The preternaturally ageless Paul Rudd is putting his youthful countenance to use in a PSA urging the children of New York to wear a mask, fam. At 51 years old, the aging at a relatively normal rate, which, according to science, is technically correct.
Since the CDC first recommended people wear facemasks to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus in April, Americans have polarized around what has become a political issue. As of July 14, the CDC still recommends people wear masks and social distance to make the transmission of the virus less likely. New York was one of the first states in the country to experience a widespread coronavirus outbreak, concentrated in New York City. The city has since seen a decline in cases and is currently in Phase 3 of a four-phase plan to reopen the economy.
New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo tweeted a (real) video PSA spoofing painfully uncool PSAs of the 80s and 90s that attempted to connect with a younger demographic by clunkily adopting their slang and culture. The video features Paul Rudd as himself, "an actor and certified young person," obviously failing to blend in with the adolescents in a FlowerBoy hoodie and "NY"-branded flat brim while toting a skateboard and Beats by Dre headphones. See if you can spot the adult in the video below.
Rudd isn’t the first celebrity to voice his of facemasks, although he may be the only one to go undercover while doing so. help stop the spread with masks so they can get back to filming. Since COVID-19 caused a massive stall in film and television production, these posts serve as a reminder that flattening the curve will create safer conditions that allow for fans' favorite series to return sooner rather than later. They're also pretty funny pieces of entertainment in their own right for those looking for something to tide them over in the meantime.
Rudd is a delight to watch in any context, with a persistently silly presence and game attitude that shine through even as he discusses a global pandemic. But while he delivers his lines with the skill of a seasoned comedian, not even Paul Rudd can make a government PSA cool. The implication behind the video is, of course, that Rudd, and by extension Cuomo, are in on the joke, ironically recreating the same dynamic the video is attempting to parody. While Rudd's cringe-worthy use of expressions like "no cap" and "vibe check" is supposed to be awkward, Cuomo's attempt to make fun of PSAs that sincerely use this tactic is ultimately just an updated version of the same strategy. Adults may never fit in with the teens, but at least most millennials are over 30 now.
Source: Andrew Cuomo/Twitter
