Celebrity doctor Drew Pinsky has successfully used copyright claims to remove an unflattering YouTube video compiling dismissive comments he made downplaying the coronavirus pandemic from the platform.
The video, featuring clips from Pinsky’s media appearances in February and early March in which he downplays the severity of the pandemic, went viral after it was shared by Huffpost contributor Yashar Ali, the Wrap reported. Over the weekend, Ali noted that the original video had been taken down, tweeting a screenshot from YouTube stating the video “is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Drew Pinsky Inc.”
2. @DroopsDr put together a longer compilation of Dr. Drew/Coronavirus clips.
Well guess what he did…he had the compilation taken down based on his copyright. Does he have the right, of course.
But what are you trying to hide @drdrew? pic.twitter.com/Gq1nbAeWIv
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) April 4, 2020
On Saturday, Pinsky released a video apologizing for his earlier claims, which included calling the coronavirus pandemic a “press-induced panic” and downplaying COVID-19 by likening the disease to the flu.
“My early comments about equating coronavirus with influenza were wrong. They were incorrect. I was part of a chorus that was saying that. And we were wrong. And I want to apologize for that,” he said in the video.
#DoseOfDrDrew 4/4/2020 https://t.co/KtAozL0HQa
— Dr Drew (@drdrew) April 4, 2020
“I did not, thank goodness, get Dr. [Anthony] Fauci wrong, and when he made it clear that this was not a usual influenza, that it was significantly worse, I adjusted course,” he added. “And if you notice, I’ve been doing about two hours of media today backing, changing my perspective in such a way to sign on for the aggressive measures we are taking.”
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