Stand-up comedian and actor Kumail Nanjiani is mostly known for bringing the funny and joy, but in a recent Twitter thread the Silicon Valley actor got real, expressing his concern for the pandemic and how the United States has handled it poorly compared to other countries.
Nanjiani is married to Emily V. Gordon, who is high risk when it comes to COVID-19. They both wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for The Big Sick, which is based on their relationship — which goes further into why Gordon’s high risk. He took Twitter and in a very candid thread expressed his thoughts about the pandemic.
He wrote: “I’m sorry. I’m generally a very optimistic person & have fought to keep positive these last few months. But today is hard. We are heading into a massive Covid spike & the people who are supposed to protect us are doing nothing & blaming us for being concerned.”
He continued: “We’ve been in quarantine for 8 months because my wife is in a high risk group. We feel let down by our country. But it’s not about us. We’re the lucky ones. Over 226,000 people have died. That’s so many families destroyed. People have lost their homes, their jobs…And this was all preventable. I look at the Covid cases & deaths in other countries & it feels like they’re in another world. Are they dealing with the same disease we are? I guess that’s the difference. They’re dealing with it. We’re not. We politicized every suppression effort.”
He went on to talk about how the country and, without naming Donald Trump, the administration has failed to serve its people during the pandemic.
Even before lockdown, Nanjiani took precautions. In early March, he stepped down from Film Independent’s live-script reading of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. He also pulled out of the SXSW premiere of his comedy The Lovebirds before the Austin-based fest was canceled due to the pandemic.
However, during the pandemic, Nanjiani and Gordon have maintained optimism. They created the podcast Staying In with Emily & Kumail to chronicle their quarantine life while raising funds for charities helping those affected by the pandemic. As of late, they have been very vocal and active when it comes to the November 3 election.
Nanjiani and Gordon also served as executive producers of the critically acclaimed Apple TV+ series Little America, which was renewed for a second season ahead of its premiere in January. Nanjiani will also appear in the forthcoming Marvel Studios pic The Eternals, which is slated to open in theaters on November 5, 2021. They were also the guests on the 100th episode of Deadline’s New Hollywood Podcast.
Read Nanijiani’s Twitter thread below.
I’m sorry. I’m generally a very optimistic person & have fought to keep positive these last few months. But today is hard. We are heading into a massive Covid spike & the people who are supposed to protect us are doing nothing & blaming us for being concerned.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) October 25, 2020
Sleepless nights because what will happen if the person laying next to you in bed gets sick is a sign of weakness. Science is a sign of weakness. We could have done so much more to prevent all these losses. But it’s not his fault. It’s China’s fault. 8 months& we’re still here.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) October 25, 2020
I guess I have nothing constructive to say. Just be careful out there. I’m afraid we have a couple of bad months ahead of us. And I feel hopeless & helpless today.
Actually, pls respond with worthy organizations we can donate to.
I’m gonna try & crawl back to optimism now.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) October 25, 2020
And this was all preventable. I look at the Covid cases & deaths in other countries & it feels like they’re in another world. Are they dealing with the same disease we are? I guess that’s the difference. They’re dealing with it. We’re not. We politicized every suppression effort.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) October 25, 2020