More On: celebrity apologies
‘Stranger Things’ star Noah Schnapp denies saying N-word in resurfaced video
ViacomCBS considers working with Nick Cannon again after apology tour
Ellen DeGeneres has no clue where ‘insane’ no-eye-contact rule began
Zoe Saldana apologizes for playing Nina Simone in biopic
Maddie Ziegler apologizes for past ‘racially insensitive’ videos
Dr. Drew Pinsky has apologized for comparing the novel coronavirus to the flu. The celebrity addiction specialist, who is also an internist, said in a video shared on Twitter over the weekend, “My early comments about equating coronavirus with influenza were wrong. They were incorrect.” “I was part of a chorus that was saying that, and …
Dr. Drew Pinsky has apologized for comparing the novel coronavirus to the flu.
The celebrity addiction specialist, who is also an internist, said in a video shared on Twitter over the weekend, “My early comments about equating coronavirus with influenza were wrong. They were incorrect.”
“I was part of a chorus that was saying that, and we were wrong, and I want to apologize for that,” he said. “I wish I had gotten it right, but I got it wrong.”
The “Celebrity Rehab” star, 61, faced backlash following a video dating back to February in which he claimed COVID-19 was a “press-induced panic” and “way less serious than influenza.”
“I am very angry about it,” he said of the purported fear-mongering.
He also claimed that people’s chances of dying from coronavirus were lower than being “hit by an asteroid.” In New York City, the death toll had reached more than 2,400 as of Sunday, officials said.
In his apology video, the TV personality also reiterated his stance that Dr. Anthony Fauci — an infectious disease expert who is on the White House’s coronavirus task force — should be the public’s “North Star” when it comes to coronavirus information.
“What I also said was follow the CDC’s recommendation; follow Dr. Fauci’s recommendation. They will keep us safe. And I thought that when the government started taking more aggressive measures, we should all sign on,” Pinsky continued.
“We have a collective responsibility to do so. I’m doing what I’m supposed to do. I wear a mask outside now. And it’s paid dividends. It is improving. It is flattening the curve. And I’m delighted to be a part of that. I’m glad to be a part of that.”
