Upworthy's book GOOD PEOPLE, now available - take a look!

Shop
 Explore 

halftime show

Be the 'Left Shark' you want to see in the world.

Remember "Left Shark," the scene-stealing backup dancer from the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show?

Just slightly out of rhythm, the costumed entertainer embodied the old adage about dancing "like nobody's watching" (except, in this case, 114 million people were watching, but really, who's counting?). Choreographer R.J. Durell insisted that contrary to the internet's reaction, the dancer did not "forget" the routine, arguing that Left Shark was actually supposed to be a little goofy and out of sync with Katy Perry's music.

Intentional or not, Left Shark with his big googly eyes and cartoonish smile, brought a lot of laughter and joy to people around the world that night.

GIFs from NFL/YouTube.

Three years after dancing his way into our hearts, Left Shark sat down for a surprisingly touching interview with NPR.

Bryan Gaw, the man inside the costume, recently chatted with NPR's David Greene about life after Left Shark and making the best of a silly situation. Maybe it's the state of the world or the dire rhetoric of the State of the Union address, but Gaw's NPR appearance was a major breath of fresh air, a tiny bit of sunshine on an overcast day.

"I'm in a seven-foot shark costume," said Gaw, telling the story of that night. "There's no cool in that. So what's the other option? Well, I'm gonna play a different character." That portion of the show, he explained, involved a bit of "freestyle choreography" without predetermined moves. It gave him the opportunity to step into the awkward and endearing persona America fell in love with on stage that night.

Gaw, who now works as a stylist, offered a bit of advice: "Nobody has to be perfect in life."

It's easy to obsess over making the right moves, worrying about falling out of step with the rest of the world. It's easy to worry so much about what others think that you don't stop and have a little fun along the way. If Gaw had been concerned about what people thought of Left Shark — especially those who accused him of messing up — there's no way we'd still be talking about him today.

"Don’t take life so seriously, you know what I mean?" he said, wrapping up the short segment. "I was on the biggest stage in the world, acting crazy, and I got a lot of press and a lot of attention for it — in the most positive ways. It's great. Be you. Do you."

Be the "Left Shark" you want to see in the world, and check out Gaw's interview on NPR's website.

On the heels of the Super Bowl, Lady Gaga is giving Chicago a reason to love her.

The reviews are in, and Lady Gaga's powerfully patriotic Super Bowl halftime performance is getting lots of thumbs up.

Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images.

The pop star, who flew around NRG Stadium hooked on wires for much of the show, lit up Houston with hits like "Just Dance," "Million Reasons," and "Bad Romance."

But she also belted out portions of "God Bless America" and "This Land Is Your Land" during a 12-minute performance that was somehow "pro-gay, pro-unity, pro-feminist, pro-weirdo, and pro-fabulous" all at once, The Daily Beast's Kevin Fallon noted.

Photo by Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images.

At a moment when partisan divisiveness seems almost palpable, Gaga managed to balance being both her rebellious self and the breath of fresh air America needed.

The following day, Gaga announced dates for her upcoming world tour.

While most of us were still fawning over Gaga's Super Bowl show, one incredible tidbit about her upcoming "Joanne" tour has largely gone unnoticed.

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images.

Lady Gaga will be the first woman to solo headline a concert at Chicago's iconic Wrigley Field, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images.

It seems fitting, seeing as the pop star has recently worked her way into the hearts of many Chicagoans.

In 2015, she celebrated LGBTQ Pride in the Windy City, and then followed that up by jumping into bitter-cold Lake Michigan for the 2016 Polar Plunge to support the Special Olympics.

Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images.

Gaga headlining Wrigley Field is a big deal because the glass ceilings of some of the largest, most celebrated venues in America still need to be broken.

Historically, women have been absent behind the scenes in the entertainment industry, with the people holding most positions of power — from managers to record label executives — being men. That reality has been changing more recently, but it still means that women have systematically been left out of the decision-making process in meaningful ways for decades.

It's no surprise, even in 2017, that glass ceilings are still being broken.

Lady Gaga's incredible Super Bowl performance speaks for itself.

But it's worth remembering that the pop star's not just about putting on a good show — she's also blazing trails for all the Little Monsters following in her footsteps too.

Photo by Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images.

Beyoncé is going on a new world tour, and she’s helping Flint along the way.

Beyoncé joins the group of A-listers fighting for the people of Flint, Michigan.

Beyoncé performed at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show. And she had more than a few surprises up her sleeves.

As to be expected with just about anything Bey-related, the Internet exploded in euphoria.

GIF via CBS/Pepsi Super Bowl 50 halftime show.

Her killer performance didn't shy away from getting political. And it was glorious.

Bey's all-female backup dancers were dressed to impress in outfits honoring the Black Panthers (the 1960s civil rights group that also celebrates its 50th anniversary this year). The lyrics to the new single she performed, "Formation," celebrate blackness and Southern culture while touching on the deep racial inequality that still lives on in modern-day America. The song's music video, by the way, features Bey squatting on a sinking New Orleans cop car in a Hurricane Katrina-ravaged neighborhood ... so yeah, her message was anything but subtle. (Again, glorious.)

Beyond her momentous performance, Beyoncé did something else that shook Bey Land to its core: She announced a new world tour, which is named "Formation" after her latest single, that will kick off this spring.

If the Internet hadn't been exploding Bey-ness before, by then, it certainly was.

But the coolest part about Beyoncé's new tour is that it'll help the city of Flint, Michigan, heal after its recent water crisis.

The pop star's #BeyGood charity initiative is partnering with United Way and the Community Foundation of Greater Flint for the tour "to create a fund that will address long-term developmental, education, nutrition, and health needs of the children affected by the Flint Water Crisis," according to a statement from the singer.

Photo by Matt Cowan/Getty Images.

Specifics on how exactly the money will be raised from the tour have yet to be released, but fans are encouraged to follow @BeyGood on Twitter to get updates on how they can help.

Though Beyoncé's help is no doubt appreciated, Flint could use all of our support.

After Flint swapped its water source back in 2014 and failed to properly treat the water, lead started seeping into residents' supply. Folks complained the water didn't look right and that it smelled odd, but red flags were largely ignored for months.

A Flint 5-year-old gets her finger pricked during a lead screening. Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images.

The debacle has exposed thousands of Flint children to lead, which can severely affect mental and physical development. Advocates across the state and country — along with a presidential candidate — have called on Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder to resign for dropping the ball at the expense of an entire city's health.

Beyoncé is the latest A-lister to shine a light on the water crisis.

Flint has had no short supply of help from Hollywood, with stars like Cher, Rosie O'Donnell, Snoop Dogg, Jimmy Fallon, and Big Sean (plus many more) pitching in to help those affected.

But we can't rely on Hollywood and bottled water to solve the problem. As Flint native and documentarian Michael Moore explained in an open letter, sending bottled water is like putting a Band-Aid on a cut that desperately needs stitches.

Yes, short-term solutions are important, but larger systemic changes — like fixing broken infrastructure and holding accountable the leaders who caused this mess — are vital in helping Flint in the decades to come (not to mention ensuring this won't happen again).

This isn't just a Flint problem, either. Communities across the country, from Albuquerque and Denver to Phoenix and San Diego, are suffering from deteriorating plumbing systems and compromised water. Just take a look at what's coming out of the tap in St. Joseph, Louisiana.

From the sounds of it, Beyoncé's focus on Flint might just spur some of the long-term solutions residents there so desperately need.

It's too soon to know how much the "Formation" tour will benefit Flint. But if anyone knows how to throw some weight behind a worthy cause, I'd put my money on the girl who runs the world.