Short Film Reveals Reagan Admin, White House Press Corps’ Laughter at AIDS Epidemic

A new documentary short film reveals never-before-heard audio clips of the first questions asked about the AIDS epidemic in the White House briefing room during Ronald Reagan‘s administration.

When AIDS Was Funny, a nearly eight-minute short put together by Scott Calonico, collects recordings from three press conferences in 1982, 1983 and 1984. The first questions about “A-I-D-S” were put to Reagan’s press secretary, Larry Speakes by reporter and White House Press Corps institution Lester Kinsolving.

The exchanges are not too flattering for either man. Nor do they paint the Reagan administration and the other members of the Press Corps in a good light.

During Kinsolving’s first question about AIDS he referred to it as “gay plague,” which it was popularly called at the time. This caused a great deal of laughter among his colleagues, whereas Speakes initially tried to move on to other questions. Kinsolving pressed on.

KINSOLVING: No, it is. It’s a pretty serious thing. One in every three people that get this have died and I wonder if the president was aware of this?

SPEAKES: I don’t have it. Do you?

KINSOLVING: You don’t have it. Well I’m relieved to hear that, Larry.

Check out the clip above, via Vanity Fair.

[h/t Vanity Fair]
[Image via Shutterstock.com]

— —
>> Follow Andrew Husband (@AndrewHusband) on Twitter

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!