Arnold Schwarzenegger’s coronavirus PSA is important. But what’s up with the donkey?
Even the Terminator isn’t taking any chances when it comes to the coronavirus.
On Sunday, actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger shared a video of himself enjoying self-quarantine as Gov. Gavin Newsom called for 5.3 million senior citizens and other vulnerable groups to stay home.
“Stay at home as much as possible,” Schwarzenegger advised, echoing Newsom’s order. “Listen to the experts, ignore the morons (foreheads). We will get through this together.”
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But it was the movie star’s furry friends who really stole the show in his widely circulated PSA.
“The important thing is that you stay home because there’s a curfew now, OK? No one is allowed out, especially someone that is like 72 years old,” Schwarzenegger said while casually feeding carrots to Whiskey the pony and Lulu the donkey. “So we stay home, and we eat here. ... We don’t go out. We don’t go to restaurants. We don’t do anything like that anymore here. We just eat with Whiskey and with Lulu.”
Clad in a “Terminator” shirt, the Hollywood tough guy switched off between advocating for healthy social-distancing practices and fawning over his pets. He also blessed Twitter with a new profile photo, which shows him hugging and smiling with his animal buddies.
“We have a good time. We get entertained,” he said, gesturing to his donkey companion. “Look at that beautiful smile she has. ... No biting, OK? You’ve got to get along because we are in very small quarters. We have a very small house here. Good girls. I love it.”
Schwarzenegger is one of several celebrities — including Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and Lizzo — who used their platforms over the weekend to urge the public to take CDC-recommended isolation measures seriously.
Last week, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson became the first celebrities to reveal they had contracted the coronavirus. On Monday, actor Idris Elba announced that he too had tested positive for it.
Coachella, SXSW, “Hamilton,” the next “Fast and Furious” movie and even Disneyland have been affected by the coronavirus. But wait — there’s more.
At 72, Schwarzenegger falls under the highest-risk category if exposed to the virus. Officials have long said that anyone over the age of 70 and those with underlying health conditions are the most susceptible to the respiratory illness.
“We have a good time eating here together. So much more fun than going outside,” he continued while petting Lulu, who “loves carrots” and Whiskey, who also “loves carrots.” “No more restaurants, OK? No more restaurants. Forget all that. Public gatherings, restaurants, large gymnasiums — out the window. You stay home.”
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