Fran Drescher is using her platform as Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) president to call for Hollywood to end its "bulls**t" COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
"As the nation declares an end to the COVID emergency this May, I hope we will see everyone return to work in equal opportunity,” Drescher, 65, said in a speech at the 2023 SAG Awards on Sunday, according to the New York Post.
The Posted noted that the industry's pandemic protocols were originally set to expire Jan. 31, but will now expire April 1.
"Our industry brings billions of production dollars to states across the nation, but if they want our business, let's wield our financial influence to make governors act in the best interest of freedom, diversity, inclusion and democracy," Drescher said during her speech. "As my character Bobbi Flekman said in 'This Is Spinal Tap' — money talks and bulls**t walks!"
Late last year, Drescher aired her concerns about Hollywood's COVID-19 vaccination mandate, assuring those who had refused to be vaccinated to work because of religious beliefs or preexisting health conditions that "help is on the way."
"I continue to fight on behalf of our members who feel discriminated against because of the COVID unvaccinated or un-boosted status, which is keeping them from working in major studio productions," she wrote at the time in an issue of SAG-AFTRA Magazine, which was cited by Deadline. "For those members not being fairly considered by studios with regards to their religious or health exemptions, help is on the way!"
Drescher stated that, as a result of "this lingering policy, many performers have lost their representation, their medical benefits and their livelihoods."
Months before, Drescher wrote about the issue in a separate issue of SAG-AFTRA Magazine, saying Hollywood's COVID-19 vaccination mandate "walks the razor's edge of compromising religious, disability and body sovereignty freedoms."
She further expressed "concern that giving employers the discretionary rights to decide which of us can or can't work based on our medical history is a dangerous slippery slope. If an employer can decide you can't work unless COVID vaccinated, what's next, we can't work without a monkeypox vaccine?"
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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