On Tuesday, the United Kingdom became the world’s earliest Western nation to give vaccinations for COVID-19, a major step forward in ending the coronavirus pandemic. The first person to receive the shot was 90-year-old Margaret Keenan, followed by 81-year-old William Shakespeare (he didn’t write King Lear in quarantine, but maybe he finally caught up with The Sopranos, an equally impressive accomplishment).
But let’s also give it up for Martin Kenyon, 91, who became an “international superstar” after his CNN interview where he made getting a vaccination sound as easy as getting a cup of coffee. Assuming you can find any parking.
“I rang up Guy’s Hospital, which I know very well because I’ve lived in London most of my grown-up life, and I said what’s the thing, you’re doing the vaccination? They said, ‘Yes.’ And then they spent time asking me questions about this and that, not very interesting. I said, ‘Yes, no, yes, no.’ And they said, ‘Come at 12.’ Of course, I damn well couldn’t find anywhere to park my car, so I was late,” Martin told a reporter. He then complained about having a “rather nasty lunch” before getting the vaccine,” which “didn’t hurt at all. I didn’t know the needle had gone in until it had come out.”
When asked about being one of the first people in the world to have received the vaccine, Martin replied, “I don’t think I feel about it all, except that I hope that I don’t have the bloody bug now… I have granddaughters and I want to live a long time to enjoy their lives.” He added, “Well, there’s no point in dying now when I’ve lived this long, is there? I don’t plan to, anyway.” It’s about bloody time we got some good news.
Kenyon is also being hailed as the “most British man” ever on Twitter.
https://twitter.com/oliverdarcy/status/1336329689095290881
“Very unexciting” – Martin, a master of understatement, on CNN just nowhttps://t.co/m9mhoO7uq4
— Hugo Bebbington (@HugoBebb) December 8, 2020
CNN found a man on the street in London, Martin Kenyon, age 91, who was one of the first people in the world to receive the coronavirus vaccine.
“Well, there’s no point in dying now when I’ve lived this long, is there?” https://t.co/WajmeKbyoq
— Liam Stack (@liamstack) December 8, 2020
"There's no point in dying now." – UK vaccine recipient Martin Kenyon FTW.
(Give him his own show.)🙃 https://t.co/TVP4S6UXF4
— Jeffrey Wright 🥜 (@jfreewright) December 8, 2020
If you’re not watching Martin Kenyon on CNN right now, you are missing the best interview CNN has done in a long time. #MartinKenyon
— Marc Klutznick (@marcklutznick) December 8, 2020
Martin Kenyon had a nasty lunch and couldn’t find any damn where to park his car but is pretty happy out to have gotten the #COVID19 vaccine.https://t.co/FqzGDkDUKX
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) December 8, 2020
A Standing O for Martin Kenyon. Superstar. https://t.co/44M0jHxc3s
— Damien Lane (@DamienLane1) December 8, 2020
THE SWEETEST LITTLE OLD GUY IS ON CNN TALKING ABOUT HOW HE JUST GOT HIS VACCINE. MARTIN KENYON, HE'S A GOD DAMN NATIONAL TREASURE.
— maddy 🪷🐈⬛🏕️ (@madalynbelcher) December 8, 2020
Martin Kenyon rings up Guys Hospital, leaves jabbed up and an international superstar https://t.co/kUrbeQ5ioC
— Jonathan Reilly (@thejonnyreilly) December 8, 2020
This is Peak British right here. Martin Kenyon has just had the vaccination — sorry, inoculation. Could almost be a Monty Python sketch. Lovely man. pic.twitter.com/IZG2v0wJCS
— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) December 8, 2020
“There’s no point dying now when I’ve lived this long, is there?”
Martin there, the most British man you’ll see
💪https://t.co/65iPnNXY6M— Danny Hall (@dannyhall04) December 8, 2020