Comedian Bill Burr lashed out at insurance companies for their policies in California amid the raging fires, invoking the spirit of Luigi Mangione who is accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Los Angeles has been battling devastating wildfires for the past nine days. Thousands of people have been forced to evacuate from their homes and vast amounts of land have been destroyed.
Newsweek contacted Burr’s representatives by email on Thursday morning.
Why It Matters
California has experienced an ongoing crisis in the property insurance sector, causing further premium hikes and coverage cuts in at-risk areas from major companies, according to experts.
“The fires will push the crisis to a new level, with likely FAIR plan assessments on both insurers and their policyholders,” David T. Russell, professor of insurance and finance at California State University, told Newsweek on Tuesday.
What To Know
Burr appeared on the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live! where he criticized insurance companies and the media outlets that seemed to blame the fires on homeless people.
“I love how all the chatter out there is about bands of illegal immigrants and homeless people lighting fires. They light fires every day, they’re living outside, it’s f****** cold. And this theory that some homeless guy without a car went all the way from Altadena to the Pacific Palisades, what’d he have? A hang glider?” Burr said to host Jimmy Kimmel. “They talk about looting, but CNN and Fox News are not going to bring up the insurance companies that are just going to keep everybody’s premiums and still give themselves a bonus.”
After cheers from the crowd, Burr shouted “Free Luigi!” referring to Mangione, who allegedly shot and killed United Healthcare chief executive Thompson in December.
Mangione, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, is remanded in custody at a New York City prison. He was believed to be allegedly motivated to carry out the killing because of gripes he had with the health insurance industry.
Referring to media coverage of Mangione and the murder of Thompson, Burr said, “I love how they acted surprised. Like, ‘Uh, why did that happen?’… He wrote on the bullets why it happened!”
Shell casings found at the scene of Thompson‘s killing were a match for the 3D-printed gun found on Mangione, the New York Police Department commissioner said in December.
The casings had the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” written on them. The words form part of tactics employed by insurance companies to avoid paying out claims, according to Rutgers Law professor Jay M. Feinman, who wrote a book about the subject.
Mangione has also emerged as a symbol of the California wildfires and people’s anger toward insurance companies, with many online hoping for vigilante justice against insurers.
What People Are Saying
People reacted to Burr’s opinions in the comment section of his interview on YouTube.
“This was amazing! He’s cherished! Thank you bill for standing up for those who can’t,” wrote @Metryingatlife.
“This man says what everyone is thinking and we love him for it,” commented @sophiademongo.
“so unleashed here, so raw. Bill’s reached his final form, this dude is a proper icon,” posted @leopoldstotch7711.
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