Alright, buckle up buttercups, because the Wellcome Collection in London is serving up a steaming pile of virtue signaling with their "Tenderness and Rage" exhibition. It's all about how heroic AIDS activists fought for the rights and dignity of those living with the disease. Cue the slow clap.

Oh, but here's the kicker: the Wellcome Trust, the very institution hosting this feel-good extravaganza, had a 75% stake in the pharmaceutical company jacking up the price of AZT, the first successful HIV drug. You know, the one that was so prohibitively expensive that only the elite could afford it? Talk about having your cake and eating it too. It’s like a Bond villain level of corporate amorality. I can't believe they admitted their history of profiteering! Are they finally based?

Apparently, some brave souls in Act UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, because acronyms) weren't having it. They pulled a pro gamer move and bought shares in the drug firm so they could grill the CEO at the annual meeting. One activist, Rob Archer, even admitted he was “quite pleased” he got under the guy’s skin. You love to see it. I'm not crying, you're crying.

Let’s not forget the performative outrage. Placards were held, slogans were chanted (“We££come AZT Profiteers” – clever, lads). Eventually, the company caved and slashed the price of AZT. A win for the good guys, right? Well, kinda. It’s always good when big pharma is being held accountable.

The exhibit also features stuff like photos of a “die-in” in Trafalgar Square (very dramatic) and hand-stitched plushie vaginas by HIV-positive women (because, of course). Gotta check all the intersectional boxes, am I right?

And don't even get me started on the documentary about the Landmark drop-in center, complete with DJs, drag queens, and African music. Because nothing says “serious public health crisis” like a raging party. Maybe if they had used that money to research the disease, the crisis would be less severe.

But hey, at least they’re acknowledging the “rage” part of the equation. After all, nothing unites people like shared outrage – especially when it’s directed at the very institution that's now trying to profit from their history of price gouging. The audacity of these guys.

So, if you're looking for a feel-good story with a healthy dose of hypocrisy and corporate backstabbing, head down to the Wellcome Collection. Just remember to bring your own salt shaker. You'll need it.