Coronavirus

Ya can't even get through a country music awards show without hearing about Aaron Rodgers ... 'cause the Green Bay Packers QB's COVID-19 drama was the butt of a joke during Luke Bryan's opening monologue.

The country singer welcomed the crowd at the 55th Country Music Awards Wednesday night by thanking everyone for going through the proper protocols to be present for the event ... which turned into the perfect opportunity to poke fun at the NFL MVP.

"Rest assured, we're following all the health protocols to keep everyone safe," Bryan said. "And, it is so great to be here with all my favorite artists, tested and together ... or immunized???"

Of course, Bryan's line is mocking Rodgers' now-infamous response to questions surrounding his COVID-19 vaccine status back in August ... when he did not say he got the jab, but rather was "immunized."

Most people brushed over the comment, thinking he was vaxxed ... but Rodgers' status came to light when he tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

A couple 'Pat McAfee Show' appearances later, Rodgers has since apologized for misleading people with his initial response ... but that hasn't stopped the jokes and criticism from pouring in.

Earlier this week, Jon Stewart railed AR12 at the Stand Up for Heroes event in NYC ... and Howard Stern said he would kick the QB out of the NFL if he were Roger Goodell.

Aaron Rodgers just took a lightsaber to the gut ... 'cause Luke Skywalker himself is shaking his head at the NFL QB for rockin' "Star Wars" gear during his most recent controversial COVID talk.

Mark Hamill -- who played the famous Jedi in the iconic movie series -- just sent out the roast of the Packers star on social media ... doggin' the signal-caller for his wardrobe choice on "The Pat McAfee Show" this week.

"Of all the sweatshirts he could have worn," Hamill said of Rodgers' 'The Rise Of Skywalker' hoodie, "he had to take full responsibility in THAT one?"

Hamill added a weary-face emoji for emphasis -- clearly showing he doesn't approve of Rodgers' personal stance on the jab and the way he's gone about expressing it publicly.

Rodgers apologized for misleading people when saying he was "immunized" ... but also said he was standing by his previous comments against getting vaxxed.

Of course, the dig has got to hurt Rodgers -- 'cause the 37-year-old is a HUGE "Star Wars" nerd.

He's dressed up on more than one occasion in "Star Wars" garb ... even famously wearing an Obi-Wan Kenobi 'fit with his ex-GF Olivia Munn for a premiere of 'The Force Awakens' in 2015.

In fact, Rodgers even shouted out the Ewoks while he was guest-hosting "Jeopardy!" this past year ... and he was spotted geeking out at Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge with Shailene Woodley in Florida in April.

Aaron Rodgers just got fined by the National Football League for violating the league's COVID-19 protocols ... and the Green Bay Packers also got dinged.

The NFL fined Rodgers a measly $14,650 for attending a Halloween party with other Packers while he was unvaccinated. The protocols prohibit unvaxxed players from going to large gatherings outside team facilities.

Packers receiver Allen Lazard, who is also unvaccinated, was also docked $14,650 for attending the team-sanctioned Halloween bash.

The big fine came for the Packers ... the franchise was hit with a $300,000 penalty for not enforcing the rules with Rodgers and Lazard, including a failure to wear face coverings inside team facilities.

As we reported ... Rodgers tested positive for COVID-19 last Wednesday, later admitting he was not vaccinated.

The star QB claimed he was allergic to something in the Pfizer and Moderna shots ... and didn't want to take the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, saying he feared adverse side effects.

On Friday, AR told Pat McAfee he took Ivermectin -- among other treatments -- after conferring with friend Joe Rogan.

Rodgers missed last Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs, a game his team lost. The future Hall of Famer will likely have a chance to return to the field this weekend.

Aaron Rodgers made it clear Tuesday he's ready to turn the page following his controversial COVID vaccine comments last week ... saying, "I'm an athlete, not an activist."

Just four days after the Green Bay Packers star made waves with his 46-minute, vax rant on "The Pat McAfee Show" ... he rejoined the former NFL player to try to clear some things up.

Rodgers began his interview by offering a bit of an apology ... telling McAfee, "I made some comments that people might have felt were misleading. And to anybody who felt misled by those comments, I take full responsibility."

Rodgers then appeared to distance himself from being any sort of poster boy for the unvaccinated -- saying his research led him to do what he believes is right for himself, not necessarily for the masses.

"I made a decision that was in my best interest based on consulting with my doctors, and I understand that not everybody is going to understand that, necessarily," Rodgers said. "But I respect everybody's opinions."

Rodgers added that he's ready to move on to focusing solely on quarterbacking and not global health -- telling McAfee there's a chance he'll be under center for the Packers vs. the Seahawks on Sunday.

As we previously reported, Rodgers tested positive for the coronavirus last Wednesday -- and admitted to McAfee on Friday that he was not vaccinated.

Aaron claimed he was allergic to the Pfizer and Moderna shots -- and just straight up didn't want to take the Johnson & Johnson version.

Rodgers ended up missing the Packers' game against the Chiefs over it all -- but said Tuesday he's "feeling better."

As for Rogan, the podcaster praised Rodgers on his own show this week ... saying, "he’s a smart f***ing dude."

The blitz on Aaron Rodgers is in full force -- Jon Stewart is now railing the superstar quarterback over his COVID-19 vaccine stance ... roasting him in his stand-up gig on Monday.

"There is good news on the pandemic," the former 'Daily Show' host said at the Stand Up for Heroes event in NYC. "I was talking to my Dr. Aaron -- Rodgers, and it looks good. It’s almost over."

"He read something in a bathroom," Stewart added, according to Page Six. "I don’t remember what it was. How the f*** does a quarterback not understand the concept of protection? Prevention and protection!!"

Stewart also made cracks about Rodgers' new long hairstyle -- which, for what it's worth, was for his John Wick costume for Halloween -- but the main theme was clearly about his vax stance.

"Let’s say you’re a vulnerable person so you get five big -- they’re not even like human -- they’re like antibodies, like fire," Stewart said. "And then you stand behind them, and then one of them just says, 'I believe in freedom. So, go ahead.'"

"I don’t know, but I don’t like any of this s*** because I’m old."

The Stewart diss piles onto what Howard Stern said Monday morning ... when he ripped the QB's comments and said he'd kick him out of the NFL if he could.

First, it was Kyrie Irving, now it's Aaron Rodgers in Howard Stern's crosshairs ... 'cause the radio legend is going OFF on the Packers QB, saying he should be kicked out of the NFL over his COVID-19 vaccine drama.

Rodgers has been under a barrage of scrutiny since testing positive for COVID-19 last week ... and revealing he was taking monoclonal antibodies and ivermectin after consulting with Joe Rogan didn't do him any favors in the public eye.

BTW -- Rodgers also said on "The Pat McAfee Show" he was allergic to the Moderna/Pfizer vaccines and had concerns with the Johnson & Johnson jab ... so he sought alternative treatment, which was not approved by the NFL.

Enter Stern, who is furious over the whole fiasco ... saying, "I would throw this guy out of the league so fast," he said Monday.

"This f***ing guy. They should throw him out of the league so fast."

Stern let his listeners know what he would do if he had things his way, while also bringing the Henry Ruggs DUI incident into the conversation.

"If I ran the NFL, if there was decency in this world, I would throw this guy out of the football league so fast. They should throw him out of the league so fast with the guy who crashed his car at 153 mph."

Stern is certainly no stranger to calling out athletes over their vaccine stance -- remember, he recently went off on Irving, saying, "In terms of idiots, he's got to be the top idiot in the country right now."

Big Bird is one of the first on Sesame Street to get protection against COVID-19 -- and while some might question why he's late to the party ... the timing makes sense for his audience.

The 8-foot costumed character made the big announcement on Twitter Saturday -- the first time he's tweeted from his account since March. So, yeah ... major development for the reclusive BB.

Big writes, "I got the COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy." He adds, "Ms. @EricaRHill  even said I’ve been getting vaccines since I was a little bird. I had no idea!"

No photo proof or anything showing Mr. Bird getting his jab, but we'll take him at his word here ... and even give him props for spreading the word on vaccine awareness.

Now, if you're wondering why he mentioned CNN's Erica Hill specifically -- it's because she and other CNN personalities hosted a "town hall" Saturday morning called "The ABCs of Vaccines," which featured a number of 'Sesame Street' puppets talking 'rona and the shot.

Of course, that includes Big Bird too -- and the reason they're all being recruited to even talk about vaccines at all is because the Pfizer jab was just approved for kids between 5 and 11 the other day ... and the government is encouraging parents to inoculate their children.

So, no Big Bird hasn't been holding out or "doing his own research" with vaccine hesitancy -- it's just that his core demographic is now eligible, and he wants to encourage them (and their parents) to get it done. Also, he's apparently only 6 years old or something? 🤷🏽‍♂️

Aaron Rodgers says after contracting COVID this week ... he consulted with Joe Rogan and decided to take ivermectin to fight off the virus on the heels of the podcast host's advice.

The Green Bay Packers star revealed his at-home, coronavirus-fighting plan on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Friday ... saying he decided to down a cocktail of meds similar to the way Rogan did earlier this year after talking with the 54-year-old.

"I've consulted with a now-good friend of mine, Joe Rogan, after he got COVID and I've been doing a lot of the stuff that he recommended in his podcasts and on the phone to me," Rodgers said.

"I've been taking monoclonal antibodies, ivermectin, zinc, vitamin c and d, and HCQ," the NFL player continued, "and I feel pretty incredible."

Rodgers revealed he began feeling COVID symptoms on Tuesday, tested positive for the virus on Wednesday, and felt poorly on Thursday.

The 37-year-old, though, said he's now feeling great.

Rodgers also explained his highly controversial vaccine stance to McAfee and A.J. Hawk ... admitting he did NOT get the shots, despite appearing to say in August he had gotten them.

But, Rodgers said he "didn't lie" -- and explained when he said he was "immunized," he meant he had actually taken steps to naturally help boost his immune system.

As for why he didn't just get the shots ... Rodgers said he's allergic to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines -- and just straight-up didn't want the Johnson & Johnson one due to reported side effects.

He also said even though he's "not some sort of anti-vax, flat-earther" ... he clearly feels the forcing of vaccines on people is not right.

In fact, Rodgers actually quoted Martin Luther King Jr. -- saying, "The great MLK said, 'You have a moral obligation to object to unjust rules and rules that make no sense.'"

Chris Rock's making it clear where he stands in the vaxx/anti-vaxx debate by taking a big swipe at Kyrie Irving ... and he did it in a prime location.

Chris was onstage Wednesday night in Brooklyn along with a bunch of bands and comedians performing at an NFT Week event when he hyped up the crowd by calling out anti-vaxxers. He eased into it with a joke about wearing face masks at concerts, and then simply asked, "Where's my anti-vaxxers at?"

Oddly, the question actually drew some cheers -- NYC requires vaccinations to attend shows like this -- and then Rock hit 'em with ... "You dumb, Kyrie motherf******!!!"

Chris was just a few miles away from Barclays Center, where Kyrie will NOT be playing this season for his Brooklyn Nets -- but his joke still scored laughs from the hometown crowd. Remember, Chris is from Brooklyn ... but he's still a diehard Knicks fan.

Lil Baby, Questlove, Aziz Ansari, and Rich the Kid were some of the other performers -- and after Chris took his shot at Kyrie Irving, he introduced The Strokes.

Aaron Rodgers vs. Patrick Mahomes will now not happen -- at least not this week -- 'cause the Packers star has contracted coronavirus and is now out of Green Bay's game against the Chiefs.

Rodgers tested positive Wednesday, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, and told teammates just minutes ago that he'd be missing Sunday's tilt with K.C.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport added the quarterback is not vaccinated -- and that's why he's already been ruled out of the weekend matchup.

Much-hyped backup Jordan Love -- who the team took in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft -- is expected to start in Rodgers' place.

Rodgers hasn't missed a regular-season start for Green Bay since the 2017 season. In 8 games for this year, he piled up 16 passing TDs and just 6 INTs.

The Packers have been rocked by COVID recently ... just last week, they were without top wideouts Davante Adams and Allen Lazard due to positive tests.

Jason Momoa is killing time as he quarantines after contracting COVID-19 -- but he at least has some good (and skilled) company that'll flip his wig ... not to mention flipping a board.

The "Aquaman" star is isolating at his crib -- this after coming down with the virus following the premiere of his newest flick, "Dune," in London a couple weeks ago. He's got an update for fans ... he's doing alright, and his quarantine buddy is totally shredding.

It looks like Jason is hunkering down with pro skateboarder Erik Ellington ... whom he refers to as his roommate. He threw up a video of the guy doing a kickflip inside the residence ... going from the top of one step down to the kitchen floor, which impressed JM.

Unclear why exactly they're sheltering in place together -- presumably Erik also caught the 'rona while in Jason's company -- but in any case ... they're keeping each other entertained.

BTW, Jason also knows how to shred the gnar ... guy's a seasoned skater himself, and was hitting half pipes during the pandemic last year.

Anyway, check out this video ... besides the sweet tricks going down at his pad, Jason also seems to be ready to roll out a new sneaker he's been working on that's environmentally friendly.

Rev. Jesse Jackson is back in the hospital -- though this time not COVID-related -- instead, for a nasty fall.

Jackson was visiting Howard University in Washington D.C. Monday when his team says he fell and hit his head as he entered a building on campus. Jesse was rushed to a local hospital for a myriad of tests, including a CT scan ... his rep says all results came back normal.

Nonetheless, doctors decided to keep Jackson at the hospital overnight just to be safe.

The 80-year-old has faced some significant health problems as of late. Both he and his wife, Jacqueline, were hospitalized with COVID back in August. Once Jesse -- who was vaccinated -- was released from the hospital, he entered a rehab facility to deal with his Parkinson's disease.

President Biden's press secretary, Jen Psaki, says she's come down with COVID-19 ... but is away from POTUS and has been for several days now.

Psaki revealed Sunday that she'd tested positive for the virus -- this after multiple days of testing negative upon learning people in her household had caught it. She was supposed to hit Europe with JB, but scrapped those plans after learning her family members were sick.

The Press Secretary also notes she was last in contact with Biden on Tuesday ... just before he flew to Rome, where he's currently at for the G20 summit. She notes they were standing at least six feet apart then, and were also wearing masks.

Psaki says, "I am disclosing today's positive test out of an abundance of transparency," adding ... "Thanks to the vaccine, I have only experienced mild symptoms which has enabled me to continue working from home."

She goes on to explain she'll return to the WH after a full 10-day quarantine period, and obviously after a negative test is once again registered.

Jon Bon Jovi was supposed to spend Saturday night on stage, but instead, he spent it in bed ... because of COVID.

Bon Jovi was supposed to perform at the Loews South Beach in Miami Beach, but before the concert began Jon's brother took the stage and told the crowd Jon would not be performing because he tested positive for COVID.

Turns out everyone in the band took a rapid test before the concert and Jon's turned up positive.

A Bon Jovi rep said Jon was fully vaccinated ... unclear, however, if the 59-year-old got a booster.

The rep says he's feeling good, but planned on spending the night in bed. He left Bon Jovi style ... in a yellow Maserati.

As for the concert, the other band members -- all of whom tested negative -- stuck around and played for the crowd.

BTW ... last year Jon's 18-year-old son tested positive for COVID, along with his keyboard player and percussionist.

Ice Cube is saying no to a $9 million payday, because he's not saying yes to getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

The rapper and actor is passing on his role in the upcoming movie, "Oh Hell No," because he refused a request from producers to get the jab ... according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Ice Cube's not only giving up a starring role alongside Jack Black and a chance to film on location in Hawaii -- but he's also giving up the reported $9 mil he would have earned for the flick.

Cube and Jack signed on to the Sony project back in June, and at some point after, producers reportedly put in a request for all cast to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

There's been nary a peep from Ice Cube on the vaccine, at least publicly, but he seems to be taking the pandemic seriously ... he donated face coverings to a college in Oklahoma in August, and raised money for frontline healthcare workers at the beginning of the outbreak by selling shirts picturing him with a mask.

With Ice Cube out, Sony is reportedly looking to find someone to fill his shoes.

Khloe Kardashian and her daughter True are battling COVID together, and both need some time to recover, which means canceled commitments for Khloe.

Khloe announced Friday, "Hi guys I wanted to let you know True and I tested positive for Covid ... Luckily I have been vaccinated so all will be ok. We will be over here in quarantine and following current guidelines."

It's the second time Khloe's had COVID, she revealed in October of last year she had recently recovered from the virus, but had a bad case ... with vomiting, shaking, headaches and hot and cold flashes.

Khloe was just one of several members from the family who have publicly said they've had COVID ... Kanye, Kim and their kids also tested positive in 2020.