Global Research

The Los Angeles Times and other main-stream media (MSM) networks has criticized actor and filmmaker Robert De Niro for allowing the screening of the anti-Vaccine documentary film ‘Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe’ produced and directed by Dr. Andrew Wakefield.

The article ‘How Robert De Niro’s Tribeca Film Festival sold out to anti-vaccine crackpots’ criticized DeNiro’s decision to air the movie during the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City:

The festival, which was co-founded by Robert De Niro in 2002, has placed a film purporting to defend Wakefield and accusing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of a cover-up on its program this spring. The film is called “Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Conspiracy.” Its director: Andrew Wakefield

However, DeNiro (whose son has autism) canceled the screening of the film due to the MSM pressure on his decision to air the film. The LA Times confirmed DeNiro’s decision to cancel the film in an UPDATE:

TheTribeca Film Festival has canceled its showing of Andrew Wakefield’s documentary “Vaxxed,” following widespread condemnation of its plans. In an emailed statement, Robert De Niro, the festival’s co-founder, said: “My intent in screening this film was to provide an opportunity for conversation around an issue that is deeply personal to me and my family. But after reviewing it over the past few days with the Tribeca Film Festival team and others from the scientific community, we do not believe it contributes to or furthers the discussion I had hoped for”

The Los Angeles Times also claimed that Dr. William Thomson’s “Conspiracy Theory” has been debunked due to a “2014 survey of scientific studies” showed that the MMR vaccines are “not” associated with the “development of autism” or “autism spectrum disorder”:

As my colleague Steven Zeitchik reports, the festival’s publicity for this film endorses its conclusion that “vaccines do cause autism” and treats the controversy in pure Hollywood style: “The most vitriolic debate in medical history takes a dramatic turn when senior-scientist-turned-whistleblower Dr. William Thompson of the Centers for Disease Control turns over secret documents, data and internal emails confirming what millions of devastated parents and ‘discredited’ doctors have long-suspected.” You would think it’s the second coming of “The China Syndrome.” But it’s nothing of the kind. Wakefield’s work, and the “conspiracy theory” of Thompson, have been thoroughly debunked.

Let’s be absolutely plain about this: There is absolutely no evidence of any link between the MMR vaccine and autism. In a 2014 survey of scientific studies covering 1.26 million children, researchers stated bluntly that “vaccinations are not associated with the development of autism or autism spectrum disorder. Furthermore, the components of the vaccines (thimerosal or mercury) or multiple vaccines (MMR) are not associated with the development of autism or autism spectrum disorder.” That’s just one example of the many studies finding no link. Thimerosal is a mercury-based preservative that was used until 1999 in the MMR vaccine

The Los Angeles Times also criticized anchor, journalist and television host Katie Couric’s decision to give conspiracy-mongers airtime exposing HPV vaccines  and called former model and television host Jenny McCarthy ignorant for linking the MMR vaccine to autism:

That hand-waving in favor of “dialogue” can shield a lot of damaging mischief. It’s the same sentiment that was behind Katie Couric’s decision to give equally irresponsible conspiracy-mongers about HPV vaccines a platform on her syndicated daytime show in 2013, exposing their science-free viewpoints to millions of viewers. Couric soon acknowledged her misstep, recognizing that children’s health and even lives are at stake when parents are encouraged to doubt the efficacy and safety of vaccines. (We’re not even talking about starlet Jenny McCarthy, whose claims about the links between the MMR vaccine and autism are merely ignorant.)

Dr. Wakefield’s anti-vaccine movement started back in 1998, when he published a paper in the British medical journal called ‘The Lancet’ which he discovered links between the MMR vaccine and autism. Robert De Niro is now a conspiracy theorist and who joins the conspiracy theory club. He is not alone. Actors Woody Harrelson, Rosie O’Donnell, Charlie Sheen, Marion Cotillard and Mark Ruffalo questioned the September 11 attacks. Other celebrities such as Richard Belzer of the American television series, Law & Order has written several books on conspiracies, one of them is called ‘UFOs, JFK & Elvis: Conspiracies You Don’t Have to Be Crazy to Believe’ where he claims that the moon landing is a “hoax.” Belzer is not the only person that believes that the Apollo 11 mission to the moon was a fake. Russia has called for an investigation into America’s moon landing because of evidence that actually disappeared. The Daily Mail published an article in 2015 on the subject titled ‘Russia suggests America has NEVER landed on the moon and calls for ‘an investigation into what really happened’:

A Russian official has cast doubt on the first moon landings and demanded an investigation into what really happened after original NASA footage of the event disappeared. Vladimir Markin, a spokesman for the Russian government’s Investigative Committee, says he wants an inquiry after the video from 1969 and a piece of lunar rock, which was brought back to earth, went missing

Belzer also questions the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, as does Hollywood director Oliver Stone. All considered “Conspiracy Theorists.” Hollywood actor and martial artist Jean Claude Van Dam recently joined the growing list of “Conspiracy Theory” celebrities. On the ‘Le Grand Journal’ a French TV show, Van Damme spoke about who really runs U.S. elections and why Donald Trump and Ted Cruz will not win. “Well, they are not going to win.”Why? Well the answer Van Damme gives falls in the line of conspiracy theories. He declared on French television that “you still have the Rockefeller, people like the Rothschild, those big families that dominate continents….these are families that rise in 1827, a family with five sons that expands, it’s above everything we’re talking (about) tonight.” Van Damme was correct to point out to the public who really controls the U.S. elections behind the scenes.

The MSM has criticized celebrities in the past who question certain events. Now Robert DeNIro is on the list of “Conspiracy Theory” celebrities. Rest assured, censorship of Dr. Wakefield’s film in the Tribeca film festival has just given the film more publicity. Hopefully the public’s curiosity on why Deniro decided to pull the film would propel them to watch the film.

Here is the trailer for ‘Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Conspiracy’: