A short documentary by filmmaker Scott Calonico, titled When AIDS Was Funny, illustrates the general lack of concern President Reagan and his people had towards the AIDS crisis.
Calonico unearthed never-before-heard audio recordings of White House press briefings from the time. They illustrate deputy press secretary Larry Speakes blithely deflecting reporter Lester Kinsolving’s questions about the growing crisis.
“Lester was known as somewhat of a kook and a crank (many people still feel the same way),” Calonico told Vanity Fair. “But, at the time, he was just a journalist asking questions only to be mocked by both the White House and his peers.”
When Kinsolving says that “gay plague,” as it was sometimes colloquially known at the time, killed one in every three people who had it and asks if the president was aware of it, Speakes simply remarks, “I don't have it. Do you?” This was in 1982. Reagan would not address AIDS until 1985.
You can watch the short below, but bear in mind, it's not exactly easy viewing.
