COVID-19 and the Demise of the Celebrity

Public outcry at testing disparity is sending a stern warning to the super-rich: we are not on the same level.

As the coronavirus grinds society to a halt, people appear to be more aware of their surroundings. Basic amenities such as gyms and restaurants are unavailable thanks to COVID-19. As a result, everyone is on the same level playing field.

Or are they?

Excruciatingly, celebrities and other public figures are kindly informing the rest of us to stay at home. Although the intention is good-natured, the delivery is skewed. They fail to understand that no matter how much they say it, we are not in this together.

In fact, the disparity between social classes is becoming glaringly obvious.

In the UK for example, celebrities such as Idris Elba are being tested without any symptoms yet the frontline health workers are not being tested. That doesn’t seem right (especially after Cats). Private health businesses are even charging £295 for tests while the NHS staff do not have access to them. With not much else to do, people are noticing.

With no new forms of entertainment to digest, people are coming to the realization that attempts to look relatable are just that.

Perhaps Ricky Gervais should now be labeled as a prophet:

“You are in no position to lecture people, you know nothing about the real world(…) thank your agent and your God, and fuck off”

Class privilege doesn’t stop there. In America, where healthcare isn’t free(?!), the unexpected costs of medical bills are potentially deterring people from undergoing treatment and taking tests. The super-rich, despite claiming to be with ‘us’ are instead demonstrating just how far from reality they are.

Kim Kardashian recently endorsed a coronavirus ‘survival kit’ worth $25 for $60. She is using her platform to unwittingly exploit her followers’ fears for profit.

Sia posted this tweet, which went down well.

In response, one user tweeted ‘I don’t think the virus can be eradicated by posting cringe but it was worth a try.’ Cringe appears to be a running theme, most notably with *that* Gal Gadot video.

Viral Load

A simple Google search defines viral load as ‘a measure of the number of viral particles present in an organism or environment, especially the number of HIV viruses in the bloodstream.’

Basically, it is how much of the virus is in your blood.

Viral load can be applied here. The super-rich reside in their mansions, unlikely to come into contact with carriers. This means that their viral load would be small, thus making the virus less severe.

Frontline health workers, on the other hand, come into contact with numerous carriers on a daily basis. Pair this with the lack of PPE (personal protective equipment) and these essential workers are at great risk.

This is why we are all in lockdown, as governments desperately try to slow the virus down by encouraging social distancing measures.

So all in all, as much as I love the Terminator films, Arnold Schwarzenegger telling people to stay inside from his luxury jacuzzi doesn’t sit right.

Their ‘struggle’ doesn’t seem like much of one at all.

Far From Reality

Of course, there are some celebrities doing what they should be doing through large donations.

Among others, Roger Federer and his wife Mirka have donated 1 million Swiss Francs to vulnerable families in Switzerland, while Angelina Jolie has donated $1 million to battle hunger as a result of COVID-19.

However, one thing is clear.

The once untouchable upper class is being noticed from down below. Public disapproval of these cringe-worthy attempts at togetherness signals an increasing class consciousness among the middle class and, in particular, the working class.

Could one of the results of COVID-19 be that the super-rich, celebrity culture is ultimately pointless?

The real stars are the people fighting this virus. They aren’t paid millions of dollars, but they hold far more value than we could ever place on a celebrity.