In a surprising accusation from a major Hollywood figure, comedian Chris Rock is holding Democrats responsible for the spread of the coronavirus, saying party leaders “let the pandemic come in” while they were busy pushing the ultimately unsuccessful impeachment of President Donald Trump.
Chris Rock made the accusation in a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times in which he also discussed President Trump and the use of blackface in entertainment.
The comedian told the Times that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional Democrats allowed the virus to spread because they were focused on impeachment proceedings.
“It was totally up to Pelosi and the Democrats. Their thing was, ‘We’re going to get him impeached,’ which was never going to happen. You let the pandemic come in. Yes, we can blame Trump, but he’s really the 5-year-old,” Rock said.
Democrat leaders showed little to no public interest in the coronavirus pandemic during its early months. In January, when the gravity of the virus was becoming apparent, Congressional Democrats staged a photo-op in which they solemnly walked the articles of impeachment through the Capitol rotunda.
Later that month, Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) infamously tore up a copy of President Trump’s State of the Union address on live television, even though the address directly referenced the pandemic and promised that the White House “will take all necessary steps to safeguard our citizens from this threat.”
Breitbart News has reported on how the Democrats’ impeachment effort cost America valuable time in its fight against the coronavirus. House Democrats didn’t take up the coronavirus in the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia until early February.
In his Times interview, Chris Rock showed little respect for the commander in chief, comparing him to a child ruler.
“Did you ever see that movie The Last Emperor, where like a 5-year-old is the emperor of China? There’s a kid and he’s the king. So I’m like, it’s all the Democrats’ fault. Because you knew that the emperor was 5 years old. And when the emperor’s 5 years old, they only lead in theory. There’s usually an adult who’s like, ‘OK, this is what we’re really going to do.'”
The newspaper asked Rock if he thinks Hollywood’s rush to expunge all past uses of blackface in entertainment has gone too far.
“If I say they are, then I’m the worst guy in the world. There’s literally one answer that ends my whole career,” he replied. “Blackface ain’t cool, OK? That’s my quote. Blackface is bad. Who needs it? It’s so sad, we live in a world now where you have to say, I am so against cancer. “I just assumed you liked cancer.” No, no, no, I am so against it. You have to state so many obvious things you’re against.”
Rock also said that the Obama presidency didn’t represent a positive for black Americans.
“Obama becoming the president, it’s progress for white people. It’s not progress for Black people.”
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