Jennifer Aniston sparks rare controversy by denouncing COVID anti-vaxxers

Jennifer Aniston’s name would never be on the list of Hollywood celebrities who regularly aggravate the Fox News/Newsmax adherents with her liberal politics, but she risked their outrage by revealing that she’s had it with people who won’t get vaccinated for COVID-19.

In an interview with InStyle magazine, the 52-year-old “Friends” star despaired over the growing “insanity” of misinformation that America has had to deal with amid the global pandemic.

“There’s a large group of people who are anti-vaxxers or just don’t listen to the facts, and it’s a real shame,” said Aniston, who is usually known for her sunny, wholesome, non-confrontational public persona.

“I’ve just lost a few people in my weekly routine who have refused or did not disclose (whether or not they had been vaccinated), and it was unfortunate,” Aniston said at the conclusion of the interview, which mostly dealt with her usual topics: fashion, fame, her fitness regimen and what’s up with her “Friends” co-stars.

Jennifer Aniston Knows What She Wantshttps://t.co/1pJF5XsLnZ pic.twitter.com/sEpdnWsvvm

— InStyle (@InStyle) August 3, 2021

“I feel it’s your moral and professional obligation to inform, since we’re not all podded up and being tested every single day,” Aniston continued. “It’s tricky because everyone is entitled to their own opinion — but a lot of opinions don’t feel based in anything except fear or propaganda.”

Aniston’s stark denunciation of vaccine skeptics appears to have caught a lot of people by surprise. While she endorsed the presidential campaigns of Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, Aniston’s public persona has been built on being relatable to as many people as possible. That means, she has avoided speaking out too much on current events.

That’s probably why her anti-vaccine comments made headlines Tuesday and Wednesday, while also sparking fierce social media conversations about vaccines, herd immunity, new variants and the renewed push for people to wear masks.

Aniston’s comments also invited pushback by plenty of people in conservative social media channels, including Irene Armendariz-Jackson, a Republican congressional candidate from Texas, who tweeted: “I definitely do not get any lessons on morality from a Hollywood Elite.”

Someone else wrote: “Why thank you, Jennifer, I was just wondering what your thoughts were on this. Said no one ever.”

Others chastised Aniston for endorsing the idea that people should have to disclose personal medical information. They also took her to task by saying she cut not-vaccinated people out of her life and even accused her of being part of a Democratic plot to use the coronavirus to increase political divide in this country.

“Does JA also require a friend’s HIV or HEP C status? What a disgusting world of ‘them and us’ so many people seem so ready to endorse,” tweeted the account for members of the band Right Said Fred.

“Don’t want to be part of any movement that turns on fellow citizens who are unvaccinated…or different from myself,” a self-described lover of American and Christian values wrote. “That is a form of supremacy. Our own government/@POTUS is gearing up to use the vaccination process to create tension amongst its citizens.

Aniston won praise from people who agreed with her position. Some even thought she could have been stronger in her denunciation of people who won’t get vaccinated because of unfounded fears or political positions.

“Refusing to get vaccinated is like refusing to obey a red light,” tweeted political commentator Mario Almonte. “They are not ‘opinions’ but reckless behavior that endanger other people’s lives.”

As much as Aniston’s pro-vaccine comments garnered attention, her views shouldn’t be entirely surprising, given that she has used her social media over the past 16 months to encourage people to wear masks and to practice social distance.

“This simple and effective recommendation is being politicized at the expense of peoples’ lives,” Aniston wrote on Instagram in June 2020. “And it really shouldn’t be a debate.”

Aniston has faced internet fury over COVID-19 previously. In December, people accused her appearing to make light of the pandemic by posting a photo of a Christmas ornament, which was inscribed with the words “Our first pandemic 2020.”

“I’m sorry but that’s so insensitive to put an ornament saying ‘pandemic 2020,'” tweeted one follower. “Innocent lives were lost because of this pandemic. We’re not going to celebrate this (expletive). Do better Jennifer Aniston.”

Fans came to her defense and pointed out that it’s highly unlikely that Aniston would not be taking COVID seriously, given all her previous entreaties on masks and social distancing.

“If you’re pressed about Jennifer Aniston’s ‘1st pandemic’ ornament then you sincerely have zero sense of humor,” one person tweeted. “Everybody copes differently. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t get the weight of this year. Just means she’s coping with humor. It wasn’t even an offensive saying.”