Photo: Stevan Sheets
This is a little tale all about the power of the man vs. the fourth estate.
In January, Newsweek put Grand Rapids, Michigan on a list of ‘America’s Dying Cities.’ The people of Grand Rapids were none too happy about this designation, so what did they do? The only thing they could — record the world’s largest lip dub of “American Pie:”
It’s like a Michael Bay movie: 5,000 people, a wedding, helicopters, bridges on fire, etc. OK, so it’s significantly smaller than a Michael Bay movie. (Side note: for extended Michael Bay movie discussion, check out Nerdist Podcast No. 89 with Kevin Pereira.)
Newsweek loved the video, responded on Facebook (that medium has really caught on, eh?), and noted that they didn’t really trash Grand Rapids — it was actually a website called mainstreet.com, and it got picked up on Newsweek as part of a content-sharing deal.
So basically, the entire thing was for naught? Eh. Still a damn good time.
I leave Grand Rapids, and THEN they start doing cool shit like this? Sigh… Life is just not fair.
I’m glad to see I wasn’t the only one that got a little weepy. I love when communities come together like that.
Looks like a city that likes to have fun. Awesome stuff!
Ok. I have a reputation. I don’t cry at stuff. Usually.
But that totally got me teared up. Nice one, Grand Rapids!
Grand Rapids I miss you .
5,000 kinds of awesome.
Wow, that was quite a bit of work for that and totally worth watching to the end. The slow parts of the song always get to me, good job Grand Rapids!
So I went from thinking:
1) Getting 5,0000 people to do this kinda shows how little there is to do in Grand Rapids. And sir in the gray tank top, please wear a shirt.
2) Fire on a bridge!
3) Okay fine. I’ll put the cynicism away for a little bit.
4) Aww, this is kinda sweet. Good on ya Grand Rapids!
And then once the helicopter took off I stopped thinking and actually got a little teary.
It’s great to see a community come together like that.