# Another Worthless Celebrity Anti-Vaxer **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 14, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734 "2014-03-14T23:57:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/21 "2014-03-15T14:43:41Z")
[Roald Dahl](http://www.roalddahlfans.com/articles/meas.php) had a daughter die of measles encephalitis He was totally pro-vax. ETA: When googling to get the Dahl story, I found there’s a book telling chldren to [embrace measles](http://www.salon.com/2013/01/07/anti_vaccine_book_tells_kids_to_embrace_measles/). Holy Shit! ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/22 "2014-03-15T14:51:16Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Code for " I hate that uppity black man who’s illegally occupying the White House." What the \*fuck \*is wrong with you? As **Monty** adroitly points out (thanks, brother), it’s a nickname for the President. The President I’ve twice voted for, raised money for, and admire greatly. Admittedly, as it’s a nickname he used as a child, it might–arguably–be disrespectful, but no more than “Bubba” and certainly less so than “Shrub.” Or does the fact that I use those terms to refer to past presidents make me racist too? Also…the \*fuck \*is wrong with you? . ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/23 "2014-03-15T15:00:53Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Which pro-vax organizations pay? Name some names! > ) Yeah, poor choice of words, apologies. I should have stuck with “spokespeople.” I don’t know if they get any compensation for their appearances on behalf of the orgs they represent, and don;t much care. And I definitely did not mean to diminish in any way the work done by people like Jennifer Garner or Kristi Yamaguchi (American Lung Assn.), J.Lo (Sounds of Pertussis) and Marc Anthony ([flu.gov](http://flu.gov)), or Keri Russel (PKIDs). I’m sure there are a bunch more. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/24 "2014-03-15T15:05:38Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#): > > [Jenny McCarthy getting her ass kicked on Twitter.](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23jennyasks) She asked what people looked for in a mate. People had a lot of fun explaining to her that someone who doesn’t think measles is a good thing was on the top of that list. Thanks for that! The best part is someone mentioned this nifty meter I’d never heard of until now: [Anti-Vaccine Body Count](http://www.jennymccarthybodycount.com/). ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/25 "2014-03-15T15:15:37Z")
Because I will never argue one side without knowing the other point of view, I read McCarthy’s book. She claims to have a “google degree in anti-vaccinations.” So every anti-vax website is a correct source of information? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/26 "2014-03-15T15:35:51Z")
About as useful as a Google Degree in Conspiracies. Because ya know, that proves they’re true. There really are secret underground alien bases consuming hundreds of thousands of lost and kidnapped children per year. Right? ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/27 "2014-03-15T16:47:05Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > Kristin who? Also my reaction. I had absolutely no idea who she is so I looked her up. I still haven’t ever heard of her or seen her picture before now. I did learn that she’s married to Jay Cutler. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/28 "2014-03-15T17:37:34Z")
Neither of whom is Jewish! A further reason to forbid _goy_ marriage! ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/29 "2014-03-15T20:31:21Z")
Tech Times (the website posting the article linked to in the OP) makes some questionable statements such as: “With the anti-vax movement gaining momentum, critics and defenders alike have emerged in droves.” “Gaining momentum”? Antivaxers have yet to recover from the disastrous publicity surrounding the Andrew Wakefield debacle. Some mainstream media outlets that used to try to “tell both sides” have realized that there is only one sane and logical position on the subject and are refusing to cater to antivax sentiment with false “balance”. Tech Times also blew it when they said: “Esteemed medical bodies such as the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics _are quick to dismiss the possibility_ of vaccines causing autism” (italics added). There’s nothing remotely hasty about determining that there is no link between vaccination and autism; that conclusion is based on many years of voluminous research and clinical experience. I wouldn’t get too excited about another B celebrity showing off her “pregnancy brain” on this subject. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/30 "2014-03-15T20:36:31Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > Because I will never argue one side without knowing the other point of view, I read McCarthy’s book. She claims to have a “google degree in anti-vaccinations.” So every anti-vax website is a correct source of information? If you’re a mom, you don’t even need science. Education? Bah! Go with your gut, like your ancestors did. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/31 "2014-03-15T23:01:13Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Penn & Teller aired a scathing piece in which they named that lunatic for her stupidity. I forgot about P&T; that’s the kind of response I would hope for from a celebrity. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/32 "2014-03-15T23:50:42Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > It will, unfortunately, take an outright epidemic among celebrity children to change this. Or maybe a handful of autistic ones. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/33 "2014-03-16T00:17:20Z")
“Google degree”? Is that like, one step lower on the higher education rung than a degree from the University Of Phoenix? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/34 "2014-03-16T00:23:03Z")
I’ve no love whatsoever for the antivaxer crowd, but that potshot at UP isn’t accurate. It is an accredited university and their degree is not worthless. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/35 "2014-03-16T09:20:01Z")
Yes, I was amiss in making an assumption based on the second post. However, given that Fox gave her a mouthpiece _twice_ (admittedly only once for the anti-vaccination stance itself), my question still holds. And what someone means by calling the President “Barry” depends entirely on what name is said to follow that. If it’s “Soetoro,” as it often is, then yes, that person is a putz. (It’s probably why it was reacted to negatively, if **andros** really is wondering.) ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/36 "2014-03-16T13:03:22Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > [Autism/ pollution link](http://time.com/25424/growing-evidence-that-autism-is-linked-to-pollution/?hpt=hp_t2)? I’m confused. Are you implying that concern about the link between pollution and neurological conditions like autism is as far-fetched as anti-vaccine insanity? Because I assure you they’re not even in the same mega-universe. The “science” has been discounted in the latter, but it is [strengthening](http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/publish/news/newsroom/6501) in [the](http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/link-between-autism-and-vinyl/) [former](http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422%2813%2970278-3/abstract). Bash the anti-vaxxers all you want. They are the definition of “anti-science”. But please don’t mistake reputable science for anti-vax hysteria. We actually do know that lots of the shit floating around us is harmful. If you are just questioning the conclusions being made in that particular article, then I will join you on that. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/37 "2014-03-16T13:35:04Z")
> [@andros](#): > > OTTOMH, Salma Hayek, Bill Gates, and Amanda Peet are pretty outspoken about vaccination. So’s Barry Obama. I think there are a fair number of paid spokespeople for various pro-vax organizations. > . > [@Monty](#): > > AFAIK, “Barry” isn’t code for anything other than the nickname the president used for most of his life. Oh, so Andros is a childhood friend of Obama? ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/38 "2014-03-16T13:47:39Z")
It’s been a tough week here. First, there is a measles outbreak **in my fucking neighborhood**. Unvaccinated children, children under 1 year old, and the elderly are catching it. My wife and I brought our 3 1/2 year old son to get his booster early within 24 hours of the outbreak. And now more anti-vax poison is making the rounds. My son is autistic. We vaccinated him. If we could do it again, we would vaccinate again. > [@](#): > > Rumour raced at once through Libya’s great cities, > Rumour, compared with whom no other is as swift. > She flourishes by speed, and gains strength as she goes: > first limited by fear, she soon reaches into the sky, > walks on the ground, and hides her head in the clouds. > Earth, incited to anger against the gods, so they say, > bore her last, a monster, vast and terrible, fleet-winged > and swift-footed, sister to Coeus and Enceladus, > who for every feather on her body has as many > watchful eyes below (marvelous to tell), as many > tongues speaking, as many listening ears. > She flies, screeching, by night through the shadows > between earth and sky, never closing her eyelids > in sweet sleep: by day she sits on guard on tall roof-tops > or high towers, and scares great cities, as tenacious > of lies and evil, as she is messenger of truth. > Now in delight she filled the ears of the nations > with endless gossip, singing fact and fiction alike ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/39 "2014-03-16T14:00:01Z")
[Two of the measles cases in NYC were transmitted in a doctor’s office, apparently.](http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?id=9462035) I know it’s a bit of a hijack, but this certainly sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734/40 "2014-03-16T14:01:51Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > [Two of the measles cases in NYC were transmitted in a doctor’s office, apparently.](http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?id=9462035) > > I know it’s a bit of a hijack, but this certainly sucks. Yeah. The DoH was telling people that if they suspected they or someone in their home had measles, to stay home just to avoid transmitting it in doctor’s offices or hospitals full of undervaccinated people. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-worthless-celebrity-anti-vaxer/683734.md?page=3)