#weareamerica
July 4, 2016 2:51 PM Subscribe
15-time WWE World Champion, actor (and Mandarin speaker) John Cena has a message for you this Fourth of July: loving America means loving all Americans.
Word.
posted by chavenet at 3:09 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 3:09 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
This video is wonderful.
And I fucking love John Cena. Without apologies.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 3:14 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
And I fucking love John Cena. Without apologies.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 3:14 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
This is such a beautifully crafted video. It took some effort to make the background work in concert with his speech as he walked. And it's so subtle, you don't even notice it unless you want to.
Thanks for posting this. I'm reminded that the WWE stood in solidarity with the LGBTQ community after the Orlando massacre, something that I really never expected TBH.
It's nice to see this kind of thing. I hope the people actually hear the message.
posted by hippybear at 3:17 PM on July 4, 2016 [31 favorites]
Thanks for posting this. I'm reminded that the WWE stood in solidarity with the LGBTQ community after the Orlando massacre, something that I really never expected TBH.
It's nice to see this kind of thing. I hope the people actually hear the message.
posted by hippybear at 3:17 PM on July 4, 2016 [31 favorites]
there's something about the way he looks right at the camera and goes "Is that what you pictured?" with almost this little wink, like, you imagined someone who looks like me, didn't you?
also made me realize how little I hear people actually say the word "bi" in media and advertising rather than just rolling into the near-euphemistic "LGBT."
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 3:17 PM on July 4, 2016 [24 favorites]
also made me realize how little I hear people actually say the word "bi" in media and advertising rather than just rolling into the near-euphemistic "LGBT."
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 3:17 PM on July 4, 2016 [24 favorites]
something that I really never expected TBH
Yeah, WWE is often and has long been a giant trash heap of offensive tropes, but they're getting better about that as time goes on. Like a lot of media.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 3:19 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Yeah, WWE is often and has long been a giant trash heap of offensive tropes, but they're getting better about that as time goes on. Like a lot of media.
posted by scaryblackdeath at 3:19 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Oh, fuck, that was good. I mean, eat a piece of steak raw and talk about the best tanks of all time and arm-wrestle over whether Von Steuben or Kościuszko was the better American officer.
My brother's Mother in Law gets her citizenship tomorrow, she's from Cape Verde, and is not white. Her grandkids were on a float today, with my sister's kids, who are Korean-American, and my kid, who is Scotts/German/Irish/French as she's an American Mutt, just like me. We waved us a lot of flags, and chucked a lot of candy at people, as is now the custom for 4th of July Parade floats in small New England towns these days.
posted by Slap*Happy at 3:20 PM on July 4, 2016 [24 favorites]
My brother's Mother in Law gets her citizenship tomorrow, she's from Cape Verde, and is not white. Her grandkids were on a float today, with my sister's kids, who are Korean-American, and my kid, who is Scotts/German/Irish/French as she's an American Mutt, just like me. We waved us a lot of flags, and chucked a lot of candy at people, as is now the custom for 4th of July Parade floats in small New England towns these days.
posted by Slap*Happy at 3:20 PM on July 4, 2016 [24 favorites]
One of the most wonderful things I heard anyone say about this country was when my Irish friend came to visit the first time. We spent a week walking around the city, and every so often she would just stop on the sidewalk and gawp at something with stars in her eyes and I'd have to nudge her out of it ("yes. That really is the Empire State Building. We gotta go catch the next bus, though, so....") a couple times, though, I noticed she wasn't gaping at any of the buildings, but rather at the crowd around us. Finally I asked what she wa looking at.
She turned to me, still starry-eyed. "Everyone's faces," she said. "They're so many different colors. It's BEAUTIFUL."
She's right.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:24 PM on July 4, 2016 [124 favorites]
She turned to me, still starry-eyed. "Everyone's faces," she said. "They're so many different colors. It's BEAUTIFUL."
She's right.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 3:24 PM on July 4, 2016 [124 favorites]
Everybody jokes about Trump ushering in an age of celebrity politicians but guess what knuckleheads, I would vote for a Dwayne Johnson/John Cena ticket in heartbeat and tbh I wouldn't really even for like a millisecond think about voting for anyone else.
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 3:24 PM on July 4, 2016 [63 favorites]
posted by (Arsenio) Hall and (Warren) Oates at 3:24 PM on July 4, 2016 [63 favorites]
That was great! We, too, went to a local town parade this morning, and my favorite group of all was the Muslim community center, marching strong in neon green shirts that said (CITY) MUSLIMS, many of the women in red, white and blue hijabs. Let's celebrate our differences and celebrate LOVE!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:26 PM on July 4, 2016 [24 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:26 PM on July 4, 2016 [24 favorites]
That's lovely.
It would have been perfect with a small reminder that 95% of people (you know, in the world) aren't even American AT ALL. But even so, some of them are deserving of love also.
posted by Soulfather at 3:29 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
It would have been perfect with a small reminder that 95% of people (you know, in the world) aren't even American AT ALL. But even so, some of them are deserving of love also.
posted by Soulfather at 3:29 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
That's a beautiful sentiment, but on your birthday of all days it's ok to just celebrate yourself.
posted by leotrotsky at 3:34 PM on July 4, 2016 [66 favorites]
posted by leotrotsky at 3:34 PM on July 4, 2016 [66 favorites]
I really appreciated that he put population sizes into perspective ("more than the population of Virginia"). It gets difficult to judge scale without comparisons like that.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:36 PM on July 4, 2016 [27 favorites]
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:36 PM on July 4, 2016 [27 favorites]
I read a one-page comic tears ago in some anthology or other, and there was this sort of stereotypical white guy denouncing one group after another as "not American." And he banished Blacks and Hispanics and GLBT people and Jews and disabled people and so on and so forth, and, at the end of the comic, the camera pulls back, and he's sent everyone over the line except him. And the crowd at the end yells "Real Americans Aren't Smooth!" And this seemed like kind of the same sentiment.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:38 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:38 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
That's a beautiful sentiment, but on your birthday of all days it's ok to just celebrate yourself.
When you celebrate your birthday, you are legally required to celebrate the birthdays of everyone else born on that date. This is why I had my birthday surgically removed.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:39 PM on July 4, 2016 [11 favorites]
When you celebrate your birthday, you are legally required to celebrate the birthdays of everyone else born on that date. This is why I had my birthday surgically removed.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:39 PM on July 4, 2016 [11 favorites]
I never really had an opinion on John Cena before today. Now I have the best opinion of him.
posted by komara at 3:54 PM on July 4, 2016 [29 favorites]
posted by komara at 3:54 PM on July 4, 2016 [29 favorites]
I never really had an opinion on John Cena before today. Now I have the best opinion of him.
True fact about John Cena: he has done more Make-A-Wish appearances for dying children than anybody else ever. He broke 500 Make-A-Wishes about a year ago (Justin Bieber is in second place - at 250) and just keeps going because he is John Cena and spending time with very sick children is just what he does with his spare time.
posted by mightygodking at 4:04 PM on July 4, 2016 [71 favorites]
True fact about John Cena: he has done more Make-A-Wish appearances for dying children than anybody else ever. He broke 500 Make-A-Wishes about a year ago (Justin Bieber is in second place - at 250) and just keeps going because he is John Cena and spending time with very sick children is just what he does with his spare time.
posted by mightygodking at 4:04 PM on July 4, 2016 [71 favorites]
Yay John Cena. Hopefully what he says gets through to at least one person. All it takes is one mind changed. So I'll just leave this here.
posted by datawrangler at 4:06 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by datawrangler at 4:06 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Popehat post on a memorable Fourth of July.
I think we're gonna be all right, everyone.
posted by Punkey at 4:09 PM on July 4, 2016 [15 favorites]
I think we're gonna be all right, everyone.
posted by Punkey at 4:09 PM on July 4, 2016 [15 favorites]
John Cena is a national treasure. That video was brilliant. Beautifully written, powerfully executed. The only thing I would change would be to have him in a "Moms Demand Action" t-shirt.
posted by pjsky at 4:21 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by pjsky at 4:21 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
Everybody jokes about Trump ushering in an age of celebrity politicians but guess what knuckleheads, I would vote for a Dwayne Johnson/John Cena ticket in heartbeat and tbh I wouldn't really even for like a millisecond think about voting for anyone else.
How far down the chain of succession do you have to be to not have "natural born citizen" obligations? Because the Iron Sheik belongs in that cabinet.
I mean, look at this. THAT is the spirit of a true patriotic American.
As is this.
posted by delfin at 4:25 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
How far down the chain of succession do you have to be to not have "natural born citizen" obligations? Because the Iron Sheik belongs in that cabinet.
I mean, look at this. THAT is the spirit of a true patriotic American.
As is this.
posted by delfin at 4:25 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
> Everybody jokes about Trump ushering in an age of celebrity politicians...
The ghost of Ronald Reagan chuckles gently and says, "Well...?"
posted by ardgedee at 4:37 PM on July 4, 2016 [6 favorites]
The ghost of Ronald Reagan chuckles gently and says, "Well...?"
posted by ardgedee at 4:37 PM on July 4, 2016 [6 favorites]
My understanding is that the Iron Sheik does not actually write “his” tweets; his account is run by marketers who are maintaining a brand whether or not that happens to coincide with his actual words or opinions. That said, when he appeared at a F1RST Wrestling show several years ago, he gave a brief but compelling speech to the crowd: “I love Minnesota, I love Verne Gagne! I love U.S.A.! Fuck Hulk Hogan!”
posted by nicepersonality at 4:51 PM on July 4, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by nicepersonality at 4:51 PM on July 4, 2016 [8 favorites]
Thanks for the lovely story, Punkey.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 5:02 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 5:02 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
The ghost of Ronald Reagan chuckles gently and says, "Well...?"
Not to be all "actually...", but actually, this article calls George Murphy "the granddaddy of all actors-turned-politicians".
posted by Ursula Hitler at 5:04 PM on July 4, 2016
Not to be all "actually...", but actually, this article calls George Murphy "the granddaddy of all actors-turned-politicians".
posted by Ursula Hitler at 5:04 PM on July 4, 2016
This video is the only thing that can make me feel better after that George Saunders article about Trump rallies.
posted by redsparkler at 5:09 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by redsparkler at 5:09 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
So simple a sentiment, and we all think well of course... But important to hear, and repeat, and take pride in.
posted by condour75 at 5:11 PM on July 4, 2016
posted by condour75 at 5:11 PM on July 4, 2016
I wasn't aware of who John Cena was and got him mixed up with Michael Cera.
posted by My Dad at 5:24 PM on July 4, 2016 [11 favorites]
posted by My Dad at 5:24 PM on July 4, 2016 [11 favorites]
Beautiful. Just wow.
posted by djinn dandy at 5:28 PM on July 4, 2016
posted by djinn dandy at 5:28 PM on July 4, 2016
The sentiment is definitely one people need to hear but the packaging is what makes it a very compelling ad. Between endless all American promos and his generally great disposition and commitment to charity work John Cena has managed to be roughly the real life equivalent of Captain America for a large section of the US.
So when John Cena is telling Americans that real Americans love and support each other and celebrate diversity it's basically similar to having Steve Rogers (616 not the asshat from the Ultimate universe) show up and say he didn't fight Hitler in WW2 to give people the ability to discriminate.
Ultimately it seemed to focus on the essential truth that the ties that unite us are stronger than the divisions that divide us and on July 4th that is a powerful sentiment even if we also need to acknowledge that there is still a lot of work to be done.
posted by vuron at 5:33 PM on July 4, 2016 [33 favorites]
So when John Cena is telling Americans that real Americans love and support each other and celebrate diversity it's basically similar to having Steve Rogers (616 not the asshat from the Ultimate universe) show up and say he didn't fight Hitler in WW2 to give people the ability to discriminate.
Ultimately it seemed to focus on the essential truth that the ties that unite us are stronger than the divisions that divide us and on July 4th that is a powerful sentiment even if we also need to acknowledge that there is still a lot of work to be done.
posted by vuron at 5:33 PM on July 4, 2016 [33 favorites]
I liked the ad. Nothing much to add, except that the background music was super familiar and it turned out to be Philip Glass's "Anthem: Part 2". I remember it during the bus scene in The Truman Show, but it's originally from Powaqqatsi.
posted by FJT at 5:37 PM on July 4, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by FJT at 5:37 PM on July 4, 2016 [4 favorites]
Damn, so this John Cena dude really is as great as my nine year old son and all his friends say, huh? I didn't even know who he was until a few weeks ago. Right on.
posted by saulgoodman at 5:40 PM on July 4, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by saulgoodman at 5:40 PM on July 4, 2016 [6 favorites]
Can only say the same thing I said in the last thread. I wish I could still get in to wrestling because every time I hear about John Cena he is doing something awesome.
posted by Drinky Die at 5:48 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by Drinky Die at 5:48 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
First The Rock, now John Cena. Seems like WWE is producing better people than most universities.
posted by turbid dahlia at 5:48 PM on July 4, 2016 [15 favorites]
posted by turbid dahlia at 5:48 PM on July 4, 2016 [15 favorites]
There's a man who shows up everyday with hustle, loyalty, and respect on his sleeve. Great video, reminded me of Frank Sinatra telling kids to knock off all that un-American talk.
Cena really is the equivalent of Captain America, I think if he were to turn heel there would be riots in the streets. The world would be ending.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 5:49 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Cena really is the equivalent of Captain America, I think if he were to turn heel there would be riots in the streets. The world would be ending.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 5:49 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
First The Rock, now John Cena. Seems like WWE is producing better people than most universities.
Hey now, don't University of Miami and Springfield College get partial credit here?
posted by Drinky Die at 5:52 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
Hey now, don't University of Miami and Springfield College get partial credit here?
posted by Drinky Die at 5:52 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
I would vote for a Dwayne Johnson/John Cena ticket in heartbeat
I'd prefer Vin Diesel/John Cena but your ticket works too.
posted by Ber at 5:56 PM on July 4, 2016 [5 favorites]
I'd prefer Vin Diesel/John Cena but your ticket works too.
posted by Ber at 5:56 PM on July 4, 2016 [5 favorites]
I've met and worked with John Cena on several occasions and I'm happy to report he is an all-around good dude and this just puts an exclamation point on that.
posted by photoslob at 5:57 PM on July 4, 2016 [31 favorites]
posted by photoslob at 5:57 PM on July 4, 2016 [31 favorites]
John Cena is basically a 4 color cartoon hero brought to life. The standard wrestling playbook is ti do endless face-heel turns in order to maintain heat for a character but at some point in the last decade Cena basically became impossible to turn into a heel.
Plus he is the public face of the WWE in many ways with pretty much endless appearances for charity. Ask any young fan who their favorite wrestlers are and Cena almost invariably tops the list.
He isn't the best wrestler but he is tireless and could legitimately scale back his wrestling to big events but he continues to put new wrestlers over which is rare.
The Rock is pretty similar now in that even though he's a better heel than face you basically have to accept him as a real life superhero.
Both of them have basically transcended wrestling and are capable of helming all sorts of positive projects with positive messages just by force of charisma.
This is a significant change from the definitely mortal failings if the previous generation of superstar wrestlers.
posted by vuron at 6:01 PM on July 4, 2016 [9 favorites]
Plus he is the public face of the WWE in many ways with pretty much endless appearances for charity. Ask any young fan who their favorite wrestlers are and Cena almost invariably tops the list.
He isn't the best wrestler but he is tireless and could legitimately scale back his wrestling to big events but he continues to put new wrestlers over which is rare.
The Rock is pretty similar now in that even though he's a better heel than face you basically have to accept him as a real life superhero.
Both of them have basically transcended wrestling and are capable of helming all sorts of positive projects with positive messages just by force of charisma.
This is a significant change from the definitely mortal failings if the previous generation of superstar wrestlers.
posted by vuron at 6:01 PM on July 4, 2016 [9 favorites]
If you don't meet the presidential eligibility requirements, you'd just get skipped over in any line of succession, we've had multiple Secretaries of State that weren't natural born citizens. Strictly speaking I'm not sure if the eligibility requirements would even prevent someone from being VP.
posted by ckape at 6:03 PM on July 4, 2016
posted by ckape at 6:03 PM on July 4, 2016
Strictly speaking I'm not sure if the eligibility requirements would even prevent someone from being VP.
They do. The vice president must be constitutionally eligible to become the president (which sets up an interesting conflict with the 22nd Amendment, which says that no one can be elected president more than twice; some legal scholars insist that Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush are eligible to be appointed or even elected VP and therefore to assume the presidency).
Also, John Cena is pretty all right.
posted by Etrigan at 6:08 PM on July 4, 2016
They do. The vice president must be constitutionally eligible to become the president (which sets up an interesting conflict with the 22nd Amendment, which says that no one can be elected president more than twice; some legal scholars insist that Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush are eligible to be appointed or even elected VP and therefore to assume the presidency).
Also, John Cena is pretty all right.
posted by Etrigan at 6:08 PM on July 4, 2016
Damn. Isn't that's something.
And I understand it's a whole USA 4th of July thing, but it applies to any country. It applies to the whole world.
Plus the cinematography and delivery are top notch.
I can see this guy going into politics.
Actually, I hope he does.
posted by MacD at 6:09 PM on July 4, 2016
And I understand it's a whole USA 4th of July thing, but it applies to any country. It applies to the whole world.
Plus the cinematography and delivery are top notch.
I can see this guy going into politics.
Actually, I hope he does.
posted by MacD at 6:09 PM on July 4, 2016
I wasn't aware of who John Cena was and got him mixed up with Michael Cera.
I mean they look pretty similar
posted by beerperson at 6:15 PM on July 4, 2016 [24 favorites]
I mean they look pretty similar
posted by beerperson at 6:15 PM on July 4, 2016 [24 favorites]
Cena gets a lot of guff online for being a mediocre wrestler, but even though a lot of his matches bore me, I think that’s misguided. I think he’s legitimately a good-to-great wrestler; he just wrestles a style that is deliberately structured to be easily understood and appreciated by kids. Every now and then the storylines will call for him to wrestle a match intended to appeal to older internet smart marks, rather than ten-year-olds, and he usually knocks it out of the park (see, for example, his 2016 match vs Rob Van Dam at the “ECW” One Night Stand PPV).
posted by nicepersonality at 6:21 PM on July 4, 2016 [8 favorites]
posted by nicepersonality at 6:21 PM on July 4, 2016 [8 favorites]
That piece said all the smart, factual things that I wish I had at my command. And it was said by someone with tons more charisma than I have.
I wonder whether John Cena would, you know, hang around with me for a week or so, putting my kids on the right path and then totally schooling a few meat-heads I know...
posted by wenestvedt at 6:36 PM on July 4, 2016 [4 favorites]
I wonder whether John Cena would, you know, hang around with me for a week or so, putting my kids on the right path and then totally schooling a few meat-heads I know...
posted by wenestvedt at 6:36 PM on July 4, 2016 [4 favorites]
…Also, it really surprised me how much I was affected by hearing somebody explicitly acknowledge bi folks.
posted by nicepersonality at 6:39 PM on July 4, 2016 [25 favorites]
posted by nicepersonality at 6:39 PM on July 4, 2016 [25 favorites]
God bless America, and God bless this man.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:43 PM on July 4, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:43 PM on July 4, 2016 [6 favorites]
For those of you who know about wrestling: Will this statement, for the sake of a dramatic storyline, require a heel to contradict it? And if that happens, will they give it to a heel with stature, or to a mockable minor character?
posted by clawsoon at 6:43 PM on July 4, 2016
posted by clawsoon at 6:43 PM on July 4, 2016
This isn't a WWE promo and based upon Vince McMahon's politics would be pretty contrary to the type of messaging that he would typically do. This is more of a very smart producer reaching out to a figure who has broad mass market appeal and getting that person to deliver a heartfelt message.
It's remarkable because even though John Cena has been in some low budget feature films he's definitely not Hollywood so it becomes hard to say that the message he's delivering is only something relevant to the coasts and not "flyover" country.
Regarding the WWE- I'm cautiously optimistic about how the WWE has done a much better job of steering away from really odious storylines of years past and I think that is kind of a testament to the course that Stephanie McMahon is charting. Vince McMahon is still an odious man and still way too involved in the WWE but at least most of the character arcs are shying away from some of the outright prejudice of the past. I'd feel better if Triple H wasn't still running a lot of the company on a day to day basis because it seems like he has a lot of the same character flaws as Vince but overall the company is getting better.
I think the broad market appeal of the Rock and Cena have shown that the standard career development path of the past is not as critical anymore and that the WWE can start developing characters that are more independent of the WWE brand but it's still very much a work in progress because not everyone in wrestling is as nice in real life as they are in promos.
posted by vuron at 6:56 PM on July 4, 2016 [8 favorites]
It's remarkable because even though John Cena has been in some low budget feature films he's definitely not Hollywood so it becomes hard to say that the message he's delivering is only something relevant to the coasts and not "flyover" country.
Regarding the WWE- I'm cautiously optimistic about how the WWE has done a much better job of steering away from really odious storylines of years past and I think that is kind of a testament to the course that Stephanie McMahon is charting. Vince McMahon is still an odious man and still way too involved in the WWE but at least most of the character arcs are shying away from some of the outright prejudice of the past. I'd feel better if Triple H wasn't still running a lot of the company on a day to day basis because it seems like he has a lot of the same character flaws as Vince but overall the company is getting better.
I think the broad market appeal of the Rock and Cena have shown that the standard career development path of the past is not as critical anymore and that the WWE can start developing characters that are more independent of the WWE brand but it's still very much a work in progress because not everyone in wrestling is as nice in real life as they are in promos.
posted by vuron at 6:56 PM on July 4, 2016 [8 favorites]
I can't believe John Cena made me cry.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 7:08 PM on July 4, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 7:08 PM on July 4, 2016 [7 favorites]
I can't believe John Cena made me cry.
He could probably make you cry with just the little finger on his left hand.
Oh wait, you mean he gave you the feels...
posted by hippybear at 7:12 PM on July 4, 2016 [17 favorites]
He could probably make you cry with just the little finger on his left hand.
Oh wait, you mean he gave you the feels...
posted by hippybear at 7:12 PM on July 4, 2016 [17 favorites]
This is the first time I choked up patriotically since seeing a citizenship ceremony at a AAA baseball game on July 4 weekend, a few years back.
Damn, sometimes this country is awesome.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:15 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Damn, sometimes this country is awesome.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:15 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Also! If you need the ideal parade to meet your political snark and Lovecraftian dread requirements, the Ancients and Horribles parade, held every year in the most remote and rural community in Rhode Island since 1926, may be up your alley.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:16 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:16 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
WHO IS CHAMP?
posted by leotrotsky at 7:17 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by leotrotsky at 7:17 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
Did we mention he was great in Trainwreck yet because he was
posted by Cookiebastard at 7:57 PM on July 4, 2016 [11 favorites]
posted by Cookiebastard at 7:57 PM on July 4, 2016 [11 favorites]
Word.
posted by chavenet at 8:09 AM on July 5
Ahem. It's word life. Basic Thugonomics, if you will.
I reserve the right to boo the hell out of Jern Cenawinslol the wrestler (unless he turns heel, please turn heel, he was awesome as a heel), but yeah, John Cena the person keeps being a pleasant surprise, and he keeps popping up in more non-wrestling things. I imagine this is the sort of the long beginning of his transition away from the ring, and I'm looking forward to what he does next.
posted by Ghidorah at 8:05 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 8:09 AM on July 5
Ahem. It's word life. Basic Thugonomics, if you will.
I reserve the right to boo the hell out of Jern Cenawinslol the wrestler (unless he turns heel, please turn heel, he was awesome as a heel), but yeah, John Cena the person keeps being a pleasant surprise, and he keeps popping up in more non-wrestling things. I imagine this is the sort of the long beginning of his transition away from the ring, and I'm looking forward to what he does next.
posted by Ghidorah at 8:05 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Cena gets a lot of guff online for being a mediocre wrestler, but even though a lot of his matches bore me, I think that’s misguided. I think he’s legitimately a good-to-great wrestler; he just wrestles a style that is deliberately structured to be easily understood and appreciated by kids. Every now and then the storylines will call for him to wrestle a match intended to appeal to older internet smart marks, rather than ten-year-olds, and he usually knocks it out of the park (see, for example, his 2016 match vs Rob Van Dam at the “ECW” One Night Stand PPV).
posted by nicepersonality at 10:21 PM on July 4
Absolutely this. His matches with Daniel Bryan surprised the hell out of me. Turns out that John Cena is one of the most versatile wrestlers in the WWE. I'm hoping he gets a prominent spot in the upcoming brand remix. IMO, nothing makes sense when Cena isn't at least contending for the gold.
posted by jwhite1979 at 8:13 PM on July 4, 2016
posted by nicepersonality at 10:21 PM on July 4
Absolutely this. His matches with Daniel Bryan surprised the hell out of me. Turns out that John Cena is one of the most versatile wrestlers in the WWE. I'm hoping he gets a prominent spot in the upcoming brand remix. IMO, nothing makes sense when Cena isn't at least contending for the gold.
posted by jwhite1979 at 8:13 PM on July 4, 2016
So, this is all over my facebook feed today, and I knew it had to be somebody, but I had no idea who it was. The fact that it is the hero of WWE makes it even more delightful than it was originally.
posted by anastasiav at 8:21 PM on July 4, 2016
posted by anastasiav at 8:21 PM on July 4, 2016
anastasiav: “So, this is all over my facebook feed today…”Given the people who shared or liked it versus the people who didn't on mine, I despair a little. What a world that E pluribus unum is a political statement instead of something all Americans can agree on. Still, I very rarely share things like this, but I shared this one. And I "liked" it every time it crossed my feed.
I wasn't really a John Cena fan before today, but now I am.
posted by ob1quixote at 9:27 PM on July 4, 2016
That's a beautiful sentiment, but on your birthday of all days it's ok to just celebrate yourself.
How is celebrating all the people that live in America not celebrating America?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:29 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
How is celebrating all the people that live in America not celebrating America?
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:29 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
leotrotsky was responding to a comment pointing out that the piece didn't mention people in the rest of the world.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:37 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 9:37 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
As a straight cis white guy in good financial position and thus the most recognized demographic in the U.S, this has made me tear up repeatedly. Please please please keep recognizing others. Please make America be about everyone.
posted by Navelgazer at 9:39 PM on July 4, 2016 [10 favorites]
posted by Navelgazer at 9:39 PM on July 4, 2016 [10 favorites]
leotrotsky was responding to a comment pointing out that the piece didn't mention people in the rest of the world.
Ooooh, right. Well, then, yes.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:42 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
Ooooh, right. Well, then, yes.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:42 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
yeah, I saw this earlier and recognized Ybor thanks to my sister and beer, but as straight cis, slightly somewhere on the spectrum well paid white dude, all I can say is that whole damn video made me tear up and think - this - this is what I want my country, my society, my world to be. I want everyone of us to walk down the street with the sense, that however imperfectly, we absolutely have that same level of Cena swagger and confidence in this shared reality.
I'm not a huge wrestling guy (at least since my dad passed in '82), I'm not a huge patriotic B-movie viewer, etc, but I will rah-rah this until the end of my being.
posted by drewbage1847 at 10:14 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
I'm not a huge wrestling guy (at least since my dad passed in '82), I'm not a huge patriotic B-movie viewer, etc, but I will rah-rah this until the end of my being.
posted by drewbage1847 at 10:14 PM on July 4, 2016 [3 favorites]
The Philip Glass really makes it.
posted by mazola at 10:18 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by mazola at 10:18 PM on July 4, 2016 [1 favorite]
the WWE stood in solidarity with the LGBTQ community after the Orlando massacre, something that I really never expected TBH.
I always thought that there was some general understanding in the WWE about their comic book homoerotic appeal. I seem to remember gay indie musician Bob Mould (Husker Du, Sugar, and solo) was a big fan. He became an unlikely employee of the WWE, writing scripts, for a few years.
I only heard of Cena about 6 months ago, but my kids love him and his voice is obviously heard by the next generation.
That said, this message is a PSA from the Ad Council and not WWE.
posted by C.A.S. at 11:42 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
I always thought that there was some general understanding in the WWE about their comic book homoerotic appeal. I seem to remember gay indie musician Bob Mould (Husker Du, Sugar, and solo) was a big fan. He became an unlikely employee of the WWE, writing scripts, for a few years.
I only heard of Cena about 6 months ago, but my kids love him and his voice is obviously heard by the next generation.
That said, this message is a PSA from the Ad Council and not WWE.
posted by C.A.S. at 11:42 PM on July 4, 2016 [2 favorites]
Everybody jokes about Trump ushering in an age of celebrity politicians but guess what knuckleheads, I would vote for a Dwayne Johnson/John Cena ticket in heartbeat
You mean you'd vote for the WWE faces (although The Rock was a better heel) over the WWE heel manager and former kayfabe owner that's the Republican presumptive nominee? Cheering the faces is what you're supposed to do. (That said, to a substantial portion of smarks Cena's a heel, he knows it, and he manages to play to it as much as he does to being a face for the child-fans).
posted by Francis at 2:53 AM on July 5, 2016
You mean you'd vote for the WWE faces (although The Rock was a better heel) over the WWE heel manager and former kayfabe owner that's the Republican presumptive nominee? Cheering the faces is what you're supposed to do. (That said, to a substantial portion of smarks Cena's a heel, he knows it, and he manages to play to it as much as he does to being a face for the child-fans).
posted by Francis at 2:53 AM on July 5, 2016
My kids don't care about wrestling but they all know John Cena. This video makes me curious whether he will chose different scripts when he makes the jump to non-wrestling stardom. Different, that is, from The Rock's choice of action flicks featuring strong dudes. (But...what else does Hollywood make?)
posted by wenestvedt at 3:04 AM on July 5, 2016
posted by wenestvedt at 3:04 AM on July 5, 2016
I'm not American and it was still fantastic!
posted by greenhornet at 3:34 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by greenhornet at 3:34 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
Well, so far he's had two pretty great comic turns in female-led comedies (Amy Schumer's Trainwreck and Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's Sisters).
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 4:35 AM on July 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 4:35 AM on July 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
His matches with Daniel Bryan surprised the hell out of me. Turns out that John Cena is one of the most versatile wrestlers in the WWE
Cena's most recent PPV match with AJ Styles was one of my favorite matches in a long time. Everything Styles touches turns to gold, lately, but Cena absolutely brought it in this match and did everything right. There are a few recent "big fight" matches that I think can help introduce people to the way stories are told in the ring, and I think this is one of them (the other is HHH vs Dean Ambrose from Roadblock).
Also this video is fantastic. Great job on Ad Council coming up with the perfect pitch and pitchman for the message.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:13 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
Cena's most recent PPV match with AJ Styles was one of my favorite matches in a long time. Everything Styles touches turns to gold, lately, but Cena absolutely brought it in this match and did everything right. There are a few recent "big fight" matches that I think can help introduce people to the way stories are told in the ring, and I think this is one of them (the other is HHH vs Dean Ambrose from Roadblock).
Also this video is fantastic. Great job on Ad Council coming up with the perfect pitch and pitchman for the message.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:13 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
I hate when John Cena's torturous theme song hits during my weekly wrestling shows. When he's on the mic in the ring with all of his merch on, he reminds me of an overly-earnest youth minister trying not to be all 'wiggity-wiggity-wack.' (The rakish heels are more my type.)
OUTSIDE of the ring, Cena is an amazing human being. I'm proud to be a WWE fan.
posted by kimberussell at 6:40 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
OUTSIDE of the ring, Cena is an amazing human being. I'm proud to be a WWE fan.
posted by kimberussell at 6:40 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
I loooove this video with all my heart, especially because he mentioned transgender people more than once. I can't conceive of that happening five years ago.
posted by AFABulous at 6:59 AM on July 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by AFABulous at 6:59 AM on July 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
I had to watch it 3 times to be sure and I was going to post that it was filmed in Ybor City but then realized the first commenter beat me to it. Oh well. He's walking west on 7th Ave and ends up at 15th street. How's that?
Also, great video.
posted by lordrunningclam at 7:24 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
Also, great video.
posted by lordrunningclam at 7:24 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
This is such a beautifully crafted video. It took some effort to make the background work in concert with his speech as he walked. And it's so subtle, you don't even notice it unless you want to.
That video was brilliant. Beautifully written, powerfully executed.
The Philip Glass really makes it.
Damn straight.
Credit where it's due: directed by Rocky Morton (previously), and written (apparently, otherwise why would he even be credited?) by R/GA junior copywriter Lukas Pearson.
posted by progosk at 8:30 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
That video was brilliant. Beautifully written, powerfully executed.
The Philip Glass really makes it.
Damn straight.
Credit where it's due: directed by Rocky Morton (previously), and written (apparently, otherwise why would he even be credited?) by R/GA junior copywriter Lukas Pearson.
posted by progosk at 8:30 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
Wait wait wait.
Slap*Happy, you don't just get to drop something as intriguing as Ancients and Horribles in a thread without making a FPP about it.
posted by gusandrews at 8:57 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
Slap*Happy, you don't just get to drop something as intriguing as Ancients and Horribles in a thread without making a FPP about it.
posted by gusandrews at 8:57 AM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
(Just in case progosk's previously was too subtle, Rocky Morton was the co-director of both the ill-fated Super Mario Bros. movie and the co-creator of the wonderful Max Headroom. So it warms my pop-culture loving heart to see that Morton is back to using his powers for good!)
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:59 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:59 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
@progosk I'd say Lukas had a good honest crack at it, but I also count no fewer than 9 (!!) creative directors of various stripes in the credits, so I'd say quite a few talented people got their mitts on the script.
Either way, it is a *brilliantly* written and executed manifesto film. Hats off to you, R/GA, who (unrelated) have the best ad agency Twitter account out there.
posted by nerdfish at 10:10 AM on July 5, 2016
Either way, it is a *brilliantly* written and executed manifesto film. Hats off to you, R/GA, who (unrelated) have the best ad agency Twitter account out there.
posted by nerdfish at 10:10 AM on July 5, 2016
It's like a shot of anti-Trump antidote.
posted by gottabefunky at 10:13 AM on July 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by gottabefunky at 10:13 AM on July 5, 2016 [5 favorites]
Sweet, R/GA. One of my old friends used to run one of their divisions years ago. Lots of talented people.
I also count no fewer than 9 (!!) creative directors of various stripes in the credits, so I'd say quite a few talented people got their mitts on the script.
Welcome to the world of advertising. I never wanted to work in an edit room with more than 2 people in it at a time, thus the less lucrative world of documentary tv for me. Poor ad editors sitting there with sofas with 18 various people from client and agency behind them looking over their shoulder and chiming in with their wit and wisdom.
posted by C.A.S. at 10:36 AM on July 5, 2016
I also count no fewer than 9 (!!) creative directors of various stripes in the credits, so I'd say quite a few talented people got their mitts on the script.
Welcome to the world of advertising. I never wanted to work in an edit room with more than 2 people in it at a time, thus the less lucrative world of documentary tv for me. Poor ad editors sitting there with sofas with 18 various people from client and agency behind them looking over their shoulder and chiming in with their wit and wisdom.
posted by C.A.S. at 10:36 AM on July 5, 2016
(Yeah, a couple of decades of adland follies tell me that maybe one dude on that ridiculous list of nine might have changed a word or two of the actual copy, but the actual writing will have been Lukas' chore alone - if it'd been more than that, they'd have chopped him off the list altogether!)
posted by progosk at 11:32 AM on July 5, 2016
posted by progosk at 11:32 AM on July 5, 2016
> he mentioned transgender people more than once
And there was more than one person who uses a wheelchair!
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:34 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
And there was more than one person who uses a wheelchair!
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:34 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
I wasn't aware of who John Cena was and got him mixed up with Michael Cera.
Understandable
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:35 AM on July 5, 2016 [6 favorites]
Understandable
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:35 AM on July 5, 2016 [6 favorites]
> so this John Cena dude really is as great as my nine year old son and all his friends sa
I was a chaperone on a field trip for 4th graders recently and oh my god, it was ALL John Cena ALL THE TIME.
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:35 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
I was a chaperone on a field trip for 4th graders recently and oh my god, it was ALL John Cena ALL THE TIME.
posted by The corpse in the library at 11:35 AM on July 5, 2016 [1 favorite]
so this John Cena dude really is as great as my nine year old son and all his friends sa
I was a chaperone on a field trip for 4th graders recently and oh my god, it was ALL John Cena ALL THE TIME.
Literally the only response my 10-year-old has whenever I'm watching wrestling is to John Cena, and it's not really even to watch Cena wrestle. I'll just hear "AND HIS NAME IS JOHN CENA!" from the nook where the kid sits and plays on his iPad, and then back to silence.
posted by Etrigan at 11:38 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
I was a chaperone on a field trip for 4th graders recently and oh my god, it was ALL John Cena ALL THE TIME.
Literally the only response my 10-year-old has whenever I'm watching wrestling is to John Cena, and it's not really even to watch Cena wrestle. I'll just hear "AND HIS NAME IS JOHN CENA!" from the nook where the kid sits and plays on his iPad, and then back to silence.
posted by Etrigan at 11:38 AM on July 5, 2016 [3 favorites]
I saw this video yesterday morning while I was browsing Facebook while brushing my teeth. I walked out of the bathroom slightly teary-eyed and held my phone out to my husband and said "You have to watch this. John Cena just fucking made me cry."
This is great, John Cena is great, and it's really fucking great that his message will probably reach some audiences most messages like this can't authentically reach.
posted by erst at 4:29 PM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
This is great, John Cena is great, and it's really fucking great that his message will probably reach some audiences most messages like this can't authentically reach.
posted by erst at 4:29 PM on July 5, 2016 [2 favorites]
That was really, really well-done. My hat goes off to everyone involved. Great message, well-communicated.
posted by Sticherbeast at 7:54 PM on July 5, 2016
posted by Sticherbeast at 7:54 PM on July 5, 2016
And there was more than one person who uses a wheelchair!
I saw two people using the same wheelchair, one was determined and putting their back into it like, he ain't heavy, he's my brother. We are going from here to there and we'll get there together.
The other thing I noticed was the pride flags and the stars and stripes fluttering in the background alongside each other. I know if I were mysteriously teleported onto that street and was lost, confused and alone, I'd run towards those flags for refuge.
posted by adept256 at 12:55 PM on July 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
I saw two people using the same wheelchair, one was determined and putting their back into it like, he ain't heavy, he's my brother. We are going from here to there and we'll get there together.
The other thing I noticed was the pride flags and the stars and stripes fluttering in the background alongside each other. I know if I were mysteriously teleported onto that street and was lost, confused and alone, I'd run towards those flags for refuge.
posted by adept256 at 12:55 PM on July 6, 2016 [3 favorites]
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Proudly filmed in Ybor City! Ancestral home of my people, a wonderful little history lesson about the best things America can be, and definitely the number one reason you should visit Tampa, FL.
posted by penduluum at 3:09 PM on July 4, 2016 [13 favorites]