Pat Kenny has won praise on social media for keeping his cool after being confronted by an anti-vaxxer in a public park.
The Newstalk host was out walking his dog when he was approached by a man who claimed to be an unvaccinated healthcare worker.
The man, who filmed their exchange and posted it on TikTok, said: “Hey Pat, can I ask you a question? Do I look crazy to you? You called me crazy on the national radio. I work for the health service and I haven’t been vaccinated.”
When Pat asked, “why not?” the man replied, “I don’t want to, that’s my choice.”
Pat then said: “That is your prerogative. I am saying you shouldn’t be near patients.”
The anti-vaxxer responded: “Why shouldn’t I be? It is being spread all the time by vaccinated people. I have a five-year-old daughter you are calling crazy. Sorry, you called her a snowflake.”
Pat hit back: “The parents of those kids who say they can’t wear a mask when kids in every country in the world are wearing masks. Little kids in Bermuda where my sister in law is at the age of two are running around the place [with masks on and] there is not a bother on them.”
Fair play to Pat. He took the time to explain himself. pic.twitter.com/XqbWGfpBZQ
— Keith Walsh (@KeithyWalsh) December 13, 2021
After the man claimed, “I have a mortgage to pay and you want me to lose my job. You do,” the 73-year-old said: “No, I don’t. They should redeploy you to non-patient facing areas.”
Pat then explained: “You’re free to have the choice but you put me in harm’s way. We know that Omicron is probably twice as big a spreader as Delta.”
“Half the people in ICU are people who have been vaccinated, that’s with breakthrough infections, people who are vulnerable and so on, the smallest thing will knock them for six.”
“That is from a population of, take away a million for kids who are not vaccinated yet, you’re left with four million. Out of those, 700,000 people like you are not vaccinated. Out of 3.3milllion you’ve got 50 people in ICU. Out of 700,000 of your cohort, there’s also 50. Compare what we do know.”
The video of their exchange has since gone viral on social media, as many have praised Pat for the way he dealt with the situation.
Broadcaster Keith Walsh shared the video on Twitter, and wrote: “Fair play to Pat. He took the time to explain himself.”
Newstalk’s Henry McKean also praised Pat online by tweeting: “What a gracious, measured decent man. And a top broadcaster. Pat Kenny take a bow. And all he wanted to do was walk his dog.”
What a gracious, measured decent man. And a top broadcaster. Pat Kenny take a bow. And all he wanted to do was walk his dog. @PatKennyNT @NewstalkFM pic.twitter.com/1pxOb0w08m
— Henry McKean (@HenryMcKean) December 13, 2021
Pat Kenny is one of the more educated , Handles himself brilliant here https://t.co/pV8MeMaeZn
— Andrew O Brien (@AndrewO39303548) December 13, 2021
Did this fella post this thinking it was a win for him? Well done to Pat Kenny. Cool and rational. https://t.co/tmhiVAVqrp
— Mark Tighe (@marktigheST) December 13, 2021
Huge respect for Pat Kenny here. Approached by an idiot with a camera, clearly looking to start a row. Pat was calm and clear and made his case. https://t.co/e4nPIGtRZx
— Stephen Dunne (@stephen_dunne) December 13, 2021
