retracted his position on COVID panic and pledged to use his resources to help produce ventilators. But moving forward he might want to consider modeling his Twitter presence after his electric cars: so quiet you don’t even know it’s there.
How people reacted:
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23. Madonna posted some deep thoughts while soaking in her tub
Madonna ditched her clothes and hopped into a murky bath to explain to her fans why the coronavirus has made the O.G. material girl just like them.
“It’s the great equalizer. And what’s terrible about it is what’s great about it. What’s terrible about it is it’s made us all equal, in many ways. And what’s wonderful about it is that it’s made us all equal, in many ways.”
Riiight. The only difference is that Madonna probably won’t have to live on ramen noodles for the next three months. Hopefully she doesn’t run out of rose petals.
How people reacted:
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22. Evangeline Lilly ignored social-distancing guidelines on purpose
She might play the Wasp in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but after flouting social-distancing guidelines to take her kids to gymnastics camp, Evangeline Lilly is the one feeling the sting.
Her post, which included the hashtag #businessasusual, was met with a flurry of outrage on Instagram, including several comments from health-care professionals directly affected by COVID-19.
Turns out there’s a few differences between real heroes and the people who play them on the big screen — in this case, super powers, humility and common sense.
How people reacted:
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21. Jeremy Renner tried to cure what ails us with some half-baked powerpop
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During a crisis, people find hope in the most unexpected places. This is not one of those times.
For some reason, Jeremy Renner — yes, the guy who plays Hawkeye — decided that now would be a good time to flex his chops as a powerpop songwriter with a new EP called The Medicine. No, really.
It’s going to take a lot more than a spoonful of sugar to help this medicine go down, and in case you haven’t heard, the grocery stores are a wasteland right now.
Though we will say, this is a great time for people with real talents — sorry Jeremy — to start up a side gig. You'll never have more time than you do in quarantine.
How people reacted:
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20. Vicki Gunvalson asked the governor of California to open up nail salons
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If anyone was going to demand that beauty salons reopen in the midst of a global pandemic, we knew it would be one of the Real Housewives.
Vicki Gunvalson of the Orange County gang got roasted after tweeting at California governor Gavin Newsom to open up essential businesses: first and foremost, places that can dye roots and give a good French manicure.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about this ill-informed tweet is the fact that a real housewife said the word “please.”
How people reacted:
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19. Arnold warned us to stay home while smoking a stogie in his hot tub
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You gotta hand it to Arnold Schwarzenegger: Even during a pandemic, he stays on brand. The cigar-puffing bodybuilder has been posting a series of videos on Twitter urging his fans to “ignore the morons” and stay home.
And although his heart is in the right place, it’s hard to take the Terminator seriously when he delivers the message to lock yourself indoors from a bubbling jacuzzi. That’s almost as cringey as his performance as Mr. Freeze.
Okay, you’re right. It’s not even close.
How people reacted:
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18. Priyanka Chopra showed her support by clapping into the void
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Finally, we have an answer to the age-old question, “What is the sound of one celebrity clapping?”
Bollywood superstar Priyanka Chopra took to her balcony to show support for coronavirus first responders by applauding into an empty field.
Although her heart was in the right place — and people have been scheduling mass applause in cities around the world — Priyanka caught some serious shade online for her act of solo-solidarity.
We can’t help but picture her husband, Nick Jonas, directing the scene, trying to get the angle that shows the most admiration. Apparently getting 20 takes of your wife clapping is “What A Man Gotta Do.”
How people reacted:
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17. J-Lo posted multiple videos showing off her Parasite-style mansion
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Although she may still think of herself as Jenny from the Block, it’s clear from J-Lo’s recent string of self-quarantine posts showing off her Beverly Hills mansion that the block is nestled deep within a gated community.
Jennifer Lopez’s extravagant abode looks like it’s straight out of this year’s best-picture winner, Parasite. For anyone who hasn’t seen it, the movie is a scathing satire about how the uber-rich are oblivious to the plight of the working class. Go figure.
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How people reacted:
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16. Andie MacDowell crawled under the locked gate of a public park
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The co-star of Groundhog Day got real low to the ground with a different type of animal: her oddly named pet chihuahua, Ava Gardner.
MacDowell decided to sneak into a closed Los Angeles park with her daughters to take her petite pup for a stroll, and on their way out they got busted by the paparazzi.
A number of people slammed MacDowell on Twitter for her sense of entitlement and blatant disregard for social-distancing rules, while others were more surprised by her willingness to shimmy under a dusty gate wearing white pants.
How people reacted:
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15. Sia posted this nonsensical image that only raises more questions
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If you squint hard enough, the Australian singer-songwriter’s baffling VIRUS post almost looks like it makes sense. Almost.
So wait, the virus is part of us? Are we — are we the virus? ARE WE THE VIRUS, SIA???
Anyway, it’s probably best not to think about it too much. Just sit back and enjoy the endless supply of memes it has inspired.
How people reacted:
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14. Jaime King shared a thank you video pointed in the wrong direction
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Actress Jaime King drew criticism after sharing a YouTube thank you video — in which gratitude wasn’t directed toward health-care workers or delivery people but the coronavirus itself. Yikes.
The video, created by Polish singer Riya Sokol, contains lines like, “Thank you for stopping us, to make us see how lost we were in the ‘busy-ness,’ not having time for the most basic things.”
Yeah, thanks a lot, coronavirus. Now we have plenty of time to spend on the basics, like staring off into space and trying to remember what direct sunlight feels like.
How people reacted:
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13. M.I.A. picked an inopportune time to condemn vaccines
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It’s always a bummer when an artist’s personal life makes it hard to support their work. Case in point, M.I.A.
In a recent tweet, the British rapper and producer claimed she’d “choose death” over a coronavirus vaccine, adding “YALA” — You Always Live Again.
Seriously, M.I.A.? You couldn’t have waited, like, six more months before you went all Jenny McCarthy on us? We’re all in lockdown, and Paper Planes is such a good song.
How people reacted:
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12. Michelle Collins joked about Jameela Jamil getting coronavirus
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On Twitter, talk-show host Michelle Collins made a cheap joke about actress Jameela Jamil catching — or more accurately, not catching — the coronavirus. People did not love it, especially Jamil.
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Citing her wide variety of reported ailments, some have suggested Jamil suffers from a mental illness called Munchausen Syndrome, in which a person repeatedly pretends to be sick when they aren’t. Jamil says that’s not the case and was infuriated by Collins mocking her pain.
Either way, taking bets on who’s going to get coronavirus isn’t exactly high comedy. Why not make a knock-knock joke while you’re at it? Knock-knock. Who’s there? Oh right, no one. We’re all in quarantine.
How people reacted:
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11. Sam Smith walked us through the stages of a 'quarantine meltdown'
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The English singer-songwriter Sam Smith took to Instagram to show the world the emotional toll that being cooped up inside a $15-million North London mansion can take.
The tear-soaked photo op garnered plenty of scorn online, leaving many people posing the same question Smith asked in the title of a 2019 song: “How do you sleep?”
We’re guessing in a gigantic bed, under sheets with an absurdly high thread count.
How people reacted:
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10. Rudy Gobert touched a bunch of mics as a joke, then tested positive
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Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert’s failed attempt to be funny is perhaps the most egregious on this list. He didn’t just tweet something insensitive about the coronavirus, he may have actually exposed people to it.
Following a press conference on March 9, Gobert jokingly touched all of the microphones on the table before scampering off. Two days later, he tested positive for COVID-19, and the NBA suspended its entire season.
Good one, Rudy. Don’t quit your day job — once it starts up again in 2022.
How people reacted:
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9. Scheana Shay invited her friends over for a quarantine hangout
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Feeling lonely during the pandemic? Swing by Vanderpump Rules cast member Scheana Shay’s house for a rockin’ quarantine pool party! Just try not to double dip in the hummus, hahaha!
Seriously though, Shay’s social media presence has been a wild ride lately. If she’s not busy mocking social distancing, she’s posting videos about her inability to find White Claw during a global health crisis.
So yeah, thanks for the invite Scheana, but that’s gonna be a hard no.
How people reacted:
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8. Gisele Bündchen found peace during the pandemic under a freaking waterfall
Let’s be honest, no one is logging on to Gisele Bündchen’s Instagram page to feel good about their own body, spouse or life. But it’s been especially difficult to stomach during the coronavirus lockdown, when we’re all trapped indoors and gorging ourselves on junk food and cheap booze.
Case in point: A recent Instagram post encouraged her followers to meditate, which was accompanied by a photo of the supermodel sitting in the lotus position under a breathtaking waterfall.
Seriously Gisele? The closest thing to a waterfall that most of us can muster right now is a leaky faucet. Not sure it’s going to have the same calming effect.
If you're looking for some inner peace right now, consider staying on this earthly plane and doing something practical, like getting life insurance.
How people reacted:
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7. David Geffen sent out a heartfelt message from his $590 million superyacht
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Media mogul David Geffen posted some pictures on Instagram of his unique self-isolation strategy: chilling out in the Grenadines on a yacht worth more than half a billion dollars.
Following the backlash to his post, he proceeded to delete his Instagram account, which is a real shame – we were looking forward to seeing what a solid gold face mask looks like.
Those of us without billions of dollars or private escapes will have to kill time some other way. Though the best diversions can actually make you some money, too.
How people reacted:
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6. Gwyneth Paltrow tried to sell a $450 skirt during the pandemic
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If there’s a reigning queen of tone-deaf social-media posts during the coronavirus pandemic, it’s Gwyneth Paltrow. By a long shot.
First she drew criticism for hawking a ridiculously overpriced skirt on her Instagram during one of the worst unemployment crises in history.
Then she posted a photo of herself in a designer facemask when there was a huge shortage of masks amongst health-care workers.
To top it off, she posted her advice on the best "intimate" toys to use while in lockdown, which absolutely no one asked for.
Basically, Gwyneth Paltrow has been a constant source of facepalms in a time when no one is supposed to touch their face.
How people reacted:
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5. Gal Gadot broke the internet by getting a bunch of celebs to butcher 'Imagine'
Gal Gadot probably wishes she could do her social distancing from inside Wonder Woman’s invisible jet after the backlash she took for the cringe-inducing version of “Imagine” she posted on Instagram.
The Instagram video, which features a slew of celebrities belting out the John Lennon classic from the comfort of their million-dollar homes, is the epitome of tone-deaf – both figuratively and literally. Imagine something like that going over well. Impossible, right?
How people reacted:
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4. Dr. Phil is just as concerned about swimming pools as the coronavirus
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Asking Dr. Phil for his thoughts on virology is like asking Cap’n Crunch for his thoughts on nuclear submarines. It seems like they have the right title, but it’s not really their area of expertise.
Phil McGraw, a former psychologist, recently appeared on Fox News to explain why the country shouldn’t be on lockdown, as people die of other causes all the time.
It’s silly enough that the former Oprah protege compared COVID-19 to car accidents and cigarette smoking, but he also claimed that 360,000 people die in swimming pools every year. The actual number in the United States is closer to 3,600.
Our takeaway: Don’t accept an invitation to a pool party at the McGraw house.
How people reacted:
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3. Vanessa Hudgens offered her expert opinion on the coronavirus
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By now pretty much everyone on the internet has seen the Instagram video in which Vanessa Hudgens offers her, um, insightful take on the global pandemic.
“I’m sorry. But like, it’s a virus. I get it. Like, I respect it, but at the same time, even if everybody gets it… Like, yeah, people are gonna die – which is terrible. But like, inevitable?”
The star of High School Musical has since apologized for her remarks, but the damage has been done – nobody’s going to believe that East High is a real school ever again.
How people reacted:
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2. Bette Midler finally learned what those strange machines are in her kitchen
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The Divine Miss M took some time out of her busy social-distancing schedule to acknowledge that, thanks to the quarantine, she now has a basic understanding of household appliances.
She also offered her sincere thanks to housekeepers all over the world, who bravely operate these mechanical wonders day in, day out, often without any sort of protective equipment.
How people reacted:
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1. Justin Bieber and Kendall Jenner took some time to acknowledge the struggle
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It’s always nice when ultra-rich celebrities take some time out of their busy quarantine schedules to give back to the little people.
In a recent Instagram Live video, Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey, along with the always relatable Kendall Jenner, gave themselves a pat on the back for remembering that poor people do, in fact, exist as they continue to chill inside their mansions.
“Obviously we’ve worked hard for where we’re at, so we can't feel bad for the things we have, but us taking that time to acknowledge that there are people who are struggling is important,” the Biebs said from inside his gigantic Beverly Hills home.
Appreciate the shout-out, JB. Now excuse us while we enjoy yet another delicious can of condensed soup.
How people reacted:
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