As one of the first American celebrities who contracted COVID-19 and recovered safely, Tom Hanks doesn’t have time for people who don’t wear masks. The beloved actor has been urging people to practice safety guidelines during the coronavirus pandemic, even going so far as to say, “Don’t be a pussy.” Now, he’s doubling down on that sentiment by questioning the patriotism of Americans who choose not to wear masks.
During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, Hanks was asked by Stephen Colbert what it’s like to be a coronavirus survivor. The two discussed a range of topics, including whether or not Hanks would donate his plasma to help scientists find a cure (Hanks confirmed he already has and he hopes it will result in the “Hank-ccine” vaccine).
Out of all the questions he was asked, though, no questioned riled Hanks up quite like Colbert asking what it’s like to see people not wearing masks in public. The Greyhound star talked about how insulting it is to COVID-19 survivors, how it doesn’t line up with the actions of Americans in previous centuries, and how it’s akin to not using your turn signal while driving because you think you’re a good driver — completely missing the point that a turn signal is for the safety of other drivers around you.
“Are they Americans? I don’t get it,” said Hanks, almost too bewildered and angry to respond. “It’s literally — literally! — the least you can do… [Wear] a mask and wash your hands and try to stay six feet away from a person. Is this impossible now? I think of George Washington’s troops at Valley Forge, you know, if you ask them to wear a mask, they’d love it, because it would keep them a little bit warm.”
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Watch the complete segment below and please, for the love of Hanks, wear a damn mask.
Editor’s Note: Stay safe by picking up one of our custom face masks. A portion of the proceeds will benefit MusiCares’ COVID-19 Artist Relief fund supporting independent musicians.
