Celebrities Keep Whining About Social Distancing From Their Giant Mansions, and They Should Stop

Hello. Are you a famous person with millions upon millions of dollars? Do you live in a gigantic, gorgeous house with enough square feet that it would take you at least an hour to walk through all of them? Do you have assistants and / or house staff to do your shopping so you don't have to worry about running out of toilet paper? Then stop posting about how sad you are to be stuck at home.

Celebrities are posting left and right about proper social distancing and being bored and sad in isolation, yet almost none of them acknowledge that they are so much better off than nearly everyone else. Arnold Schwarzenegger telling us all to stay home while he's smoking a cigar in a hot tub doesn't exactly send the message he thinks it does.

Look, I get it. Celebrities have huge audiences. They want to tell their fans to act responsibly. We are in the midst of a global health crisis, and celebrities have the ears of thousands of impressionable people. They should be using their influence to spread the message that we have to stay inside.

I also understand that they are human beings with feelings and that they probably really do feel sad and scared and bored. But so does everyone else, and most people don't have a huge home gym with floor-to-ceiling windows and a television show starring themselves to watch in order to calm down, Ellen. 

It's just so insensitive to say, "Everything's going to pass. Everybody's going to be fine." It will pass. But tons and tons of people will not be fine. Many already aren't. People are getting seriously ill and dying. 

Many others have lost their jobs and are struggling to figure out how they will pay their rent and bills if the government doesn't step in and freeze payments. They can't afford to hoard groceries and will have to go without while those who can are filling their pantries with several months worth of supplies.

Parents are struggling to work and simultaneously entertain or teach their kids in homes that are smaller than the fort Lauren Conrad and her kids built in her living room. I'm not asking celebrities to stop posting about their lives right now. 

All I and others want is some acknowledgment of their immense privilege, some sense they understand that their reality right now is far more convenient and comfortable than it is for everyone else.

Jimmy Fallon is filming his show from his house, which has an indoor slide. Jennifer Lopez posted a video from her bright green, perfectly manicured yard that looks eerily like the yard and house in which the rich family lives in Parasite. Like, it's identical. 

Martha Stewart is apparently in possession of every copper pot ever made. Do you know how expensive copper pots are? They're very expensive!

There's a way for celebrities to engage with their fans at this time, and this ain't it. Sorry. They can share their experiences, but it's essential they also acknowledge their privilege in this situation and use their influence for good (raising money for organizations working for those less fortunate for them, raising awareness, and better yet, donating lots of money themselves). At least if they want to seem the least bit in touch with humanity. 

In short, be like Shakira.

Celebrities — as much as everyone (including them!) wants to believe it — are not just like us. They should be able to recognize that and act accordingly. 

If you're out there and you're listening, don't be Arnold in the hot tub or Kourtney Kardashian in the lush fields of Wyoming, or Vanessa Hudgens claiming it's "inevitable" that people are going to die. 

Be Shakira. Good advice for today and forever (except for the tax evasion stuff). 

The best way to prevent contracting or spreading coronavirus is with thorough hand washing and social distancing. If you feel you may be experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, which include persistent cough (usually dry), fever, shortness of breath, and fatigue, please call your doctor before going to get tested. For comprehensive resources and updates, visit the CDC website. If you are experiencing anxiety about the virus, seek out mental health support from your provider or visit NAMI.org.