As a result of the ongoing concern surrounding the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, the 2020 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF) induction ceremony has been officially postponed.
“We are very disappointed to announce the postponement of this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,” said Joel Peresman, President of the RRHOF, confirming the decision in a statement on Thursday, according to multiple outlets (including Rolling Stone and the Los Angeles Times).
“Our first concern is to the health and safety of our attendees and artists and we are complying to the direction of the local and state authorities and common sense,” Peresmen’s statement continued, adding, “We look forward to rescheduling the ceremony and will make that announcement at the earliest convenience.”
The rapidly spreading COVID-19 outbreak began in Wuhan, China last December, and as of March 12, it was confirmed to have infected more than 130,000 people across 100-plus countries. It has claimed over 4,900 lives and as of Wednesday, has been declared a global pandemic.
As chosen by the RRHOF’s voting body and participating fans across the world earlier this year, inductees: Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, T. Rex, The Doobie Brothers, Whitney Houston and The Notorious B.I.G. were set to be joining the ranks of the storied institution this May.
The news follows a myriad of other events being put on pause within the entertainment industry, including the 2020 Juno Awards, music festivals like Coachella, additional concerts and tours — including Pearl Jam‘s long-awaited Gigaton tour — and the worldwide release of No Time to Die, the upcoming 25th James Bond film.
As well, a variety of daytime and late-night TV talk shows made the decision to suspend live studio audiences from attending the taping of episodes. Among the shows were The Tonight Show, The Late Show and Late Night with Seth Myers; all announced they would be taking safety precautions amid concerns surrounding the global pandemic on Wednesday.
Putting a famous face to the outbreak, much-beloved Oscar-winning actor, Tom Hanks announced that he and his wife, Rita Wilson, both tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.
Hanks, 63, shared a picture to Instagram on March 11 saying the couple came down with cold-like symptoms while in Australia, prompting them to go and get tested.
The 35th annual RRHOF induction ceremony was scheduled to take place on May 2 at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland.
As of this writing, the foundation has not rescheduled the highly anticipated event.
The 2020 RRHOF inductees are as follows:
- The Doobie Brothers
- The Notorious B.I.G.
- T. Rex
- Whitney Houston
- Depeche Mode
- Nine Inch Nails
- Jon Landau
- Irving Azoff
If you’d like to learn more about any of the 2020 inductees, you can visit the official RRHOF website.
— With files from Global News’ Sean Boynton
Health officials say the risk of coronavirus is very low for Canadians.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing – very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. And if you get sick, stay at home.
Comments