LISTEN: Pathetic CDC Director Joked About Ebola, Zombies on Left-Wing Radio

10/14/2014

Frieden playing “try to stop these viruses!” on NPR and in real life (Photo: CDC)

CDC Director Thomas Frieden was on National Public Radio’s “Wait, Wait.. Don’t Tell Me!” and joked around about infectious diseases, including ebola and zombies while playing a game called “try to stop these viruses.”

You may listen below.

Friden was a participating on the left-wing radio program on September 22, 2012.

ROY BLOUNT JR: What’s your favorite disease?

MO ROCCA: Yeah, what is?

(LAUGHTER)

ROCCA: You must have one.

(APPLAUSE)

SAGAL: I mean, really, it’s like, oh, Ebola, again, oh goody, or something.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEDEN: Well, how about something like Malassezia Furfur?

SAGAL: Oh yeah.

FAITH SALIE: How about it?

(LAUGHTER)

ROCCA: Oh, she’s great. I love her. It’s a very popular, it’s a celebrity baby name.

SAGAL: What is that? What is that?

FRIEDEN: It’s a rash that doesn’t cause any harm. It sounds great.

SALIE: Malassezia Furfur?

FRIEDEN: Yeah.

SALIE: I never want to forget that.

SAGAL: That sounds like the person who was trying to remember the name and just forgot and started making stuff up halfway through.

Frieden also spoke to the CDC releasing a report on zombies.

SAGAL: I have to ask you about this. We covered this on our show when it happened. But the CDC, your organization recently issued an actual statement saying that America was not actually suffering an outbreak of zombies.

FRIEDEN: We were happy to be able to clear that up.

(LAUGHTER)

SAGAL: Is this something you monitor, the zombie situation?

FRIEDEN: Peter, if anyone comes up with a way of diagnosing someone as being a zombie, I can guarantee you it will be the CDC.

SAGAL: Really?

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

SAGAL: I’ve noticed that the CDC, you know, the statements tend to be very calming, very official. So I imagine it won’t be like “oh my god, there are zombies.” But it’d be like “The CDC has become aware of shambling cannibalistic dead people.”

(LAUGHTER)

SAGAL: “We advise Americans to maintain a safe distance. And if necessary, shoot them in the head with a shotgun.”

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

SAGAL: I have to ask you. You are the head of the CDC. Did the memo about the zombies come to you for your signature?

FRIEDEN: No.

SAGAL: It didn’t?

FRIEDEN: No.

(LAUGHTER)

SAGAL: So you picked up the newspaper and said, oh, my organization has just issued a statement denying that there are zombies. Oh good. Glad they don’t need me monitoring their everyday activities.

(LAUGHTER)

FRIEDEN: It was actually a great way to get people to think about, you know if you’re prepared for a zombie, you’re really prepared for a hurricane, a tornado, an infectious disease, just about anything.

(LAUGHTER)

SAGAL: And just like, if you’re prepared for zombies, you’re prepared for hurricanes. The hurricane is bearing down on Florida, and they’re all standing in their front yards with a shotgun. I don’t think so.

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