‘That gesture speaks for America.’ John Oliver lauds Beshear’s sign language interpreter.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has attracted national attention for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the state, and his sign language interpreter has grabbed some headlines as well.
They both found themselves in the national spotlight on “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” Sunday night.
In a monologue about America’s response to coronavirus, Oliver highlighted the “coronavirus party” that took place in Kentucky, and said it was a great example of people not practicing social distancing.
“Some people aren’t even doing anything close to that,” Oliver said of people practicing proper social distancing. “And if you need proof of just how true that is, just listen to the understandably exasperated governor of Kentucky.”
Oliver then played Beshear’s reaction as he reported that a guest at the “coronavirus party” had contracted the virus.
“This is the part where I, the person that tells everybody to be calm, have to remain calm myself,” Beshear said.
Oliver found it hard to believe that Beshear could stay calm.
“Well good luck with that, because you just used the phrase ‘coronavirus party,’” Oliver said. He then acknowledged Virginia Moore, Beshear’s sign language interpreter.
“His disgust at that infuriating term was perfectly expressed by his sign language interpreter,” Oliver said before he explained the disgust that Moore showed in her signing. “Truly, that gesture speaks for America right now.”
Oliver contrasted Beshear’s comments and reaction with leaders from other states, including Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who said in an interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson that he wouldn’t mind dying to save the economy.
“I’m not living in fear of COVID-19, what I’m living in fear of is what’s happening to this country,” Patrick said. “And you know, Tucker, no one reached out to me and said ‘as a senior citizen, are you willing to take a chance on your survival in exchange for keeping the America that all America loves for your children and grandchildren. And if that’s the exchange, I’m all in.”
After criticizing the federal response to coronavirus and taking aim at President Donald Trump, Oliver returned to commentary on Moore, who he called his “new favorite sign language interpreter.”
“The more strictly that we all follow social distancing guidelines to the maximum extent that we can, the easier it will be for our health care workers to do their jobs, Oliver said. “It is the only way to counter-act an appalling federal response that inspires a mixture of anger, bafflement and disgust, perhaps best summed up by my new favorite sign language interpreter who said, if I may translate, ‘what the f--k?’”