This live marriage proposal is the only reason the Emmys should exist.

Mark Shrayber
09.18.18

Here's an unpopular opinion: There are very few reasons to watch an awards show.

They last too long, none of us have any idea who most of the people are, and no matter how much soda (or white wine) you've drunk, the ratio of commercials to the times you have to actually take a break are woefully out of whack.

The Oscars. The Golden Globes. The VMAs. It's all the same. And in your heart you know it to be true!

One special moment made the 2018 Emmys just a little bit different.

If you haven't seen it — and considering my first paragraph, I'm not going to blame you — let me break down what happened down before we both dissolve into happy tears at our computers.

When Glenn Weiss, a man who has won more Emmys than most of us have fingers (12) went up to accept another statuette for his directing of the most recent Oscars ceremony, he opened his speech by thanking his mother, who passed away only two weeks ago.

“Part of my heart is broken,” Weiss said. “I don’t think it will ever be repaired.”

Then Weiss flipped the script on the usual awards show fodder. For the first time in Emmys history, the acceptance speech turned into a surprise proposal.

“Mom always believed in finding the sunshine in things and she adored my girlfriend Jan [Svendsen]," Weiss said.

“Jan, you are the sunshine in my life,” he added. “And mom was right, don’t ever let go of your sunshine. You wonder why I don’t like to call you my girlfriend? Because I want to call you my wife.”

The reaction? This GIF of Leslie Jones pretty much says it all, doesn't it?

Ready for the actual moment? I hope you've got your preferred brand of tissues ready. (Spoiler alert: She said yes!!)

This is all of us right now:

Weiss and Svendsen have been together for more than a decade. And he'd kept the proposal under wraps from everyone but his father.

In a backstage interview, Svendsen said she'd hoped Weiss would dedicate his award to his mother. “He did, and then some," she said.

Weiss, who'd proposed with his late mother's ring, said "Now it's where it belongs."

Someone's going to have to go even bigger next year!

More

A Straight Pride parade was held in Dallas but only three people showed up

via Twitter / Soraya

There is a strange right-wing logic that suggests when minorities fight for equal rights it's somehow a threat to the rights already held by those in the majority or who hold power.

Like when the Black Lives Matter movement started, many on the right claimed that fighting for black people to be treated equally somehow meant that other people's lives were not as valuable, leading to the short-lived All Lives Matter movement.

This same "oppressed majority" logic is behind the new Straight Pride movement which made headlines in August after its march through the streets of Boston.

Keep Reading Show less
all lives matter trump supporters christian anti-lgbt gay pride straight pride Dallas Texas straight pride parade dallas
popular

Man surprises his girlfriend with a wedding proposal on her last day of chemo

assets.rebelmouse.io

For most of us, the hypothetical question of whether we would stick with a boyfriend or girlfriend through the trials of cancer and the treatments is just that – a hypothetical question. We would like to think we would do the right thing, but when Max Allegretti got the chance to put his money where mouth is, he didn't hesitate for a second.

Keep Reading Show less
marriage cancer support marriage proposal
popular

Mother unapologetically shares what it looks like to 'respectfully' breastfeed in public

via bfmamatalk / facebook

Where did we go wrong as a society to make women feel uncomfortable about breastfeeding in public?

No one should feel they have the right to tell a woman when, where, and how she can breastfeed. The stigma should be placed on those who have the nerve to tell a woman feeding her child to "Cover up" or to ask "Where's your modesty?"

Breasts were made to feed babies. Yes, they also have a sexual function but anyone who has the maturity of a sixth grader knows the difference between a sexual act and feeding a child.

Keep Reading Show less
popular

A director asked to see Jennifer Lopez's breasts. Her response says a lot about standing up for yourself.

Instagram / JLo

The Me Too movement has shed light on just how many actresses have been placed in positions that make them feel uncomfortable. Abuse of power has been all too commonplace. Some actresses have been coerced into doing something that made them uncomfortable because they felt they couldn't say no to the director. And it's not always as flagrant as Louis C.K. masturbating in front of an up-and-coming comedian, or Harvey Weinstein forcing himself on actresses in hotel rooms.

But it's important to remember that you can always firmly put your foot down and say no. While speaking at The Hollywood Reporter's annual Actress Roundtable, Jennifer Lopez opened up about her experiences with a director who behaved inappropriately. Laura Dern, Awkwafina, Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong'o, and Renee Zellweger were also at the roundtable.

Keep Reading Show less
popular