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SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake County found a surprising voice to encourage people to get the COVID-19 vaccine on a new radio ad campaign.
"Sex and the City" actor Mario Cantone said he wanted to help "make a difference" in the community's efforts against the disease, according to county officials, and he took on the job for a "relatively modest stipend."
"I'm a comedian, and it's a pleasure to have a job to make people laugh. But when there is an opportunity to use humor to save lives, I'm happy to help in any way I can," Cantone said in a statement.
The actor who plays Anthony Marentino, one of the main character's best friends, in the popular TV and movie series "imprints his trademark snark and tone on messages covering COVID vaccine myths regarding fertility, previous immunity and its purportedly ... 'rushed' development process, among other misperceptions," health officials said.
Cantone is also reprising his role in the "Sex and the City" spinoff series "And Just Like That," which is currently being filmed.
"Some people believe that COVID isn't serious and can't hurt them — 3.4 million people would disagree, but they can't because they're dead," Cantone says in one of the spots running on Salt Lake City radio stations this week.
"We're trying to overcome people's disbeliefs, myths and hesitancy," said Dr. Audrey Stevenson, director of family health for the Salt Lake County Health Department.
"We needed to do something to break through the clutter and make people take notice," she said.
According to the health department, about 539,000 of the county's 1,029,000 residents have been vaccinated so far.
