Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
In a move that could only be sketched in the darkest corners of a satirist’s imagination, former President Trump once suggested—apparently in all seriousness—that we could inject ourselves with disinfectant to fight off the dreaded COVID virus. Fast-forward and we find President Biden standing on the podium, wielding his wit sharper than a Lysol-spritzed epee, to skewer his predecessor’s bright(less) idea.
It’s a moment of such profound absurdity that it transcends the bounds of political theatre and nosedives straight into the realm of an SNL sketch, yet here we are, dissecting it with the solemnity of a surgeon… or in this case, a comedian.
The Breakdown
- An Ounce of Prevention or a Gallon of Clorox?
Trump might’ve confused the cleaning aisle with the pharmacy when he musingly proposed disinfectant as the elixir of life against the lurking menace of the coronavirus. Real cutting-edge science there—just minus the actual “science” part. - UV Rays: The Inner Light Miracle
The suggestion to bring “all the light inside the body” must’ve come straight from an alternate universe where Trump moonlights as a disco ball. Let’s flip the switch and illuminate our innards with a blast from the ’70s. - Big Brain Energy—Or Lack Thereof
The infinite wisdom to inject oneself with bleach could only spring from the same mind that hatched up the Space Force as if the stars were utterly petrified of us not looming over them militarily. - No Doctor, but I Play One on TV
When the Oval Office took a turn into Grey’s Anatomy territory (though less McDreamy and more McScary), we knew that medical advice from politicians was perhaps the balm society needed—provided you have a stomach as strong as your bleach. - The Disinfectant Monologue: Grand Slam or Facepalm?
Trump’s advisors were perhaps miming an SOS in the backdrop, but TV ratings must go on, even if public health takes a walk-off home-run trot around the bases in the opposite direction.
The Counter
- Injecting Wit Doesn’t Cure Foot-in-Mouth Disease
Biden might’ve gotten a few chuckles in the chatrooms, but it takes more than snappy comebacks to disinfect the wound left by the previous administration’s medical musings. - Spot The Serious Suggestion
Let’s play a round of “Extreme Presidential Edition” and see if we can guess which statements should be taken to heart and which deserve the full John Oliver treatment. - Is Satire the Best Medicine?
While sarcasm drips from Biden’s tongue like sanitizer from a compulsive hand-washer’s bottle, one wonders, could we the people invest in a humor vaccine? - From Nobel Prizes to Nope-Bell Troubles
If only jests could translate into policy. Picture the Nobel committee facepalming in unison as they ponder which category would fit Trump’s scientific breakthroughs the best. - When Life Imitates Art… Badly
Someone apparently took the concept of reality TV too literally and ran with it all the way to the realm of public health—because who doesn’t love a dose of drama with their morning vitamins?
The Hot Take
While it’s all fun and games to rib on politicians who confuse Listerine for penicillin, the hot take here is hotter than a Carolina Reaper chili pepper being used to spice up grandma’s old cough syrup. The liberal prescription to avoid making America the laughing stock of the international medical community again is simple: listen to actual experts (wild concept, I know).
Put the microscope in the hands of scientists instead of scriptwriters, swap the infomercials with infographics based on real data, and for the love of sanity, let’s keep the chemical cleaning hacks to the kitchen sink and nowhere near the bloodstream.
Source: Biden Mocks Trump’s Suggestion Of Using Disinfectant To Treat COVID-19
