Chris Jericho assures fans that his band, Fozzy, is taking all the proper precautions as they resume touring amid the pandemic. The internet still has its doubts though.
Last night's Saturday Night Special Q&A session with Chris Jericho was a little different as it was coming from the road as Fozzy has resumed touring.
Chris Jericho explained that the reason the band is playing concerts this week is their tour, which was slated for April and May, had been initially rescheduled and moved to July and August and while most of the shows have been rescheduled once again to take place in the fall, four shows remained scheduled for August.
Chris Jericho says that these shows remained because in North and South Dakota, the number of COVID-19 cases is drastically lower as compared to the rest of the country, with Jericho stating that the case count in both North and South Dakota are less than a thousand cases.
"The shows are in South Dakota, North Dakota, and we have one in Fort Madison, Iowa, which is right near the border of South Dakota," Jericho stated. "The reason why the shows have happened is because these states of North Dakota and South Dakota have low COVID cases, less than a thousand in both states."
For context, North Dakota saw an increase of 181 new cases yesterday and South Dakota saw 106 new cases. By comparison, Florida, the state that is housing both WWE and AEW, saw 8,502 new COVID cases just yesterday alone.
Chris Jericho would go on to reassure those watching him that proper precautions are being taken and venues are not running at full capacity with the band making sure to stay isolated and get tested.
“The venues are either outside or they are half-capacity. We are sold out tonight in Minot with, I think, 50% capacity. Last night, we were sold out in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with I think it was 35% capacity,” Jericho stated. “We hand out masks at the door, do temperature checks, all that sort of stuff. We basically just stay on the bus all day and everyone in the Fozzy camp, crew, and band has been tested. Yeah, so that's kind of how we’re doing it. Everything's been going good. It’s been so great to be back on stage again.
Pictures have surfaced of these concerts with many on Twitter feeling uncertain about the lack of mask-wearing and social distancing by concertgoers. There have been some calls by fans to have Jericho quarantine for two weeks and sacrifice the upcoming match this Wednesday against Orange Cassidy on Dynamite. As of this time, AEW has not commented on the matter.
Chris Jericho and his band FOZZY played to a packed concert with no social distancing or masks last night in North Dakota. pic.twitter.com/TbaSx11fim
— Uncensored Wrestling ---- (@Uncensored_WWE) August 9, 2020
Honestly ban Chris Jericho from Dynamite while he’s touring Fozzy. Give Orange a win by default this time, push their 1:1 to a later date.
— Henry T. Casey (@henrytcasey) August 9, 2020
Can’t believe I can’t see my friends in person because people are insisting on attending a *checks notes* FOZZY concert in a fucking pandemic. pic.twitter.com/QkKhg8A580
— kate (@makeitloud) August 9, 2020
Fightful will continue to monitor the story and report any and all updates.
If you use any of the quotes above, please give a h/t and link back to Fightful for the transcription.
