Emmy viewers are trashing Jenny McCarthy after tuning in to Fox to see her as a red carpet host Sunday night, citing her public disapproval of vaccinations as reason enough to discredit her. Plenty of 2019 Emmy Awards fans weren’t happy to see The Masked Singer panelist interviewing stars being honored at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
McCarthy has claimed in the past that her 17-year-old son Evan’s autism was caused by vaccinations. She spoke on a 2008 Larry King Live special dedicated to the subject, arguing that vaccines can trigger autism, and was interviewed about the debate surrounding the issue in an April 2010 PBS Frontline documentary. Her claims that vaccines cause autism are not supported by medical evidence.
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Fans watching the Emmys took to Twitter to rail against McCarthy and her views.
Oh God Jenny McCarthy is hosting red carpet for Fox. I will make a donation to the charity of choice of any celebrity who tells people to vaccinate their kids while she’s interviewing them.
— Tom Robson🏳️🌈 (@ThomasMRobson) September 22, 2019
Why is the child killer anti-vaxxer Jenny McCarthy hosting the red carpet for the Emmys on Fox? Gotta say she’s on brand for Fox.
— TED (@EpicureanDeal) September 22, 2019
Jenny McCarthy is getting people’s #Emmys histories almost as wrong as she got vaccines
— Shalyah Evans (@ShalyahEvans) September 22, 2019
Others disliked the 46-year-old’s gig as a red carpet host because of awkward moments like the one with Dead to Me star Christina Applegate, who McCarthy told she wanted to be like her when she grew up, despite being just one year younger than the 47-year-old Applegate. She also asked Applegate, a TV veteran who’s been nominated for the lead actress in a comedy Emmy twice for Samantha Who? if she had ever been nominated in that category in the past aside from her nomination Sunday for Dead to Me.
“I know you were nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in Friends in 2004], for being a guest star role, tonight you’re nominated for your own show,” she told Applegate. “What does that feel like? First time, right?”
“Well, no, no… Samantha Who? a couple times, but that’s okay.” Applegate responded, referencing her 2008 and 2009 nominations in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. “We don’t have to talk about that.”
Jenny McCarthy (age 46) trying to make it sound like she “grew up” watching Christina Applegate (age 47) is so shady. #Emmys2019
— Amber Kennedy (@amberfi) September 22, 2019
Just because Dr. Jenny McCarthy is only one year younger than Christina Applegate doesn’t mean it’s wrong for Jenny to say she wanted to be Christina when she grows up. It’s not wrong to want to grow up… and one day, Jenny still might. #Emmys2019 #VaccinesWork
— Alx Schnoppoulop (@AlxSchnoppoulop) September 23, 2019
Applegate also had an awkward encounter with Giuliana Rancic, who was hosting the red carpet for E!. During the interview, Rancic asked Applegate to say hello to 8-year-old daughter Sadie Grace, but spun the request on its head when she replied of the young child, “I don’t know if she’s watching E!…”
“We’ll hope, we’ll hope,” a seemingly-flustered Rancic replied before the interview cut away.
Applegate’s shading of the network had Twitter cackling, saying it “had to be done.”
Photo credit: David Crotty / Contributor / Getty
