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As COVID-19 spreads around the world, everyone in the public eye has been taking a moment to greet their followers online and offer a positive message to help them through these hard times.
Actress Vanessa Hudgens took a different tack with a video she hosted on Instagram, however.
In an Instagram Live video, Hudgens spoke about how social distancing may be unnecessary because people are going to die anyway, saying:
"Yeah ... til July. Sounds like a bunch of bullshit, but, like, it's a virus ― I get it. I respect it, but, at the same time, like, even if everybody gets it, like, yeah, people are gonna die. Which is terrible, but, like, inevitable? I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't being doing this right now."
When you tweet a video and end it with “maybe I shouldn’t be saying this” that’s normally a sign that you shouldn’t… https://t.co/s9gjm1fGp6— 🥂The Barrowboy🥂 (@🥂The Barrowboy🥂)1584476134.0
It seems Hudgens was right...she really shouldn't have been doing that.
What a horrible and heartless message for you to share with the younger people who look up to you @VanessaHudgens https://t.co/p0vIekdigP— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@Yashar Ali 🐘)1584472071.0
How to ruin your career in 27 seconds #VanessaHudgens https://t.co/BJLsoW0FCE— IzzieFarah (@IzzieFarah)1584473700.0
Mitt Romney coming out for UBI and Vanessa Hudgens coming out for letting everyone die is an Act 3 twist I did not see coming— Zack Bornstein (@Zack Bornstein)1584474466.0
Twitter was quick to jump on Hudgens, letting her know how heartless her message was.
Imagine you had vulnerable elderly relatives. Now imagine you had a brain and, more importantly, a heart. Then reth… https://t.co/19b46GiZVq— James Woods (@James Woods)1584475224.0
The backlash was so fierce that Hudgens was driven to post an apology less than a day later.
https://t.co/Mjw6qJ5bET— Vanessa Hudgens (@Vanessa Hudgens)1584477476.0
Hudgens' apology did little to blunt the onslaught of critiques, however.
Are we calling it yet on Vanessa Hudgens being the first celebrity to get quarantine-cancelled?— Randy Rainbow (@Randy Rainbow)1584474324.0
Vanessa Hudgens respects the virus. Is she the first all viruses matter person?— Jeff Cerulli (@Jeff Cerulli)1584476780.0
Vanessa Hudgens saying something dumb and becoming a focal point of scorn seems like a great collective stress reli… https://t.co/BiAtKTkLiY— Steven Hyden (@Steven Hyden)1584475915.0
Vanessa Hudgens not apologizing for her cruel and stupid words about the Coronavirus but instead claiming that we m… https://t.co/H1fjZguOtC— 𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐞 ☾ (@𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐞 ☾)1584475711.0
People wondered how Hudgens' High School Musical costars were reacting.
Zac Efron after seeing Vanessa Hudgens’ video #VanessaHudgens https://t.co/oyUopCo6Tl— Steven Emerson (@Steven Emerson)1584498553.0
This level of shade. #VanessaHudgensisoverparty #VanessaHudgens https://t.co/rXLE12rSwa— pillíni (@pillíni)1584507152.0
Many Twitter users tried to show Hudgens why her words were so harmful.
#Vanessahudgens - People are losing their jobs. They are dying. They are sick. They have no money. No groceries. No… https://t.co/6gjGFRWVLc— Polly Fudge 🔰 (@Polly Fudge 🔰)1584473458.0
#VanessaHudgens really doesn’t give a shit about people dying but hops right on to apologize for it in order to sav… https://t.co/CPsmXO7Usa— Elis 🌼 (@Elis 🌼)1584499501.0
Percy Jackson and Olaf calling out Vanessa I love this song💞✨ #VanessaHudgens https://t.co/pGDp2c7Xve— 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮, 𝓒𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓻𝓮 (@𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮, 𝓒𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓻𝓮)1584479556.0
On the positive side, at least Hudgens generated a boatload of new memes.
I see no difference #VanessaHudgens https://t.co/8OrfMOgkZk— Jacob pt.2 (@Jacob pt.2)1584477155.0
Vanessa Hudgens publicist right now #VanessaHudgens https://t.co/iaJ0mcPoVc— Jenn Elizabeth (@Jenn Elizabeth)1584474318.0
With any luck, the backlash against Hudgens will help her realize the seriousness of COVID-19 for her many fans around the globe.