'I'm the unmasked singer': Kirk Cameron slams the 'mask gestapo' for criticizing his two maskless caroling protests in California
Kirk Cameron has slammed the 'mask gestapo' for criticizing his two maskless caroling protests in California.
The 50-year-old actor organized a second potential superspreader event Tuesday outside a coronavirus testing center in Thousand Oaks, California.
Roughly 100 maskless carolers gathered after the Growing Pains star posted on social media: 'Let your voice be heard at this peaceful protest praising the Prince of Peace.'
Following that protest, several people took to Twitter calling Cameron a 'growing pain'.
During an interview with Newsmax on Wednesday, he addressed those critics with a joke, saying: 'You know, we've all heard of and it's quite the rage, but ever since we started these Christmas caroling peaceful protests, I've been affectionately dubbed the unmasked singer and triggered a whole different kind of rage.'
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Kirk Cameron (during an interview on Wednesday) has slammed the 'mask gestapo' for criticizing his two maskless caroling protests in California
Cameron was asked how does he respond to people saying that he's 'helping to spread the disease around'. He responded by saying: 'I'm not the mask police. This is America. We shouldn't be having a mask gestapo and a distance monitoring going on'
Cameron was blasted as a 'growing pain' on Twitter after the actor hosted another maskless Christmas carol protest in California on Tuesday
Cameron was then asked how does he respond to people saying that he's 'helping to spread the disease around' and 'making things worse'.
'I'm not the mask police,' he told Newsmax. 'This is America. We shouldn't be having a mask gestapo and a distance monitoring going on when people are grown adults, they're not babies.'
The Los Angeles native, who is best known for his portrayal of Mike Seaver on the ABC sitcom Growing Pains from 1985 to 1992, was slammed on social media over his caroling protests over the past week.
'Kirk Cameron turned out to be a 'Growing Pain'. smh,' a Twitter user wrote.
Another Twitter user noted that Cameron had gone from Growing Pains to 'Breathing Pains'.
And Bette Midler tweeted: '#KirkCameron has been organizing mask-less Christmas caroling in protest of COVID mandates. In SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, where there's 0% capacity in the ICUs. God, if you're really there, come collect your boy. He's sticking a finger in your eye!'
Twitter response: Twitter users blasted Cameron and called him a 'growing pain'
Thumb up: '#KirkCameron What better way to celebrate the birth of Jesus than by sending folks to meet him,' read one post referencing the evangelical Christian along with an animated graphic of a smiling nun giving a thumb-up
Cameron, an evangelical Christian, was also blasted on Twitter for hosting the gathering while coronavirus cases have been surging statewide.
'#KirkCameron What better way to celebrate the birth of Jesus than by sending folks to meet him,' read one post along with an animated graphic of a smiling nun giving a thumb-up.
The Christmas carol protest was held outdoors in a parking lot of The Oaks mall.
The Oaks Mall posted a statement on social media Tuesday saying the event was not authorized by the mall.
'We do not condone this irresponsible -- yet constitutionally protected - peaceful protest event planned. We share your concern and have notified the Sheriff's office. As well, we have reached out to the event planner to ask that they do not use The Oaks as their venue,' the statement said.
Cameron wore a Santa Claus beard during the mask-free Christmas carols protest
The carolers sang Joy To The World without masks amid surging coronavirus cases in California
On Wednesday night Cameron told Tucker Carlson that 'the lockdowns are causing far more harm than the virus themselves. There is immunity in community'.
'We're not afraid of a virus that has over a 99 per cent survival rate,' he added.
He said he's had upwards of one thousand people come along to events.
Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer on Wednesday was asked about Cameron's Christmas caroling event with unmasked singers ignoring social distancing in Ventura County where COVID-19 cases have been spiking.
'I'm at a loss of words at this point. It's very irresponsible and very dangerous and it's unnecessary. We're in the middle of a pandemic,' Ferrer said according to Deadline.
Cameron earlier this month teamed up with Sing It Louder USA to host Sunday demonstrations voicing his frustration that California Governor Gavin Newsom has banned mass gatherings such as caroling into the holiday season.
California imposed a new regional stay-at-home order earlier this month that is based on ICU capacity and shuttered or restricted capacity levels for a huge swath of businesses.