CDC responds to Hugh Jackman's flu shot joke

Actor's comments during the Golden Globes did not sit well with the federal health agency.

Fri, Jan 18 2013 at 11:17 AM

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Celebs, Flu, Healthy Living

Photo: INFphoto.com

Upon accepting his well-deserved Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for "Les Miserables," Hugh Jackman admitted that he wasn't feeling his best.

"Sorry — I’m at the tail end of this flu, and I was kicking myself for not getting the flu shot, but it appears actually you don’t need one. I feel great!" Jackman said to laughter.

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), already battling one of the worst flu seasons in several years, were not amused.

"I don’t know if he really meant that vaccination was not a good thing to do, but each year millions become ill with influenza; more than 200,000 may be hospitalized; and between 3,000 and 49,000 will die," a rep told TMZ.com.

The rep adds, "The first and most important step in protecting against the flu is to get a flu vaccine each season."

Of course, many will debate that last point. An article on MNN titled "The truth about getting the flu shot" has received nearly 250 comments from people who side with the CDC's recommendation and those who are passionately against it.

Either way, at least one health official believes Hollywood in particular should be more proactive in preparing for flu season.

"They're actually more vulnerable to the flu than the average person," Dr. Damon Raskin told E! News. "It's a matter of being in contact with so many people."

Check out Jackman's flu joke and Best Actor acceptance speech from the Globes' ceremony below.

The opinions expressed by MNN Bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of MNN.com. While we have reviewed their content to make sure it complies with our Terms and Conditions, MNN is not responsible for the accuracy of any of their information.

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Comments: 2

D Jan 20 2013 at 4:08 PM

Huh? Something doesn't add up here. Either you got Jackman's quote wrong, or the CDC are a bunch of illiterates that have never heard of sarcasm. The quote was obviously a sarcastic joke that maybe he should have got a flu shot, because he didn't, and wound up with the flu. "but it appears actually you don't need one" only makes sense if taken sarcastically. If his joke conveys anything about his stance on flu shots it's that maybe he should have considered getting

.... More

a flu shot, because he didn't and got sick.. Or are we to believe that the CDC is in a twist over Jackman's admission that he didn't get around to getting his shot this season?