Samuel L. Jackson is doing his part to combat COVID-19, using his most famous tool: his voice.
The actor appeared as a special guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live while safely isolated in his home theater—and read Adam Mansbach’s poem “Stay The F**k at Home” aloud to the audience.
The poem is the much-needed sequel to Mansbach’s “adult children’s” book Go the F**k to Sleep, which combined a kid-friendly flow with harsh profanity.
Jackson read the audio version of the original book nearly ten years ago, and the author thought the star of The Banker would be the perfect person to get out the message during this pandemic.
“Stay the f**k at home. Corona is spreading—this sh*t is no joke,” Jackson began in his widely recognized cadence.
“It’s no time to work or roam. The way you can fight it is simple my friends: Stay the f**k at home. Now technically I’m not a doctor. But motherf**kers listen when I read a poem. So here I am, Sam F**king Jackson, imploring you: Keep your ass at home,” he continued.
The actor and many other public figures have been using their platforms to encourage the public to practice social distancing.
Cardi B, Chrissy Teigen and others have taken to social media to encourage their followers to follow protocols.
As he read, he was surrounded by posters from some of his most notable films, including Die Hard With a Vengeance, Resurrecting the Champ, The Long Kiss Goodnight and Jungle Fever. Their presence amplified his message by proving he was practicing what he preached.
“If you want things to get back to normal, don’t panic. Just use your dome. Wash your hands, stop touching your face and stay the f**k at home,” he concluded.
Let’s hope everyone was listening.