On the 11th of March, social media went crazy when Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, revealed they were both tested for COVID-19 and the results came back positive. Tom was in Australia filming for a new movie, and after experiencing body aches and other flu-like symptoms, they got checked and as it turns out, they contracted the illness.
Afterward, responding to the wave of social media comments and well-wishes, Chet Hanks, Tom’s son, took to his Instagram to thank everyone for supporting his family, and also added that his parents weren’t worried about it.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B69VY-Tp2e5/
Fans of Tom Hanks know that Chet hasn’t exactly been the favorite among some segments of social media corners. According to BET, the actor’s son once “assumed a Jamaican patois” while at the Golden Globe Awards.
Internet commenters wondered aloud whether or not he was showing appreciation for the culture and the dialect, or making fun of it. Later, he drew more criticism from internet critics when he claimed that black people snowboarding was cultural appropriation, in response to people accusing him of making fun of Jamaican culture.
Chet hanks comforting his parents pic.twitter.com/gtQhcG8R9C
— My negro academia (@Eturnquest) March 12, 2020
Regardless of his past comments, most people were sympathetic to Chet as he discussed his parents’ health condition, which echoed what Tom and Rita had already said in the past. Chet said on his account that neither of his parents “were even that sick,” so there was nothing to worry about.
However, there were many people online who refused to let him forget about the way he imitated the Jamaican accent at the awards ceremony. It goes to show that once it’s on the internet, it’s hard to get it off.
As most know, the coronavirus is currently fresh on everyone’s minds at the moment. The World Health Organization recently confirmed that there has been around 4,600 deaths around the world and another 124,000 confirmed diagnoses. Donald Trump announced the federal travel ban to Europe, except the United Kingdom, on Wednesday.
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It goes into effect at midnight tonight. On Wednesday night, the NBA also suspended the remainder of the season, as did the NHL. Daytime talk shows have also introduced preventative measures, including filming without live audiences.
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