Jason English
The Late Movies: Clips That Made Me Smile
by Jason English - September 29, 2009 - 10:00 PM

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If you had a rough day and need a smile, tonight’s Late Movies are for you. (Though if you had a great day and want to keep those good feelings going, you’ll enjoy them, too.) We’ve featured some of these on the blog before, but now they’re all in one place.

My wife sent me this clip, titled “My dogs greeting me after returning from 14 months in Iraq.” In case you’re reading this on the clock, it’s suitable for work, unless getting all teary eyed at your desk is frowned upon.

When Chris Higgins posted this last year, he said the clip taught him three things:

1. Words are not necessary to describe the process of making crayons. An awesome soundtrack, on the other hand, is a must.

2. Making crayons is a messy business. Orange wax everywhere!

3. Skilled crayon-makers can pick up scores of crayons at once using a special two-handed grab.

Here’s a 1988 Inside Edition segment starring Bill O’Reilly and the newfangled Nintendo craze. I almost spit out my tea during the interview with the Game-Play Counselor.

Even if 90% of you already know the story of Jason McElwain, it’s worth posting this amazing video for the other 10%.

This next clip is from 1969, when Mr. Rogers went before the Senate to plead for a $20 million grant for public broadcasting, which had been proposed by President Johnson but was in danger of being sliced in half. There’s a real Susan Boyle moment halfway through, where the Senators suddenly recognize who they’re dealing with.

Watch Geraldo make history by opening Al Capone’s vault on live TV!

Here’s a recent one—dad catches foul ball and gives it to his daughter. Hilarity ensues.

And we’ll end with a quick clip of my daughter working on her vocabulary. If the words “Bailey,” “Happy” and “Melmo” (her way of saying “Elmo”) could be joined to form a meaningful sentence, we’d be in business.
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If you’ve got a feel-good video to add to the list, leave a link in the comments.

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Comments (16)

  1. Thank you for doing this!! Wow, the world needs more “happy.”

    And Mr. Rogers truly rocked.

    posted by Mommy de Bean on 9-29-2009 at 10:52 pm

  2. How did I miss the Jason McElwain story the first time around? If you only have time for one video, watch that one. In-freaking-credible.

    posted by Craig on 9-29-2009 at 10:58 pm

  3. Wow, that crayon film is one of my favorite clips from Sesame Street!

    posted by Lori on 9-29-2009 at 11:01 pm

  4. I think it is amazing that so many people remember the Sesame Street clip.My favorite color is orange just because of that video. Thanks for posting!

    recaptcha: carhartt Mann

    posted by Mary on 9-29-2009 at 11:08 pm

  5. Those are all great. I feel like I need to watch that Mr. Rogers one about once a year. What an incredible person.

    posted by Hodge on 9-30-2009 at 10:53 am

  6. DELIGHTFUL & all too rare in today’s media.

    THANK YOU for the positive energy to go forth into today with light to share.

    posted by Molly on 9-30-2009 at 11:42 am

  7. I think the orange crayon video is ingrained in the hearts and minds of all 80s children.

    posted by Lindseydl on 9-30-2009 at 11:53 am

  8. The clip of the soldier coming back and greeting his dogs-just wonderful! The dog’s butt wiggle and “hugs” are so cute :)

    posted by Crystal on 9-30-2009 at 12:04 pm

  9. Mr. Rogers-class act! I still miss him.

    posted by Crystal on 9-30-2009 at 12:05 pm

  10. You forgot Keyboard Cat! — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J—aiyznGQ

    and Happy Feet Rosie Yorkshire Terrier Puppy–

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsrPKtx0qyg

    posted by paul on 9-30-2009 at 12:08 pm

  11. Oh yes, I recall that classic crayon creating clip! It was always one of my favorite things to hope in anxious anticipation for on my daily sesame street viewings:) And of course hopefully Plinko would be on the Price is Right:)

    posted by Kelly on 9-30-2009 at 12:12 pm

  12. Wow, EPIC WIN- I totally cried at my desk for the Iraq soldier’s dogs, and it was awesome to laugh at Geraldo and all the bewildered old people in 1988 who didn’t know who Mario is (not to mention the bitchin’ mullet on the game-play counselor guy), but I think the crayon one made me the happiest because I actually totally remember that clip from Sesame Street as a kid, and it brought me right back there. Thanks again- and your daughter is beautifuL!!

    posted by Alana Willis on 9-30-2009 at 12:20 pm

  13. Here’s a cute one:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJQG6V1MOVY

    posted by Miss Cellania on 9-30-2009 at 12:40 pm

  14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtX8nswnUKU

    A personal favourite of mine.

    posted by Mark on 9-30-2009 at 5:38 pm

  15. Loved it!
    I don’t remember the crayon video since I grew up before Sesame Street came along, but I did see crayons made at the Crayola Factory in Easton, PA. Worth the trip!

    posted by Hyacinth on 9-30-2009 at 6:56 pm

  16. Mr. Rodgers was a big part of my childhood (i grew up in pittsburgh). Thank you for posting the clip of him. Took me a few minutes to dry my eyes before I could type this. I am a clinical social worker in a prison and wish that I could show Mr. Rodgers there. Such simple life lessons that so many missed out on.

    posted by Lori on 10-1-2009 at 7:30 pm

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