Some Good News

Can’t we all use some good news these days? I’m going to speak for the majority of us and say yes! And I’ve found one great source for good news on the Internet, actor John Krasinski. Krasinski is probably best known from his days playing Jim on the TV show The Office. He’s a very funny guy. More recently he’s become an action hero on his newer series, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. And now he’s making his own movies, such as A Quiet Place, starring his wife, Emily Blunt. Yes, John Krasinski is a multi-talented performer. But we’re now learning what a thoughtful and compassionate person he is as he shares with us a weekly dose of Some Good News. Or, as it’s become known as, simply, SGN.

Like the rest of the world, John is currently at home with his family, socially-distancing to stay safe. All the bad news we’ve been bombarded with for weeks now, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, was getting to him, and he decided to do something about it. So, he created his own show where viewers can expect, as John puts it, “A news show dedicated entirely to good news.” Episodes can be found on YouTube simply by searching for “John Krasinski Some Good News.”

In each episode, Krasinski talks with a person, or group of people, who’ve been affected by the pandemic in some way. To date, there are three episodes out. I was late to the show and missed the first episode, but I hope to catch up on it very soon. His second show was the first one I watched, and was blown away by an episode where he featured the original Broadway cast of Hamilton, led by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Krasinski had heard about a young girl who was supposed to see Hamilton on tour, but of course, that got canceled due to the pandemic. Instead, her family stayed home and watched Mary Poppins Returns. (Which stars Emily Blunt, Krasinski’s wife, by the way.)

Fast forward to this episode of SGN when Krasinski surprises the young Hamilton fan with a Zoom performance by the Hamilton cast. Watching the cast sing their hearts out from each of their own homes, and then watching the reaction of the young fan to her own private Hamilton performance, will, as I said, blow your mind. The talented Hamilton cast made the day of that young fan, as well as all those lucky enough to have watched this episode.

This morning I watched the latest episode of SGN, and let me be honest with you, I was reaching for the tissue box half-way through. In today’s episode, Krasinski chose to talk with some health care workers in a hospital in Boston, his home town. After kudos to the workers for all they do, for risking their lives to save patients, he mentioned he’d heard they were Boston Red Sox fans. Next thing you know, Red Sox legend, David Ortiz, a.k.a. “Big Papi” was popping up on the Zoom screen to thank them as well.

And then the fun really began. Instructed to head outdoors, all bundled up in masks and gloves, they were met at the door by a duck boat. These are the amphibious vehicles that ferry tourists around town. They have also become synonymous with championship victory parades in Boston. This boat had been sanitized and decked out in Red Sox regalia. The health care workers boarded the duck boat and were whisked away to Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox.

I will not spoil the surprise and tell you what all happened inside the ballpark. Except to say it was very good news for them all. I am a big baseball fan, and that may have been why I reacted so strongly. (Did I mention I cried?) But no one could watch what transpired on the field at Fenway and not be moved. Health care workers give their all to the patients they treat. And in this episode, Big Papi and the Red Sox heartily gave back to them.

I urge you to find this show on YouTube. The episodes are not long, only about 16-17 minutes each. But they are so worth it. Each of the major news stories is surrounded by smaller news stories that will make you laugh and feel hopeful as well. Good news they all are! As an added bonus, Krasinski’s wife, Emily Blunt, makes a cameo appearance in each show. Do yourself a favor and watch SGN, a very well-done, welcome respite from the reality we are currently living in. SGN will do a body good.

As a reminder, go to YouTube at youtube.com and search for “John Krasinski Some Good News.” And smile. Have the tissues ready just in case.

Stay home and stay safe.