Actor Tim Allen—best known for his starring roles on Home Improvement and as the voice of Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story series—was dragged after he attempted to mock Democratic President Joe Biden with a cringey 60 Minutes joke.
Shortly after Biden appeared on 60 Minutes for a wide-ranging interview that covered the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and his administration's response to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Allen made a tired joke that has been used time and again to mock public figures.
Allen wrote on Twitter:
"Biden was on 60 minutes. I heard he asked how long the show was."
In making the remark, Allen breathed more life into conspiracies about Biden's mental fitness that have become a favorite talking point in conservative circles.
However, claims that Biden has a cognitive impairment are unfounded despite former Republican President Donald Trump's penchant for referring to him by the pejorative "Sleepy Joe."
In September 2020, ABC News reported the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) withheld intelligence warning of Russian disinformation attacking Biden to promote "allegations about poor mental health."
The intelligence bulletin, titled "Russia Likely to Denigrate Health of US Candidates to Influence 2020 Election," said American intelligence determined Russian operatives are sowing disinformation to convince the American electorate Biden has dementia and would be unfit to serve in office.
But the fact that the bulletin has discredited allegations about Biden's mental health has not stopped conservative media outlets like Fox News from claiming that Biden is very much at the mercy of his handlers despite evidence that Biden is very much in charge.
The internet let out a collective groan and Allen—once a reasonably respected comedian—was dragged for his cheap attempt at humor.
During his interview with 60 Minutes, Biden declared that the COVID-19 pandemic is "over," noting that the "impact on the psyche of the American people as a consequence of the pandemic is profound." His claim surprised federal health officials.
He also addressed speculation about whether he'll run for another term in 2024, saying that it "remains to be seen" whether he'll make a decision to run after November's midterm elections.
Biden additionally criticized former President Trump, calling him “totally irresponsible" for absconding from the White House with a trove of classified documents that federal authorities later retrieved from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.
Biden said he has not asked for "specifics" regarding the documents that were taken, saying he does not "want to get myself in the middle of whether or not the Justice Department should move or not move on certain actions they could take."
