As part of the Facebook and Instagram virtual graduation ceremony held Friday, Kristen Bell had some words of encouragement and wisdom for the class of 2020 — and also a joke that involved her "Good Place" co-star Ted Danson.
Alas, the joke didn't quite go the way she'd hoped.
Since so many new graduates were unable to attend their ceremonies this spring due to COVID-19, Bell joined a slew of celebrities in sharing speeches for the Facebook event. As she noted, "Hey, class of 2020, let's cut to the chase: This blows. You worked so hard for so long, and you expected it to culminate in some pomp and circumstance."
But as she added, "It's not the moments of achievement or recognition that stick with you; it's the getting there that you remember. Do you think Ted Danson remembers what it was like the day he won the Emmy? No. I'll prove it."
She then left a message for her pal Danson: "Hey, Teddy? It's Kristen, just checking in." (Can we note that we'd love to get a chance to call Danson "Teddy"?) Anyway, she continued, "You don't really care about winning your Emmy, right? You don't even remember that?" And then she promised to let everyone know if he got back to her.
For the record, Danson won Emmys in 1990 and 1993 for playing Sam Malone on "Cheers."
But back to the encouragement: Bell reminded everyone that unless they were one of the "lucky people" who had Ellen DeGeneres, Will Ferrell or Michelle Obama set to give a speech for their graduation, they were more likely to have "some congressman from the '80s with questionable views about gender bathrooms" giving their commencement address. "You're not going to want to remember that."
Instead, she noted, "You will remember the friendships that you forged, the spikes of confidence ... nothing, not even coronavirus can take that away."
And just then, Danson texted her back! She read his reply: "'Yeah, of course I remember that, it was awesome.'" Then she turned back to the camera. "OK, that backfired."
But at least she had a solid thumbs-up wrap-up: "Class of 2020, be mighty, be well and congratulations."
We agree!