'Some Good News' returns with John Krasinski, Dwayne Johnson spreading holiday cheer
By Christi CarrasStaff Writer
Dwanta Claus is coming to town!
On Sunday, Dwayne "Dwanta Claus" Johnson, Justin Timberlake and George Clooney joined forces with John Krasinski for a "Some Good News" holiday special spotlighting local heroes and spreading much-needed cheer this season.
"Welcome back to 'SGN,'" Krasinski said at the top of the show, ending a seven-month hiatus for the hit quarantine web series.
"If you're like me, this is without a doubt — as the song says — 'the most wonderful time of the year.' ... And since it's been a while, we thought, 'Why not get some good news straight into your vein with a new segment we like to call the lightning round.'"
Cue an inspirational montage of an ecstatic "teacher of the month," a family buying their first house, a young woman becoming the first in her family to graduate college, a couple celebrating their first pregnancy, a man celebrating his 101st birthday and more feel-good moments documented on social media.
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Following a quick weather update from fellow actor Clooney, the "Jack Ryan" star shifted focus to his favorite "hero parent of the week": California comic-book enthusiast Jay Abel, who began selling some of his most prized possessions on EBay in order to afford Christmas gifts for his children.
Krasinski then revealed himself to be the generous EBay bidder Abel had kindly rejected, suspecting a scam, after the "Office" alum tried to purchase Abel's Harley Quinn poster for $450. Undeterred, Krasinksi instead welcomed Abel to "Some Good News," where he got an early Christmas visit from Dwanta Claus himself.
"I'm blessed," Abel told Johnson, decked out in a fuzzy red Santa suit and hat. "I have two amazing children .... In two days, it will be three years since we lost their mother and my wife. So the last couple Christmases have been kind of down a little bit.
"And with COVID, it's hard to get a part-time job. So I'm just trying to give my children ... a better Christmas."
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By the end of the episode, not only did Johnson promise to "take care of" Abel's EBay listings so that he could keep his belongings — he also invited the comic-book lover and his family to visit the movie star at DC's SoCal headquarters post-pandemic.
And that's not all: After Johnson has wrapped production on his upcoming superhero flick, "Black Adam," Abel will receive the actor's official script as a late Christmas gift. A GoFundMe campaign launched by Abel in response to "messages asking for a donation link" has also raised more than $440 and counting.
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"You deserve it all, man," Johnson told a stunned Abel. "Your story is an inspiration — you are an inspiration — not only to myself ... but certainly to everyone who hears your story. You inspire so many people, because the truth is, you represent so many parents around the world who are going through the struggle this Christmas.
"You embody the spirit. ... The true measure of a man and the true measure of a human being, truly, is always what's in their heart. ... Merry Christmas, happy holidays, happy New Year to you, [your kids] and certainly, the spirit of their mother. We love you, man."
The latest installment of "Some Good News" comes several months after CBS purchased Krasinski's show, which is set to continue on CBS All Access and Comedy Central with a new host and launch date that have yet to be announced.
Christi Carras
Christi Carras is an entertainment reporter at the Los Angeles Times. She was previously a Times intern after graduating from UCLA and has also worked at Variety, the Hollywood Reporter and CNN.