TimTheTatman’s streams on Twitch are often an escape from reality for viewers who are looking for a friend, or many, to watch and play video games with. So it makes sense that today on stream he admitted to steering clear of COVID-19 pandemic discussions while online.
While talking to a viewer who donated to him expressing excitement about local ice cream stores opening back up soon near him, Tim expressed optimism about the state of the U.S. during the global COVID-19 pandemic. But he added that he finds the topic of the pandemic difficult to manage on stream.
“Obviously I’m still waiting for this whole pandemic thing to die down a little bit,” he said. “I don’t talk about the pandemic much because, honestly to be completely honest with you, it’s almost as bad as talking about politics on stream. It just never ends well.”
Tim also tried to bring up points about certain states starting to reopen more businesses and return to some degree of normality—or at least something closer to it. But it was clear in his voice that he wasn’t comfortable talking about the topic because of how polarizing it’s become for Americans.
The issue of the COVID-19 pandemic in America has become more politicized in the past month while many states remain locked down as a precaution. But the precautionary measures for public safety aren’t without repercussions. People in some states have even protested state lockdown guidelines that hurt job opportunities and the livelihood of many families.
Twitch viewership has grown significantly in the past few months, however, due largely to the COVID-19 pandemic keeping people at home in compliance with “social distancing” guidelines. In April, the platform saw more than 100 percent year-over-year growth in hours watched.
