Jamie King at the Center of Backlash for Sharing a Video Thanking Coronavirus

Jamie King is taking major heat for a video in which she thanks the coronavirus (COVID-19) for “shaking” humanity amid the global pandemic that has killed more than 16,300 people across the world as of Monday. The Hart of Dixie actress, 40, took to Instagram Sunday with a lengthy video in which a woman can be heard thanking the virus.

“Thank you for shaking us and showing us we are dependent on something much bigger than we think. Thank you for making us appreciate the luxury we lived in, the abundance of product, freedom, health, and realizing we were taking it for granted,” the video continues. “Thank you for stopping us, to make us see how lost we were in the busyness, not having time for the most basic things. Thank you for allowing us to put aside all our problems we thought were so important and showing us what is actually important.”

The video continues on to thank the coronavirus for things such as “stopping transport” and “all the fear,” as well as “reevaluating our lives.”

The video definitely didn’t strike King’s followers as something to be thankful for, however, with one writing, “Thank you??? So many people are dying everyday, losing their jobs… this video makes me sick!”

“‘Thanks’ is very big word. Lots of people are dying. I think there is nothing to thank,” another wrote.

A different user chimed in, “No way! This is so f—ing privileged! As an immune-compromised person this feels like s— to hear. Thank you for not allowing me to sleep, to see my family to not be able to work, for losing my job, f— this! How lucky for you that you see this and not the hell it’s putting people [through]. People are dying every two minutes in Italy!”

King is not the only celebrity to but their foot in their mouth when talking about the pandemic. Just last week, Vanessa Hudgens was forced to apologize after her flippant Instagram Live about the virus struck people as callous and privileged.

“Til’ July sounds like a bunch of bulls—, I’m sorry,” she said of shelter-in-place efforts. “But like, it’s a virus, I get it, I respect it but at the same time like, even if everybody gets it, like, yeah, people are gonna die, which is terrible, but like, inevitable?”

In a subsequent apology, she claimed her remarks were taken “out of context,” adding, “I don’t take this situation lightly by any means. I am home. So stay inside y’all.”

Photo credit: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Absolut Elyx