Notes from the Memory Hole: Dr. Peter Hotez, in His Own Words

Matt Orfalea's latest mashup takes on Dr. Peter Hotez, bowtied mass-producer of contradictory health advice

Few health figures have been more visible during the pandemic than Dr. Peter Hotez. Interviews by the Director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development are a master class in modern day branding, as the good doctor seldom appears without an instantly recognizable ensemble of lab coat, specs, and bow tie. (If cable TV had a Halloween Party, Hotez-in-a-bag would surely have been one of the most popular get-ups from 2020 on.) Hotez advertises his marketing acumen, making sure every time he appears on air that the shot is crammed with posed copies of his books. He’s become a legit pop culture phenom, appearing with Trevor Noah, TMZ, CNBC, CNN, Fox and beyond.

Like Dr. Anthony Fauci, Hotez was among the most prominent members of the “Your child will die in shrieking agony if you don’t get the shot” school of pandemic messaging. As Matt Orfalea’s brutal new video shows, however, he accrued more contradictory dosage recommendations on this score than Imelda Marcos had shoes.