In case it didn't go without saying, we here at Exclaim! condemn AI. However, there are certain things you'll hear that are hopefully mistakes when someone trained a model to reproduce a celebrity's voice with infuriating accuracy – but sometimes they seem real.
I wish I could debunk this for you, but it seems like Liam Neeson lent his real voice to narrate an anti-vaccine documentary called Plague of Corruption: 80 Years of Pharmaceutical Corruption Exposed (they really needed “corruption” to get there twice, right?) as first reported Important context newsletter.
As you'd expect, the film is littered with junk science and discredited claims, and in a brief preview, Neeson can be heard saying that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS/ME) is “the worst health crisis since HIV and AIDS.”
It is worth noting that CFS/ME is notoriously underfunded and underresearched, so its prevalence rates vary widely based on different definitions and diagnostic criteria; before the COVID-19 pandemic, it affected between two and nine out of every 1,000 people (according to a 2020 systemic review and data analysis published in the journal Journal of Translational Medicine), but these rates are thought to have increased due to the number of people with long COVID meeting the criteria.
That is, I would never downplay the severity of CFS/ME or argue that it has not become more widespread in the pandemic era because it can be triggered by infection. However, this may be the effect of COVID and not the COVID vaccine. The document is based on a book co-authored by disgraced anti-vaxxer researcher Dr. Judy Mikovits, known for her role in the conspiracy. Plandemic trilogy and lawyer Kent Heckenlively, published by none other than the Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Children's Health Organization.
IN Plague of corruptionNeeson apparently calls COVID vaccines “dangerous experiments” and denounces leading scientists as “fanatics.” Important context. This doesn't quite fit with the actor's history of working with UNICEF and promoting vaccinations, which his representatives pointed out in a statement in response to news of his participation in the film.
“We all recognize that corruption may exist in the pharmaceutical industry, but it should never be confused with opposition to vaccines. Liam has never been and is not anti-vaxxer,” Neeson's representatives said in a statement to Important context. “His extensive work with UNICEF highlights his long-standing support of global immunization and public health initiatives. “He did not shape the editorial content of the film, and any questions about his statements or messages should be directed to the producers.”
“Vaccines are a remarkable success story for humanity. Over the past 75 years, billions of children have been vaccinated thanks to scientists, health care workers and volunteers. If you have ever been vaccinated or have your children vaccinated, then you are part of the hand-to-hand chain that keeps all humanity safe.” – Neeson said in 2022. “The conversation about vaccines in recent years has lost sight of how much good they have brought to each of us. We need to celebrate this. This may be one of the greatest collective achievements in human history.”
In case you missed it, anti-vaccine sentiment is so strong that after eliminating measles in 1998, Canada recently lost elimination status due to ever-increasing outbreaks over the past 12 months. All this propaganda is completely harmless!
