The most startling revelation in HBO's Countdown to Zero is an interview with former President George W. Bush, who recalls his commitment to fighting AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. President Bush raised the ire of millions during his administration when he ignored warnings about 9/11, pursued a war against Iraq, and publicly opposed marriage equality. But facts are facts. Pres. Bush also committed billions to researchers who were fighting the spread of HIV in countries like Rwanda, ultimately helping to stop the transition of HIV from mother to child in that country.
Countdown to Zero is a special episode of Vice, HBO's Emmy-winning newsmagazine. Co-produced by Bill Maher and Shane Smith of Vice magazine, Vice presents in-depth, no-holds-barred looks at a variety of topics. CNN correspondent Fareed Zakaria serves as a consultant. HBO describes Countdown to Zero as a Vice "special report" that will premiere on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, at 9 p.m. The episode will air in rotation throughout December, and will be available on demand on Dec. 16.
Countdown to Zero opens with a collage of 1980s news clips that recall the horror and tragedy of the AIDS epidemic's early days. We see emaciated gay men in their 20s and 30s, some of whom look like they could be in their 80s. Several are covered in Kaposi Sarcoma lesions, a rare skin cancer that led many early AIDS sufferers to a painful and horrifying death. We also see enraged activists demanding that critical, life-saving medications be made available. Older viewers might recognize the late author/gay film historian/AIDS activist Vito Russo (1946-90), who is sometimes unjustly forgotten by AIDS historians.
Countdown to Zero is divided into a series of segments that illustrate how doctors and researchers have fought �" and continue to fight �" to make HIV become the manageable illness it now is, and not the death sentence it once was. They keep their eye on the prize: a permanent cure. Visits to AIDS-ravaged countries like South Africa and Rwanda are included. There's also a segment shot in the Castro, which was once the disease's epicenter.
Doctors at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle speak on-camera of the work they do and the amazing strides they've made, though they acknowledge that the battle isn't over. Viewers will also meet Palm Springs resident Timothy Ray Brown, the first person to be considered officially cured of AIDS. The treatments Brown received are discussed. It's hoped that what was done for Brown can be replicated in others. The importance of PrEP, a daily HIV-prevention pill, is also discussed.
As Countdown to Zero shows, we've come a long way since July 3, 1981, when a New York Times headline proclaimed "Rare Cancer Seen in 41 Homosexuals." It's now possible to live with HIV. Will we see a permanent cure during our lifetimes? The scientists who appear in Countdown to Zero are hopeful.