Actors Mark Wahlberg and Mario Lopez thought they were doing something good by offering fans tips for workouts at home during the coronavirus outbreak. However, after it was discovered their workout videos were filmed at a gym in Los Angeles, where officials ordered residents to only leave home for essential business, the two sparked outrage online. In the clips, Lopez and Wahlberg pointed out they were six feet apart, but fans were still shocked to see them in a gym together.
Back on Monday, Wahlberg did the 10 push-ups challenge after singer Usher called him out. Wahlberg then called out Lopez to do the same. Lopez took up the challenge, but also joined Wahlberg at the gym. The next day, Wahlberg shared a compilation of footage from the celebrities’ joint-workout with the hashtag “homeworkout.” They worked out together again on Thursday, but not at a home gym. The Daily Mail published photos of the two leaving F45 Training, where they filmed a live streaming event.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Lopez also shared a video from the gym on Thursday, showing Wahlberg jumping around and staying six feet away from the Saved By The Bell actor. Lopez said the two had the gym all to themselves and was completely sanitized. The Access Hollywood co-anchor also told fans they could do the workouts at home without any special equipment.
View this post on Instagram
While Lopez and Wahlberg tried to make it clear that they were taking every precaution while working out together, there was still a handful of critics.
“You guys shouldn’t be in the same gym. That is not quarantine,” one Instagram user wrote. “Even if 6 feet that is not essential like groceries – plus you are sweating everywhere!”
“You guys shouldn’t even be in the same gym,” another noted. “Should be home with people in your own household only.”
“It’s not that tough for rich celebrities. They have everything,” one Instagram user wrote.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signed an executive order calling for the closure of several places where people gather, including movie theaters, bars, bowling alleys and gyms on Sunday, March 15. He later issued a stay-at-home order, requiring Los Angeles residents to stay home, except for essential business. Garcetti told Business Insider the order could last through May.
View this post on Instagram
“I think this is at least two months. And be prepared for longer,” Garcetti said, later adding that “premature optimism” gives people “false hope” that “will crush their spirits and will kill more people.”
“This will not kill most of us. It will kill a lot more people than we’re used to dying around us,” the mayor said, predicting that the city is six to 12 days away from seeing the number of cases New York City is handling.
There are more than 103,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 1,600 deaths have been reported, including 450 in New York City alone.
Photo credit: MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images
