Matthew McConaughey: ‘Wear the Damn Mask’ if You Want to See Next Year

Matthew McConaughey accepts the award for best actor for "Dallas Buyers Club" at
Frank Micelotta/Invision/AP

On the Fourth of July, actor Matthew McConaughey suggested that in order to see America’s next birthday, everyone needs to “wear the damn mask.”

“Happy 244th birthday, America. We is going through some growing pains on this one, aren’t we?” said McConaughey in an Instagram video posted on Saturday. “But growing pains are a good thing, because how the hell else are we going to grow up?” continued the Dazed and Confused actor. “I think we gotta look each other in the eye. I think we gotta look ourselves in the eye.”

“We gotta look in the mirror and ask ourselves, ‘How can I be better? How can I expect more of myself and others? How can I be more responsible? How can I have more compassion? How can I have more courage? How can I be more fair? How do I make sure I wear the damn mask?”

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The actor went on to suggest that walking around clad in a mask will help ensure that everyone makes it long enough to see the next Independence Day. “We individually make these changes, that’s how we make a collective change,” said McConaughey. “That’s how we get to next year’s birthday and birthdays beyond that.”

“And we start parting again, looking around and saying, ‘Oh, yeah, we always got work to do. We never arrive, but we improved.’ That’s our chance, that’s our opportunity. That’s on me. That’s on you. It’s game time. Ding ding, we are in the ring, America. Let’s quit messing about and get it done,” The Gentlemen star said.

McConaughey is not the only celebrity to lecture the American public about wearing a mask.

Last week, actor Tom Hanks said anyone who refuses to wear a mask is a “pussy,” adding, “shame on you” to anyone who doesn’t cover up. “Those things are so simple, so easy, if anybody cannot find it in themselves to practice those three very basic things — I just think shame on you,” said Hanks. “Don’t be a pussy, get on with it, do your part.”

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has shared similar remarks, calling anyone who views mask-wearing a political issue “an absolute moron who can’t read.”

“This is 100% the right move,” insisted Schwarzenegger. “The science is unanimous — if we all wear masks, we slow down the spread and can reopen safely. It’s not a political issue. Anyone making it a political issue is an absolute moron who can’t read.”

You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Twitter at @ARmastrangelo, on Parler at @alana, and on Instagram.

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