While most of the United States has already returned to normalcy after two years of masked-up lockdowns, the audience of “The View” is just now breathing easy.
On Monday, the hosts acknowledged the lift of the mask mandate that had been in place since the show resumed in-studio filming in 2021. This change comes as the United States approaches the third anniversary of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
As co-host Whoopi Goldberg discussed the renewed interest in the Oscars slap between actors Will Smith and Chris Rock, she noticed something was a little different.
“Look at y’all sitting up here with no masks on,” Goldberg exclaimed to cheers and applause. “Wait a minute now. So I’m talking, and in my mind, I’m going, ‘what is different about this audience?’ And then it hits me. No masks. Because I saw your smile and I saw your teeth. It’s like great. Well, yeah, we’re getting back to where we were.”
While it’s not entirely clear why the studio chose Monday to finally lift the mask mandate, it’s worth noting that the New York declaration of emergency expires this month. It may also have something to do with New York City Mayor Eric Adams suggesting a total ban on masks in stores as criminals appear to be using the rule as cover for committing crimes while wearing face/head coverings.
“We are putting out a clear call to all of our shops: Do not allow people to enter the store without taking off their face mask,” Adams said to PIX11 Morning News. “And then once they’re inside, they can continue to wear it if they so desire to do so.”
“Let’s be clear, some of these characters going into stores that are wearing their mask, they’re not doing it because they’re afraid of the pandemic, they’re doing it because they’re afraid of the police,” he continued. “You saw what happened over the weekend when an innocent store owner was shot and killed. The person had a hazmat suit on and a mask.”
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Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to write. Marlee also contributes to BizPac Review.
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