BEATING COVID-19 BLUES THROUGH THE MAGIC OF ZOOM VOYEURISM
Life is shamelessly imitating art — again. OK, quasi-art.
Regardless, with spring still elusive, it seems we’re now living our own version of Groundhog Day.
Save for the fact our version doesn’t feature lovable gonzo Bill Murray. Or, for that matter, much comedy, since there’s so little in the way of good cheer these days.
Mercifully without having to listen to Sonny & Cher’s rendering of I Got You, Babe, as Murray does in the film, we wake up every morning to news of the latest COVID -19 outbreaks, hospitalizations and mortality numbers.
Then it’s the daily news briefings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault and his cohorts, Health Minister Danielle Mccann and disco-dude Dr. Horacio Arruda. We get differing updates on the merits of sending kids to school, on reopening businesses, on cutting off Montreal from the province and on wearing masks — now endorsed by Legault, who, ironically, not long ago eschewed face coverings as passed in Bill 21.
If that’s not dizzying enough, we are later treated to the daily, increasingly loopy meanderings of U.S. President Donald Trump, who once called the coronavirus a Democrat hoax. That it couldn’t happen there, that he was “prevailing,” that he has being doing a great job — and how about that Jared? — that injecting Clorox could be a panacea and, of course, that Obamagate is really to blame.
No surprise that many are losing their minds trying to take in all this. But there has been relief of sorts. The latest isohome craze is beating the blues through Zoom voyeurism. That is, regular folk checking out the digs of celebs and politicos through their Zoom — or Facetime, Skype, Google — broadcast interviews.
The backdrops of their homes often are proving to be more telling than the words emanating from the mouths of these prophets.
What to make of Jimmy Fallon’s sprawling home, with its interior slide and bark walls, which could perhaps pass for Pee-wee Herman’s Playhouse? Or Bernie Sanders’s D.C. townhouse with the Red Hot Chili Peppers poster? Or Anderson Cooper’s ornate library, where Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy likely would feel at home?
And, speaking of famed Russians, images of President Vladimir Putin sitting around his fireplace on a Zoom call drew some nasty reactions. Like this one from Claude Taylor: “Nice icon. How’s the tea? Are those Trump’s chestnuts roasting?”
Incidentally, former Bill Clinton staffer Claude Taylor, along with his significant other, B.C. native Jessie Bahrey, are among the leading visionaries in the Zoom voyeur universe. Likely out of boredom, they launched the Twitter account Room Rater (@Ratemyskyperoom), in which they comment on and score the background decor of celebs, pundits and politicos being interviewed from home while self-isolating. In just a month, the account has more than 150,000 followers — and counting.
It’s worth noting that Room Rater gave the Putin backdrop a mere 2 out of 10.
Room Rater did take plenty of heat when it awarded Justin Trudeau just 1/10. But that was not based on his room surroundings. Rather, it was from one of his outdoor press briefings. However, when Trudeau was caught inside his home, Room Rater gave him 8/10 for “his good mix of well-read books, photos and objets d’art — although a well-placed succulent would add colour.”
The backdrops of their homes often are proving to be more telling than the words emanating from the mouths of these prophets.
It should be noted that Room Rater did gush over the rich blue, magnificently lit interiors of Céline Dion’s home: “Not usually a fan, but the room is 10/10.”
Also nailing a 10/10 was U.S. voice-of-reason Dr. Anthony Fauci: “The room we need. Wise. Experienced. Depth of Knowledge.”
But it’s the acerbic comments that are proving to be most popular.
On would-have-been Democratic Party leader Beto O’rourke’s basement video: “Oh, dear god. Organizing rescue mission. Blink twice if you can hear me. 0/10.”
Ouch.
On Kevin Bacon’s lodgings, Room Rater was also harsh: “Hostage video with three pillows and a couch. 4/10.”
So it goes in Groundhog Day 2020. And beyond?