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Humor

A resurfaced clip of Robin Williams joking with Tom Cruise is a masterclass in comedy

"I'd walk 15 miles in the snow to stand in your garbage."

Robin Williams, Tom Cruise, People's Choice Awards, celebrities
Gage Skidmore, Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy, Wikipedia

Tom Cruise at 2019 SDCC. Robin Williams on a 2008 USO tour.

The year was 1994, and it was an especially exciting People's Choice Awards. All the heavy-hitting A-listers were nominated, and many of them won. Superstars like Tom Cruise (for his dramatic role in The Firm), Julia Roberts (for The Pelican Brief), and yes — the beloved Robin Williams.

After Williams won for his delightful performance in/as Mrs. Doubtfire, he was answering questions at the press Q&A. Just as he was mid-sentence, he received a heckle from the crowd, yelling, "Robin!" Williams immediately yelled, "Yo!" toward the direction of the person and then realized, lo and behold, it was Tom Cruise.

Williams begins screaming, "I love you, Tom! Tom, I love you!" To which Cruise enthusiastically answers, "Robin!" And then, in brilliant typical Williams fashion, he immediately descends into a quick-witted impression of Cruise's Rain Man co-star Dustin Hoffman's character, Raymond.

Switching back and forth between both Cruise and Hoffman's characters, Williams asks, "Raymond, you like Tom?" "Yeah." Very good friend." "Yeah." "Tom Cruise." "Yeah." "A lot of awards." "Yeah." "304 votes." "Yeah." "Got his own awards." "Yeah." He then quickly breaks back into his own voice and exclaims, "You're a vampire now! I'm amazed that you're a vampire!"

 Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, Rain Man, movies Cruise and Hoffman walk in the movie Rain Man.  Giphy, Rain Man GIF by Filmin 

At this point, Cruise walks up onto the stage to shake Williams's hand, which Williams immediately turns into a giant bear hug. He then shouts, as though he's the emcee at a comedy club, "Tom Cruise, ladies and gentlemen. Please give it up for Tom Cruise!" As Cruise approaches the microphone, Williams says, "They're gonna ask you questions about Steven, so good luck!" (He's referring to Steven Spielberg, who was receiving a special award that evening and with whom they would both eventually work.)

But it doesn't end there. Williams then offers to translate for Cruise in Russian. So as Cruise admits, "Of course I have to go AFTER Robin," Williams pretends to translate, while the crowd erupts with laughter. He then looks at Cruise and jokes, "Damn, we look like a before and after commercial," noting Cruise's good looks. In a jokey voice, Williams riffs, "Hi, thanks to this incredible implant, you can become Tom Cruise!" In a different voice, Williams adds, "Damn, the boy's pretty. I love him! I walked 15 miles in the snow to stand in your garbage."

Williams takes off, only to return seconds later exclaiming, "You're a pretty man! And a damn good actor too," before shaking his hand. Just as we think we're about to get to Cruise's portion of the night, Williams asks him, "Can I ask you a question?" Cruise and the rest of the audience laugh with glee.

  - YouTube, Robin Williams, Tom Cruise  www.youtube.com, The Hollywood Fix 

The comment section is joyous. Under the same video on YouTube (mistakenly labeled as People's Choice acceptance speech), a commenter adds, "Literally no one will ever come close to Williams. That man was an all-in-one machine. He didn't learn comedy... He WAS comedy."

That video includes Cruise's Q&A portion, alongside his The Firm co-star, Gene Hackman.

Referencing that, another person posted, "Gene Hackman was an insanely talented actor, and Robin was just one inimitable, unique, and special human that blessed us all with his talents."

Another solemnly shares in part, "Enjoying this time capsule from the mid-1990s, it was so cool watching Robin being Robin once more, in his prime. But sad too, knowing the fate of this incredible comic genius."

Cecily Knobler

A woman sings "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac at karaoke.

On a hot Sunday in July, Carole Wade took the mic at a Dallas senior living facility where my mom lives. I happened to be visiting for the karaoke event, and the list of residents who couldn't wait to put their stamps on their favorite tunes was so long, the event had to be extended. ABBA's "Mamma Mia," David Lee Roth's "Just a Gigolo"—you name it, they sang it.

When it was Wade's turn, the microphone was brought to her table. She took it in her hands as though it was an extension of her fingers as the music cued up. Then, as she began to effortlessly sing "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac, the room got still. Frozen. All eyes were on her, and most of those eyes were wet. The lyrics, so beautifully fitting:

"Well, I've been afraid of changin'
'Cause I've built my life around you.
But time makes you bolder,
Even children get older,
I'm getting old too."

A man sitting at our table took notice of how emotional I had become. He leaned over to say, "Never stop feeling the music."

I had the honor of chatting with Wade, who at 85, has been singing nearly her whole life. She got started in the business as a backup singer in Elvis impersonator groups in Dallas and surrounding areas. In and out of bands, playing Deep Ellum clubs and local hotels, she shares, "I've been singing since I was a small child. I've loved music all my life."

As luck would have it, she was at a jam session when she started harmonizing with other musicians. They would soon form her most recent band, Psychedelic Oatmeal. They officially stopped playing gigs when she was in her 70s, but they remain close. (She notes her bandmates were all much younger.)

 bands, carole wade, music, old friends, singer Carole and her band mates.Carole Wade

They covered classic rock tunes from Stevie Nicks, The Eagles, Janis Joplin, and Led Zeppelin. Songs like "Me and Bobby McGee," "Seven Bridges Road," and "Whole Lotta Love." She laughs that most of the men in the band couldn't hit those Zeppelin high notes made famous by Robert Plant, so she took on the challenge—with great success.

They even branded themselves at gigs, making little Ziploc bags of oatmeal and glitter, which they would throw to the audience at shows. That is, until a club owner asked them to stop, as the oatmeal was mixing with spilled drinks, "creating goo."

Rare footage of Psychedelics Oatmeal.

  The band Psychedelic Oatmeal plays in Dallas.  www.youtube.com  

Wade makes clear that music is her therapy. "If you're down on a certain day, it will bring you up." She has lived a full life, with two grown sons who are both excelling in life. But music, and the friends with whom she makes it, brings her that extra piece of joy and purpose.

Michael Hatcher, the Resident Services Director at The Reserve at North Dallas (the senior facility in which this event was held), has seen firsthand how music soothes seniors. It reconnects them to their purest selves, no matter how hazy their memories might become. Hatcher shares, "They remember the music, and the time. It's a vessel for anyone of age. It can be used to bring someone out of the deepest sun-downing and back to life."

A man sings "Just a Gigolo" at The Reserve karaoke day.

@cdk213

Senior living karaoke! Fabulous! #seniorlivingcommunity #justagigalo #dallas

There is much research to support this. Bannerhealth.com quotes music therapy coordinator Tammy Reiver for Banner Hospice in Phoenix: "Music holds the power to increase dopamine levels (happy hormones), decrease symptoms of depression and pain, and improve a person’s quality of life. Pleasing music plays an important role at every age, but for aging adults, the benefits are even greater.”

As for Wade? She jokes that she and a few other musicians at the senior home have plans to start their own band. She certainly has the chops for it—and the fans.

Parenting

Dad hears stepson tell his mom to 'chill.' His calm but firm response is causing a stir.

"We believe in consequences for our kids in addition to conversations. 💛"

@raisingmaletich /Instagram (with permission)

Parents Katie and Dustin (@raisingmaletich) are going viral for sharing a vulnerable parenting situation.

Being a parent is not an easy job, especially when it comes to discipline. But an Oregon couple with four kids, Katie and Dustin (@raisingmaletich) is going viral for sharing a video of a vulnerable parenting moment they had with their son.

In the video, their young son can be heard telling his mom Katie to "chill" after being told he can't use her phone. The comment is heard by his stepdad, Dustin. Immediately, Dustin makes it known that it is okay. Dustin asks his young stepson if he did in fact tell his mom to "chill". And when he replies 'yes', Dustin asks him to start doing pushups (and to "count 'em"). After doing 10, he says Dustin, "How many? I can't do anymore." Dustin replies, "Keep going." He hits 14 reps, and Dustin encourages him to do 2 more, telling him that he can do it.

Once he hit 16 reps, Dustin tells him to stand up to do a series of squats. After he finishes up his squats, Dustin asks him, "Do we tell our mom to chill out?" Their son replies, "No," and Dustin adds, "Absolutely not. I will not let you talk to her like that. I wouldn't let anyone else talk to her like that, so you don't get to talk to her like that, okay?"

After this, Dustin opens his arms to hug him, and their son walks towards Katie as he says, "Sorry, mom." Katie says, "Thank you, buddy." And Dusting tells him, "Hey. I love you," before he goes to him for another hug and a kiss on the head.

"I will never stop being grateful to be raising kids with a real man who knows how to be a father, especially to his boys. This is masculinity," they wrote in the video's caption, with more detail about what led to the scenario. "I was trying to send a work email while making breakfast for my family and my son kept asking me to use my phone after I had repeatedly told him 'no, you need to wait.' His dad overheard him tell me to 'chill' and here is how he handled it."

 

The video went viral, with many viewers showing support for how both Dustin and Katie handled the situation. "That’s a great dad right there. Calm, collected and knows how to do a punishment and still show compassion to his child," one commented. Another supportive viewer pointed out, "my favorite part is watching his sister rest her head on Daddy even while he’s mid-discipline! yes it is funny sibling behavior, but more than anything it speaks to Dad’s character. this is a home where everyone feels safe, and because of that, because there’s no yelling, hitting, cursing, etc, all the children can now benefit and learn by witnessing this. TERRIFIC parenting!!!"

Others praised Katie for not interjecting. "My favorite part is the the mom letting the dad BE A DAD," one wrote.

One viewer was curious if the couple would use the same style of discipline with their daughters, asking, "What’s the equivalent discipline for girls? Same thing?" And they responded, "Pretty much the same :) sometimes our girls require a bit of extra verbal communication and some extra extra tenderness 💛."

However, many viewers criticized the couple's handling of discipline with exercise. One viewer commented, "Yes, but don’t use exercise and forms of self improvement as punishments." Another added, "I love the words, but he’s at risk of teaching his kid that exercise is punishment and something you HAVE to do when you’ve done something wrong. That said, it’s a perfect example of why boys need a good male role model in their lives too." And another commented, "He doesn’t need to be humiliated… a conversation would solve the problem. He’s not in the army… I’d hate if my husband did that to my boy."

To address concerns and elaborate further about why they are okay with using physical exercise to discipline, the couple created a follow-up video.

 

In the video, Dustin says that he addressed his stepson's behavior in a "stern and immediate way", before addressing how they believed the pushups and squats would not later make their son associate physical exercise with punishment. "We both don’t really like the term 'punishment' and much prefer to describe any parental corrections as a disciplinary consequence. We aren’t perfect at it but our main goal in parenting is to always be intentional and not reactionary," they wrote in the video's caption.

The couple was asked if they had permission from their son to share the video with their followers. "we absolutely talked with him about it before we shared it and made sure he was completely okay with it," they wrote in the comments. "He was, in fact he was really excited to share it. Asks me every day how many views it has now haha. We have ring security cameras inside our house and that’s how the footage was captured :)."

Viewers expressed their thoughts once again. "You also hugged him and told him you loved him! GREAT JOB DAD👏👏👏👏👏," while another wrote, "Physical exercise gives him a chance to collect himself and burn off energy. Always a good move 💪."

Other had contradicting views. "I would keep the punishment shorter like 5 push ups and go… you want him to get the message… that’s it…" Another shared, "It's not even that you did had him do push ups, it's that he said he couldn't do anymore, and you told him to continue. My son truly enjoys working out because I've never used it as a form of punishment for him. How about you f*cking talk to your kid."

Katie also shared another follow-up video about criticism she received for not stepping in during her husband's discipling.

 

Katie says in the video, "Why wouldn't I let him step in and be the authority figure that I need him to be in order to raise strong, confident, good kids? I could not imagine not respecting him enough to not let him step in and be 'dad' in the way that he feels he needs to be."

And viewers shared their thoughts in the video's comment section. "It’s apparent that you guys act as a team and not as competitors 👏," one wrote, while another added, "It’s not necessarily the Mom 'letting' him step in. I admire you for not taking over but I have much respect for him stepping up and taking that role. Most men look the other way and force Mom to be the disciplinarian. I love that you two parent together and not against each other. ❤️"

Other viewers disagreed. "Shame on you. You both have taught him to be fearful of the dad and that's all that's been taught," one wrote. And another also added, "That’s a very immature comment. U could have achieved the same result of 'respect' with out fear and intimidation. Do better!"

Girl stops 80s game show host in his tracks as he tries to kiss her

The 80s seems like a completely different lifetime when it comes to what was considered acceptable behavior. Things people deemed acceptable or were just part of everyday expectations for television back in the 60s through well into the 90s would get stars blacklisted today. But there was one game show in the 80s that had moments so cringy that even for the times may have raised some eyebrows though everyone seemed to go along with it, except one brave little girl.

The Canadian show, Just Like Mom ran from 1980-1985 even with the uncomfortable moments between the game show host and young girls. The girls who were aged 7-12 would appear on the show with their mother answering questions about each other and competing in bake-offs to see which pair knew each other best. Just Like Mom was created by Catherine Swing, the wife of the show's host Fergie Olver who would often stand uncomfortably close to the girls and elicit kisses.

 80s game show; just like mom; Fergie Olver; 80s childhood; family game show; body autonomy Mom hugging crying daughterPhoto credit: Canva

Recently a compilation video of the game show host behaving in a manner people might consider questionable is going viral. In the video the Olver stands near the girls, often putting his hand on their backs, placing his face close to theirs to ask questions. The very first clip shows 11-year-old Lee Ann, Olver hovers over her asking what color her eyes are.

"What color are your eyes?" Olver asks before the child tells him they're blue, to which he responds, "they're not blue, now don't tell me that. Look at me a little closer." Just as the girl leans in slightly, appearing hesitant to do so, Olver quickly kisses the child on the side of her mouth and declares, "they're green."

 80s game show; just like mom; Fergie Olver; 80s childhood; family game show; body autonomy Dad kissing child on cheekPhoto credit: Canva

The audience sounds as if they didn't know how to react to the bizarre moment. Some people loudly gasp, others uncomfortably chuckle, while a few seem to let out a high pitched surprised squeal. The girl also laughs uneasily while the host remains extremely close. Video clip after video clip shows similar interactions where the host tries to either kiss the girls or have them kiss him but one little girl refused. While it appeared that she was nervous to do so in front of a live audience, on television and refusing a directive from an adult, she stood her ground.

This was a moment where parents can see in real time the benefit of teaching body autonomy and the power of teaching children that no is a complete sentence. Olver originally didn't accept the young girl's "no," attempting to coerce her into kissing him when she was clearly uncomfortable and uninterested in the request.

The host perches himself up close to the young girl and says, "you look like a girl who likes to give out hugs and kisses," to which the girl laughs with discomfort before saying, "not really." That didn't stop him, Olver continued, "not really? can I have a hug and a kiss?" This time the girl gives a very direct answer through nerves by shaking her head no while saying "uh-uh." She's clearly uncomfortable as she bites her fingernail trying to assert authority over her body against someone much older.

At this point the child has been clear. She immediately told the host she didn't give out hugs and kisses and when that didn't work she mustered the courage to say no more directly. Olver was still not accepting of the child's boundaries and continued to apply pressure by questioning her decision, "I can't have one?" Again the child shakes her head and says no but he persists, saying "even if I say...whisper in your ear that Alison you're going to win the show? I still can't have a hug and a kiss?" Alison sticks to her answer so Olver changes tactics, telling the child, "Well I guess you can't win the show then if I don't get a hug and a kiss."

 80s game show; just like mom; Fergie Olver; 80s childhood; family game show; body autonomy Mom comforting daughterPhoto credit: Canva

Alison stayed firm in her no but the host's behavior resulted in the child's mother calling him a dirty old man. In the end the host appears to have moved on and told the girl she did a good job answering one of the questions, but to top the praise Olver attempts to sneak a kiss. The little girl didn't let that deter her as she quickly dodged his advance.

It seems apparent that Alison's parents instilled the idea of bodily autonomy in her giving her full permission to say no to adults and anyone else who dares to get in her space without consent. While the experience was probably not one that she would've ever wanted to have, that moment likely gave permission to other young girls watching to tell the host and other like him no. And no is a complete sentence, especially when it comes to someone's body. There's no further explanation needed. No further clarification. The answer is simply no. Well done Alison. Well done.

This article originally appeared in May.

Health

Understanding your 'social battery' life is a great way to know when (or when not) to go out

Some people's batteries go forever, others are like an old laptop.

A woman lying on a table at a party hat.

One of the big ways in which people differ—but we don’t talk about very much—is their social stamina. Some people love being around others morning, noon, and night. While others show up to a party at seven p.m. and quietly slip out the front door at nine. Although it’s not an official medical term, therapists like to call this the “social battery,” and we can all benefit from learning how often ours need to recharge to avoid running on empty.

What is a social battery?

Introverts and extroverts have very different social batteries. Extroverts have full batteries that take a long time to wind down. Introverts have smaller batteries that lose their charge quickly, so they have to be careful about how they plan their social interactions and who they spend their time with.

One isn’t better than the other, but it’s essential to learn where we stand on the social stamina spectrum so that we can get the most out of our social engagements. It’s important to connect with people, but if you have limited resources to devote to social situations, you must be intentional with how you spend your time.

This is what happens when a husband and wife are at a wedding and they both have very different battery lives.

@justice_777

She usually the one ready to go. #weddingtiktok #weddingday #bridetok #fatherofthebride #dadsoftiktok #dadjokes #weddingvibes #socialbutterfly #introvert #extrovert

What are some signs your social battery is running low?

  • You feel weary
  • You’re less interested in talking to people than you were before
  • You’d like to be in a quiet, familiar place
  • You’re ready to retreat into your inner world of books or creativity
  • You’re overwhelmed by crowds or excess noise

Here’s what it looks like when someone with a low social battery throws a party.

@jordan_the_stallion8

#fyp @Aimy Avila

How to socialize without draining your battery

Mental health advocate Kyrus Keenan Westcott says that with a little planning in advance, people with low social batteries can get the most out of social functions.

1. Prioritize Meaningful Interactions: Spend time with those who uplift you, minimize time with those who are draining.

2. Create a Comfortable Space: If you’re hosting an event, create a place for you to relax and recharge during the event so that you can return to it with more battery life.

3. Set Clear Boundaries: If you need to leave at a set time or are feeling drained, don’t let anyone force you to stay.

4. Balance Social and Alone Time: Make sure to schedule enough time for yourself to recharge in between social events.

Ultimately, taking a good look at how your social battery functions can be a big help when planning your weekend or how you interact with coworkers. You’ll want to make sure that you spend the right amount of time on meaningful interactions, so you don’t waste your time on people and activities that aren’t fulfilling. It’s also great to understand your battery so that when it does feel low, you don’t feel bad that you’re being antisocial. You’ve just given all you can to the people who truly matter in your life.

@jonas_sjv/TikTok

Just when you thought this song couldn't get any more iconic.

Even if you’ve never seen one single episode of Law & Order in your entire life, you’ll undoubtedly recognize its theme song. And now, there’s a viral TikTok dance every bit as iconic as the theme song itself.

A dancer named Stephon Vann (@jonas_sjv) got together with his crew and came up with a truly epic line dance, perfectly punctuating every ‘dun-dun,’ drumbeat and guitar riff with signature moves and smooth shuffles.

Once you watch it, it's easy to see why this has taken the Internet by storm with over 13 millions views (and counting)!

 
 @jonas_sjv DC: ME brought friends and Michael @bee @Itsdevarian @Murky @Bethany @Spaidtheway #lawandordersvu #dundun #viral #fyp ♬ The Theme of Law & Order - Mike Post 
 
 

SO SATISFYING. Right?!

The comments it inspired (many L&O-themed) were just icing on the pop culture cake:

“The people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups. The dancers who slay and the dancers who eat. These are their stories.”

“Law and Order ‘Special Dance Unit.”

“Fighting crime one dance at a time. Law and Order the musical coming soon.”

This is why I par for internet.”

“Awa & Hours d’oeuvres bc y’all ATE.”

“‘This is what the law looks like’ 😂😂😂”

“It just occurred to me that THIS is what my body wants to do during the intro. Than you for demonstrating.”

“We about to start doig the Law and Order dance at all the gatherings, parties, weddings, etc. 😂😂😂😂.”

“…I did NOT have dancing to the Law and Order theme song on my bingo card.”

“Bro, Imma need part two when you hit that saxophone.”

It wasn’t long before others began recreating the routine. It even appeared at a WNBA game. Nothing like watching an elephant mascot do these moves.

This catchy, just-dark-and-eerie-enough tune has been synonymous with Law & Order since the show’s 1990 debut, and was created by famed television composer Mike Post—the man behind other hit TV themes like the original Quantum Leap and Magnum, P.I., as well as countless other well-known crime procedurals of the time period besides L&O.

In an interview with the Television Academy Foundation, Post shared that he read the pilot and loved it, but still asked show creator Dick Wolf for guidance on what was needed. Wolf’s answer? “Write some music that defines NYC.” Post then created the slick, gritty, neo-noir tune we all know and love.

Wolf later asked Post to come up with a “special” sound for when the scenes changed and title cards appeared. Though Post felt this was more a job for the sound effects team, he nonetheless obliged. And thus, the legendary “dun dun” sound, aka “the Clang,” was born. According to the That’s a Trademark blog, it’s actually comprised of several different sound samples including a jail door slamming, a hammer hitting an anvil, different drum noises, and 500 Japanese men stomping their feet on a wooden floor, just to name a few.

Over the past three-and-a-half decades, the instantly recognizable theme song has been referenced or parodied in other shows.

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  


 
 @movieclips Law & Order Song - Ted 2 (2015) - TM & © #UniversalPictures Ted (Seth McFarlane) and John (Mark Wahlberg) sing the Law & Order theme song. Click the link in bio to watch the full movie. #ted #tedmovie #ted2 #sethmacfarlane #markwahlberg #milakunis #movieclips ♬ original sound - Movieclips 
 
 

And now, the theme song breathes new life once more. Best get to learning those steps!