James Woods Denounces Handshakes as ‘The Most Barbaric Custom’ in Twitter Vent

“This isn’t the Middle Ages,” tweets “Once Upon a Time in America” actor

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You have to give James Woods a hand for his latest Twitter crusade.

On second thought, maybe it’s best not to.

Actor and noted conservative Woods took a brief break from his political musings on Tuesday to tackle another scourge that he saw as threatening the public’s well-being: The practice of shaking hands.

On Tuesday, Woods on described hand-shaking as “the most barbaric custom.”

“Shaking hands is the most barbaric custom. It’s not as if we need to make sure the other guy isn’t hiding a broadsword,” Woods wrote.

“This isn’t the Middle Ages. The only thing handshakes accomplish is the enabling of epidemics and cold viruses,” the actor continued.

The subject of disease transmission was clearly on Woods’ mind Tuesday, as in an earlier tweet the actor and poker enthusiast went at people who show up to work while ill.

“Why do people come to work or to social events when they know they are sick?” Woods asked. “It is rude, irresponsible, and dangerous. I have zero sympathy for these people who hack and wheeze at the poker table, and then meekly mumble nonsense about having ‘allergies.’ You’re SICK. Stay home!”

Woods later amended that position, however, after being informed that calling in sick can have negative consequences for employees.

“Many people have pointed out that they are penalized by greedy companies and insensitive bosses if they call in sick,” Woods noted. “This is a real problem, so I appreciate the feedback and amend my tweet herein. The sick people at a poker table, however, are simply selfish and irresponsible.”

Woods followed up with a questionable comment, after another Twitter user told him, “You can tell something about a man by his grip.”

“Especially in San Francisco,” Woods responded.

Read Woods’ anti-handshake jeremiad below — and remember, if you ever run into him, maybe it’s best to just offer him a fist-bump.

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