Big Bird Ruffles Feathers. Aaron Rodgers Beclowns Himself. | Winners & Losers in Today’s Green Room
THE DAILY NEWSLETTER – MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2021
Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for HBO.
MEDIA WINNER: Big Bird
The world’s most famous 8’2″ yellow bird is having quite a moment in the spotlight. Big Bird was one of several Muppets who participated in a CNN town hall touting the benefits of the Covid-19 vaccine. That cable television appearance, plus a tweet in which Big Bird happily shared the news that he had been vaccinated, made the sunshine-hued avian the target of a lot of criticism from the right.
“My wing is feeling a little sore, but it’ll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy,” tweeted the official Big Bird account.
Cue the outrage from Fox News. Will Cain railed about “propaganda” as the on-screen chyron complained “SESAME STREET TEAMS UP WITH CNN TO BRAINWASH KIDS.” Rachel Campos-Duffy proclaimed the Muppets’ health message to be “so creepy!” on Fox & Friends.
Perhaps more than anyone, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has had his feathers ruffled by Big Bird’s activities, ranting away on Twitter about his fears that some sort of Muppet-led dictatorship is on its way.
It’s all more than a little “bonkers,” as CNN’s John Avlon aptly deemed those who sought to “demonize and politicize” Big Bird. Meanwhile, Big Bird remains steadfast — for nearly half a century. A 1972 clip of Big Bird getting a measles vaccine went viral this week in response to the backlash. Your friendly neighborhood Mediaite newsletter correspondent would remind Cruz and others freaking out that a government-subsidized fictional yellow bird encouraging people to make good health choices is not actually tyranny.
Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images.
MEDIA LOSER: Aaron Rodgers
Oh where to even begin with the roller coaster of insanity that was the past few days in the life of Aaron Rodgers?
Perhaps it’s best to start with the press conference back in August where the Green Bay quarterback was deliberately deceptive about his vaccination status.
“Yeah, I’ve been immunized,” Rodgers told reporters, acknowledging “there’s guys on the team that haven’t been vaccinated,” but “I think it’s a personal decision. I’m not going to judge those guys.”
Let’s use a simpler phrase than “deliberately deceptive” — He lied. Saying he had been “immunized” and then saying he wouldn’t judge his unvaccinated teammates is a combination of phrases that was unquestionably intended to conceal Rodgers’ unvaccinated status.
After testing positive for Covid-19 and facing a torrent of criticism, Rodgers has been complaining about getting cancelled by the “woke mob.” He did in fact get cancelled by a healthcare company who decided their sponsorship dollars shouldn’t go to a dishonest antivaxxer. State Farm hasn’t dumped Rodgers but is airing fewer of the ads they filmed with him.
“THE MOST embarrassing performance of Aaron Rodgers’ career,” said Stephen Smith. “PERIOD!” “This f*cking guy,” said Howard Stern. “We have no time for idiots in this country anymore.”
Rodgers is a professional athlete who has access to the best doctors, nutritionists, trainers, and other specialists who have a monetary interest in keeping him healthy and strong. And he’s chosen to crusade on his choice to take medical advice from a loudmouth podcaster.
Links We Like:
Garry Kasparov’s Gambit
– Nick Gillespie, Reason
Notes on an Authoritarian Conspiracy: Inside the Claremont Institute’s “79 Days to Inauguration” Report
– Christian Vanderbrouk, The Bulwark
How to fix Facebook
– Shirin Gaffary, Vox
What Winter-Haters Get Wrong
– Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic
Read the full Mediaite Green Room Newsletter here, including some truth bombs dropped by Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and John Oliver.
