This weekend, Madonna posted a video on her Twitter and Instagram in which she shared her thoughts on the coronavirus. And, like so many celebrity ~hot takes~ about this crisis, her video is now creating lots of controversy online.
No-Discrimination- Covid-19!! #quarantine #covid_19 #staysafe #becreative #brianeno
In the video, Madonna sits naked in a bathtub, surrounded by rose petals, and declares that the coronavirus is "the great equalizer."
"What's terrible about [the coronavirus] is what's great about it," she tells the camera, as harp music plays in the background.
"What's terrible about it is it's made us all equal in many ways," she said, adding: "And what's wonderful about it is that it's made us all equal in many ways."
While some appreciated the sentiment, many folks were really bothered by it:
@Madonna Girl if you don't get off social media drop some money to aiding medical professionals right now! They need equipment and beds and masks and ventilators. No body cares about yr rich old white lady milk bath and I say this a die hard fan.
Many pointed out the irony of Madonna calling the virus "the great equalizer," as she takes a luxurious rose petal bath in her multimillion-dollar home:
@Madonna “Made us all equals in many ways” - Madonna, whilst sat in a bathtub full of rose petals with a harp playing in the background
The rose petals in particular were the subject of many jokes:
@Madonna where did you get your petals? The aldi at the top of my road if completely sold out !
Some fans called on Madonna to stop talking about the virus, and donate to relief efforts instead:
@Madonna I’ve been a fan for 28 years now and I’m only 31. However, it’s embarrassing that you haven’t donated a dime to relief efforts when business & lives are falling apart. You’re like the 3rd richest woman in Europe. Stop spending thousands on rose petal baths and drop $ on aid now!
And others advised her to get better friends, who can stop her from posting things like this:
@Madonna Someone close to you should say NO.
On Instagram, the video didn't fare much better:
Commenters pointed out the many ways in which this virus is not "the great equalizer":
For example, many working-class people don't have the luxury of self-isolating — if you're a grocery store employee, a nurse, or a delivery person, you might have to go to work:
Rich people also have more resources to protect themselves if they become infected:
And, as many commenters were quick to note, rich people seem to have a much easier time getting tested for COVID-19:
So no, Madonna, the coronavirus is not "the great equalizer." In fact, it's making the differences between poor people and rich people a lot more clear.
I'm gonna end this with a formal plea to any and all celebrities who might be reading this: Please spend less time spouting off nonsense about the coronavirus, and more time donating to causes that will help working-class people get through this thing. Thank you in advance!
