Specifically: The mainstream media coverage of the Wuhan coronavirus and its editorializing of its severity and effects vs the severity and effects of local and federal governments reaction to it, is making people act irrationally hysterical, panicked, and without critical thinking. But “insane” is a shorter and accurate summary (that is not an attack on those actually afflicted with cognitive illnesses).
Recording his show from his back yard, Bill Maher tries to talk some sense into his viewers on the subject.
“Now that we’re starting to see some hope in all this, don’t hope-shame me” is the bizarre but necessary plea someone in the logical position on this issue at this time faces from the unwashed masses.
“You know the problem with nonstop gloom and doom is it gives Trump the chance to play the optimist. And optimists tend to win American elections.”
As I’ve noted before about the bizarre “Trump was too optimistic” attacks – the anti-Trump doomsday media is only helping his re-election. Maybe it’s a secret conspiracy to manipulate media consumers with a little Bugs Bunny style reverse-psychology but that still makes it my duty to tip you off about it in the event that you don’t want to be one of those manipulated tools aiding the Donald Show into a Season 2 renewal.
Maher cited FDR’s “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” which has been a winning inspirational theme for him and politicians after him, most famously “the other 3 letter president”, JFK. Maher doesn’t fear the Chinese virus so much as he fears that “as s*** as he is, I can see Trump riding that into a second term. And then there will be no hope left for you to shame.”
I selfishly assume that one of his writers must have heard me point out the “early seasons of Nickelodeons Rugrats cinematography” technique fearmongers are using to make a micro organism appear visually scary by showing the scrubbing broccoli ball image. As Maher put it: anything “you magnify a thousand times” looks scary, and illustrate the point with a micro-zoomed image of a pubic hair.
Update (May 14th): Dave Portnoy’s take
The CEO of Barstool Sports had a similar thesis with slightly different words.