Vanessa Hudgens is trending today—not because of her viral “High School Musical” TikTok with Ashley Tisdale, but because her tone-deaf take on the 2019 novel coronavirus.
During an Instagram Live, a fan asked Hudgens when she’ll go back to London. “When is anyone going anywhere is the real question,” she replied. “How long is this sh*t going to last? I don’t know. I predict a month. Someone today said six weeks. But I feel like after that it’ll be fine.”
Hudgens later reacted to a reply that mentioned that lockdowns might end in July. “Um, yeah, ’til July sounds like a bunch of bullsh*t,” she said. “I’m sorry. But like, it’s a virus. I get it. Like, I respect it, but at the same time, even if everybody gets it… Like, yeah, people are gonna die—which is terrible. But like, inevitable?”
Fans took to Twitter to express their disappointment and disgust towards Hudgens’ comments.
The actress later apologized on Instagram Stories, saying that her statement was taken out of context. “It’s a crazy time. It’s a crazy, crazy time, and I am at home and on lockdown. And that’s what I hope you guys are doing too. In full quarantine and staying safe and sane. Yeah, I don’t take this situation lightly by any means. I am home. So stay inside, y’all.”
She also posted a statement on Twitter, saying, “I’m so sorry for the way I have offended anyone and everyone who has seen the clip from my Instagram Live yesterday. I realize my words were insensitive and not at all appropriate for the situation our country and the world are in right now.”
It seems like tone-deaf responses and reactions from celebrities and influencers are becoming more common amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Yesterday, Mar. 17, Filipino blogger Cat Arambulo received backlash for posting an Instagram Stories video where she called workers “motherf*ckers” because they weren’t staying home. (As if it was the citizens’ fault that they needed to work to make ends meet and because their companies still required them to show up.)
Arambulo later apologized with two Twitter statements and an Instagram Stories video.
Aside from social distancing, we all need to learn how to recognize our privilege and be more empathetic.
Photo courtesy of Vanessa Hudgens’ Instagram account
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