- Fauci’s book, ‘Expect the Unexpected: Ten Lessons on Truth, Service, and the Way Forward’, is set for release on November 2
- It is unclear how much money the top doctor is being paid for the 80-page tome, which will be published by National Geographic Books
- Fauci will also be the subject of a National Geographic documentary biopic scheduled for release later in the year
- Controlling interest of National Geographic is held by The Walt Disney Company
- E-mails obtained by The Washington Post on Tuesday show ex-Disney boss Bob Iger was ‘extremely supportive’ of having cameras following Fauci last year
- The projects prove that Fauci looks set to stay as a prominent public figure even after the pandemic is over
Dr. Anthony Fauci is set to release a book on COVID and appear in a new Disney-backed documentary despite being accused of multiple flip-flops on the virus
On Tuesday, it was revealed that the infectious disease expert, 80, will publish a tome titled ‘Expect the Unexpected: Ten Lessons on Truth, Service, and the Way Forward’. It will be released by National Geographic Books on November 2.
Details of the top doctor’s deal with the publisher have not been made public, so it is unclear how much he may be paid for the work. Both Barnes & Noble and Amazon have listed the 80-page book for pre-order at the price of $18.
Meanwhile, Fauci will also be the subject of a new ‘Disney-backed biopic’ documentary set for release later this year.
Documentary filmmakers reportedly followed Fauci throughout 2020, capturing footage of him working as part of the White House Coronavirus Task Force. E-mails obtained by The Washington Post Tuesday reveal ex-Disney boss Bob Iger was ‘extremely supportive’ of the project when it was pitched early last year.
It is also unclear whether Fauci stands to profit from that film, but the two new projects highlight how he looks set to stay as a prominent public figure even after the pandemic ends.
Fauci is currently the highest paid federal employee in the country, making $417,608 per year as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In comparison, the US President is paid $400,000 per annum.
Fauci’s forthcoming book will be compiled of interviews that he has conducted during his 34-year stint as the director of the NIAID.
An overview of the book states: ‘Before becoming the face of the White House Coronavirus Task Force and America’s most trusted doctor, Dr. Fauci had already devoted three decades to public service.
‘Those looking to live a more compassionate and purposeful life will find inspiration in his unique perspective on leadership, expecting the unexpected, and finding joy in difficult times.’
The overview further states: ‘The earnest reflections in these pages will offer a universal message on how to lead in times of crisis and find resilience in the face of disappointments and obstacles’.
It’s unclear just how receptive Americans will be to Fauci’s book. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo released a book about the COVID-19 pandemic late last year, which was a ‘sales disaster’, according to The New Republic.
Cuomo – who was $5.1 million for his book – was accused of cashing in on the pandemic. It has only sold around 45,000 copies .
Fauci has now faced criticism for flip flopping on masks and for downplaying the idea that COVID-19 came from a lab in Wuhan, China – with that allegation now being seen as increasingly credible.
The book is one of several about Fauci that is scheduled to hit shelves in the coming months.
A children’s picture book about the expert, titled ‘Dr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America’s Doctor’, is slated for release on June 28.
It draws upon interviews the author, Kate Messner, conducted with Fauci himself.
Meanwhile, the Fauci documentary is set to air on National Geographic later this year.
The channel – which is owned by The Walt Disney Company – has not announced an air date.
Emmy winners John Hoffman and Janet Tobias directed the film, while Academy Award winner Dan Cogan and two-time Academy Award nominee Liz Garbus serve as producers.
It is unclear whether the documentary will feature footage of Fauci telling the American public back in March of last year that they do not need to wear face coverings.
Fauci stated on camera on March 8, 2020: ‘There’s no reason to be walking around with a mask. When you’re in the middle of an outbreak, wearing a mask might make people feel a little bit better and it might even block a droplet, but it’s not providing the perfect protection that people think that it is.’
It is also unclear whether footage of Fauci downplaying the theory that COVID-19 originated in a Chinese lab will also appear in the documentary.
Now that the theory appears increasingly likely, Fauci has conceded that further investigation should be conducted as to the origins of the virus.
‘I do not have any accounting of what the Chinese may have done and I’m fully in favor of any further investigation of what went on in China,’ he told a congressional committee last week.
