Grey’s Anatomy’s Ellen Pompeo Calls Out ”Out of Touch” TV Doctors Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
On Saturday morning, Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo took to Twitter to slam “out of touch” television doctors spreading controversial opinions in regards to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“The old white guy TV docs who say stupid selfish s— should yes… walk that s— right back… to your lazy boys and sit your stupid a–es down in your living rooms on your golf courses where you live,” Pompeo wrote on Twitter. “Tired out of touch old fools don’t get me started today.”
The “out of touch” TV doctors that the actress was referring to were Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil and Dr. Drew Pinsky. The trio made headlines in recent days for going on air to make absurd claims and comments regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, despite not being experts on infectious diseases.
Pompeo continued, “Also to those out of touch tv docs which I’m sure they would call me lol…you took an oath so so many years ago to do no harm… making careless statements in this environment when so many healthcare workers are suffering physically and emotionally….is defying that oath.”
During an interview on Fox News on Tuesday, Dr. Oz said that the idea of reopening schools despite the ongoing coronavirus outbreak sounded like an “appetizing opportunity” because the opening of schools “may only cost 2 to 3 percent in terms of total mortality.”
When speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity, Dr. Oz also said, “We need our mojo back. Let’s start with things that are really critical to the nation where we think we might be able to open without getting into a lot of trouble. I tell you, schools are a very appetizing opportunity.”
On Thursday, after facing backlash for his comments, he posted a video on Twitter addressing the criticism.
On Twitter, Pompeo continued: “And I love friendly reminders so here’s one… so many healthcare professionals already before a pandemic… experience racism pay inequities and discrimination in however many forms that comes which are many… they still do their jobs with pride and selflessness…”
“So let’s think about all of our first responders and healthcare workers home health aids nursing home staff…always … it’s a much better place to put our focus,” the actress wrote.
Aside from Dr. Oz’s comments, Dr. Phil—who holds a doctorate in clinical psychology but is not licensed to practice—also appeared on Fox News with Laura Ingraham and appeared to criticized the nationwide shutdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The economy is crashing around us and they’re doing that because people are dying because of coronavirus,” Dr. Phil said, per CNN. “I get that, but look, the fact of the matter is we have people dying—45,000 people a year die from automobile accidents, 480,000 from cigarettes, 360,000 from swimming pools—but we don’t shut the country for that. But yet, we’re doing it for this and the fallout is going to last for years because people’s loves are being destroyed.”
In a video on Friday, the TV doctor also took to social media to acknowledge his comments and apologize.
The Greys Anatomy star also replied to a tweet that shared pictures of the trio, which read, “Hi, Drew, Oz, and Phil. Until you start behaving like real doctors, Imma call you by your first names.”
She retweeted the original tweet and wrote, “I love this because …They have been so busy in their dressing rooms getting their faces powdered and worrying about their ratings …they have no idea what doctors and healthcare professionals on the front lines actually do or they just don’t care.”
This isn’t the first time Pompeo has held no punches when it comes to speaking her mind on what she believes is right and just. Earlier this year, after the death of the late Kobe Bryant—the actress also took to social media to criticize the media coverage of the tragic helicopter crash that not only killed the basketball player but also his young daughter Gianna Bryant and seven other victims.
Concluding her thoughts on Twitter, Pompeo shared a message for people staying home during the coronavirus outbreak. “Staying home is for very good reasons…one of them is to stop the spread to nurses doctors and anyone who works in a hospital housekeeping …security .. maintenance…. …to keep their risk of contracting lower and The hospitals can only handle so much intake,” she wrote on Twitter.
