Not all heroes wear capes, and no one could've predicted that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his brother, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo, would be the comedic relief we all need right now during the coronavirus pandemic.
The younger Cuomo joined his brother's daily coronavirus press briefing by video to share updates on how he's doing since testing positive for the coronavirus.
The governor smiled as he introduced his brother, saying, "You're looking fit and fine. Many people are asking about you."
After making jokes about having bad hair while self-quarantining in his family's basement, Chris Cuomo couldn't resist jabbing his big brother.
"You look like you've been cutting your own hair, which some people are good at and some people are not," he said.
Then he got serious about detailing his constant fever and other symptoms.
"Now that I know the fight that I'm in for, I'm more comfortable. And I've learned that — I see why it takes people out. You've got to rest because your body has the fever because it's fighting the virus," he said.
After expressing how grateful he was for his family's support, Chris Cuomo went on to explain when some of the effects of the virus really started to hit, including what happened when he experiences "rigors."
"I really believe that it didn't start until I got the diagnosis," he said. "It was like out of a movie. I tell you I had the hallucinations. I was seeing Pop,” he said to his brother. “You came to me in a dream. You had on a very interesting ballet outfit — and you were dancing in the dream — and you were waving a wand and saying, ‘I wish I could wave my wand and make this go away.’ And then you spun around, and you danced away.”
“Well there’s a lot of metaphoric reality in that one," the governor replied while laughing. "I thank you for sharing that with us. That was kind of you. Obviously, the fever has affected your mental capacity."
Gov. Cuomo made a point to say he would lay off of making fun of his brother for now.
“I know that sometimes we joke. I’m not going to do that today," he said. "You know rule one is never hit a brother when he’s down, and you’re literally in the basement. So, I’m going to refrain from any rebuttal today.”
“I don’t know," Chris Cuomo replied. "I tell you this is probably your best chance because when I’m healthy, you know what happens.”
The two continued to tease each other like only brothers can, and Chris Cuomo couldn't resist bringing up an unflattering photo the governor used of Chris with his mouth open in Wednesday's briefing.
After going back and forth about fishing and their respective "shows," the brothers got sentimental.
Gov. Cuomo showed his appreciation for his brother being so open about his coronavirus diagnosis.
"It demystifies this. It takes a lot of the unknown out of the equation. ... You are answering questions for millions of Americans," he said.
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Chris Cuomo returned the compliment by referencing something the brothers' father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo, would always say.
“Certain things you’re not going to be able to control. Certain things are going to happen," he said. "This virus is one of them. It happened. It’s going to run its course.”
“I’ve always been proud of you. … but I’ve never been prouder of you than I am right now," Gov. Cuomo replied. "You go get some rest. I love you. Everybody loves you. This is going to be fine. You’re going to get through it, and you’re going to do a beautiful public service in the meantime."
