'The Red Nose Day Special': Viewers slam rich celebrities for asking them to donate, say 'we have nothing'
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, charity specials and fun reunions of shows have become the norm for the good-hearted cause of feeding America and aiding frontline workers. Mostly, it's a slew of big names from the industry who take the stage from the comforts of their homes to inspire fans to donate for whatever cause and charity the special event is promoting. Following suit is NBC's 'The Red Nose Day' special. Sadly, social media isn't approving of the concept anymore. Their reason? How can people with living rooms bigger that their viewers' apartments ask the latter to donate? How outrageous!
Red Nose Day is a celebrated charitable day primarily in the UK and now in the US too, with the titular red nose standing for a clown's red nose, signifying the use of comedy to raise funds for charity on this day. In the UK, a whole day of events and activities are organized to raise money for charities on behalf of the organization Comic Relief. But even with some of the most famous faces in tinsel town like Julia Roberts and Elizabeth Banks giving all the details to viewers, they aren't quite convinced.
It started off with a critic tweeting: "I feel like the Brits have a way better #RedNoseDay than we do." That was mild, but things got heavy when Sarah Silverman appeared to interview herself. "What am I watching? Can we just put 5sos on please?" fans found themselves asking. John Legend's tribute-filled montage featuring his family also didn't please viewers the way Chrissy Teigen and the Legends' social media presence does. "Is there a scorecard or Bingo sheet online to check off when a certain celebrity shows up on one of these pandemic relief or entertainment shows? I feel I've seen John Legend on 15 shows within 10 weeks," quipped a fan.
Even Milo Ventimiglia's impassionate plea to his fans that had most tearing up, lead to a user noting: "An American white person on TV in an impoverished area in an African nation showing how pitiful Africans are asking for help. We haven't seen that before! And yes, I brought it up on purpose."
And then, of course, came the ones with profound logic and excellent deduction skills, as a viewer complained: "How can you ask us for money #RedNoseDay?! The government has shut our businesses down! @rickygervais, how can you ask us for money?! I love you but maybe make the top 1% in America donate... We have nothing... it's all been taken from us! This broadcast is gross..." Considering Gervais put his best Joe Exotic impersonation on all the way from his bathtub, it's understandable why his fans are torn. Another one hopped aboard the snark train, noting: "#Rednoseday — where (mostly rich) celebrities get on your TV, from their living rooms bigger than my whole apartment, asking people to donate money for poor people!" At the end of the day, viewers had to remind themselves, "DONT FORGET THIS IS FOR A GOOD CAUSE." Yes, in all caps, too.
'The Red Nose Day Special' aired on Thursday at 9pm-11pm ET only on NBC.