Why Cheryl Hines Doesn't Think Husband RFK Jr. Is A Conspiracy Theorist
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s public endorsement of conspiracy theories is not a recent development. As the environmental lawyer pursues the 2024 United States presidential election as an independent candidate, he continues to promote many worrisome stances. While other celebrities are lining up to deny their support for RFK Jr., his wife, the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star Cheryl Hines, doesn't think her husband is a conspiracy theorist. Her reasoning, however, is peculiar.
In their joint interview with The Hollywood Reporter, when questioned about RFK Jr.'s inclination to endorse unverified claims, Hines shared that she never even considered the possibility of her partner being a conspiracist. She went on to justify his controversial remarks by saying, "I would think that you would see the world through a different lens if you saw your uncle be assassinated, then your father." The actress added, "I do find it mysterious and odd, and all of it to be larger-than-life."
RFK Jr. has been spreading misinformation on a range of subjects, from openly opposing vaccines and suggesting certain races are less prone to contracting the coronavirus to asserting the theft of the 2004 presidential election and blaming Prozac for the surge in mass shootings in the US. Despite even RFK Jr.'s family publicly expressing concerns about his controversial statements, Hines continues demonstrating unwavering support for her husband.
Cheryl Hines is ambivalent to the concept of conspiracy theories
Other than believing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a hard life and thus deserves to spread misinformation to the masses, Cheryn Hines shared a somewhat lenient view on conspiracy theories in general. When speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Hines cited the Monsanto trial, where Bayer, a German pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, faced legal action for the cancer-causing effects of their herbicide Roundup. Reflecting on the case, Hines questioned whether any conspiracy theory should be dismissed as this one proved to be true, concluding, "When people say [RFK Jr. is] a conspiracy theorist, I really don't know what to make of that."
While admitting RFK Jr. has influenced her thinking, Hines had previously distanced herself from his controversial views, particularly his inappropriate trivialization of the Holocaust. In January 2022, RFK Jr. made a speech at an anti-vaccination rally in Washington, D.C., drawing parallels between the mandatory COVID-19 vaccine and the Nazi regime. "You could cross the Alps to Switzerland. You could hide in an attic like Anne Frank did," he infamously said, as per Politico. Hines took to X, formerly known as Twitter, the next day to rebuke RFK Jr.'s statement. "My husband's opinions are not a reflection of my own. While we love each other, we differ on many current issues," the actor tweeted. Still, Hines continues to hint that she may actually agree with one of RFK Jr.'s most alarming rhetorics.
The actor seems to want to have it both ways
In a June 2023 interview with The New York Times, Cheryl Hines revealed her lack of concern regarding Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s anti-vaccine stance. "If Bobby is standing up and saying, 'Well, are we sure that they're safe and every vaccine has been tested properly?' That doesn't seem too much to ask," the actor said, adding, "That seems like the right question to be asking."
Other than subtly backing one of her husband's most dangerous conspiracy theories, Hines also noted that she chooses to support RFK Jr.'s presidential bid from afar, citing her career and busy schedule. Yet, the HBO star ultimately joined her husband on his presidential press tour. As Hines' continues to juggle her public perception and her husband's controversial stances, some of RFK Jr.'s other family members have already openly distanced themselves from him.
Jack Schlossberg, JFK's grandson, publicly dissed RFK Jr.'s presidential campaign, referring to his cousin as a conspiracy theorist on Instagram. "Let's not be distracted again by somebody's vanity project," Schlossberg said in the video. Even the White House condemned RFK Jr.'s claims that Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese people were less susceptible to COVID-19, deeming them dangerous, as reported by Reuters. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, noted that such rhetoric can lead to "racist and anti-Semitic conspiracy theories." While Hines grapples with defining a conspiracy theorist, others seem unequivocal in categorizing her husband as one.