Actress Kirstie Alley doubled down Sunday, accusing CNN of “broadcasting terror” and keeping people scared of the continued threat of COVID-19.
Alley made an appearance on a special pre-election edition of “Tucker Carlson Tonight” to discuss her take on CNN after the network’s communications department had attacked her directly for tweeting about it. (RELATED: ‘Guess You Got That Wrong Too’: Kirstie Alley Declares War On CNN’s Communications Department)
WATCH:
Carlson began by sharing the exchange between Alley and CNN — the actress said that she had switched from Fox to CNN briefly on the advice of a few friends only to find that the network appeared to be pushing fear.
I now Know why my personal friends who walk around in SHEER TERROR of contracting Covid are simply CNN viewers! I decided to watch CNN myself to get a their viewpoint and oh my God DID I EVER!!!! IF YOU TOO WANT TO LIVE IN TERROR WATCH CNN!!
FEAR OF DYING IS THEIR MANTRA! OMG!— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) October 30, 2020
CNN’s communications team replied by advising Alley to change the channel — and insulting her work on the hit show “Veronica’s Closet.”
Kirstie, you are welcome to change the channel – just like countless viewers did every time “Veronica’s Closet” came on TV. But don’t downplay the loss of nearly 230K American lives. And please, wear a mask.
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) October 30, 2020
“And they even got that wrong,” Alley told Carlson. “You know, when they attacked ‘Veronica’s Closet,’ not even good ratings, it was in the top 10, so all they had to do was just Google that. Here’s the weird thing: I am like the poster girl for COVID correctness, I wear a mask.”
Carlson laughed and repeated the term: “COVID correctness.”
Alley went on to say that she had been doing what the experts said everyone should do — staying home whenever she could, social distancing, wearing a mask — but her main issue with CNN’s coverage was the fact that they continued to raise all the red flags even though there were no new directives or preventative measures.
“If they were coming up with new preventatives, I would be happy to listen, you know, or God forbid we come up with any new — what are they called — therapeutics,” Alley continued. “But they shoot ’em all down.”
“You make such a rational point. Here you doing what you asked, you are not coughing on anyone in elevators,” Carlson said. “Why are they doing these things?”
“Why are they saying that bout me? Or why are they broadcasting terror?” Alley asked.
“Nicely put, why are they broadcasting terror?” Carlson clarified.
Alley said that she thought it was about deflection, about keeping the story off Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden.
“We all know, we’re not deaf, you know, we can hear and we can see, just because we’re voting Republicans does not mean that we can’t hear or see,” she continued. “We know there is this death count, but it’s like they want to stand in the town square, and bring out the dead, bridge out the dead and they act like we aren’t affected.”
Alley added that she had no intention of downplaying the virus, she just wanted to see the rest of the news as well. “They don’t want to talk about what might be big news,” she said.
“I’m just saying what good does it do anyone if you provoke terror, if it makes people commit suicide or not go to the doctor if they have a different thing like cancer, God forbid or pneumonia, God forbid, they won’t show up at the hospital. Because they are afraid of getting COVID. I like the hopefulness with the report,” she said.
“And I’m a big fan!” Alley exclaimed as the segment came to a close.
“Well, you’re sweet!” Carlson shot back with a laugh. “We’re fans of yours, thank you.”