OK, sure—2018 is an increasingly dark place where the Leader of the Free World waggles his fists excitedly on 9/11 and invents vile conspiracy theories about the death toll in Puerto Rico. But please, remember that all hope is not lost. There are still small shreds of goodness left out there, tiny flecks of joy and kindness still buried amid the rubble of our daily lives. And this week, we were graced with a much-needed reminder of that—all thanks to Ellen Degeneres, Missy Elliott, and the karaoke queen known as Mrs. Funky White Sister.
Last month, a woman named Mary Halsey posted a video of her doing karaoke in a Rhode Island park. Normally, watching others do karaoke is a punishment appropriate only in select circles of Hell, but this time was different.
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With a mic in one hand and some kind of giant horn in the other, Halsey rapped Missy Elliott’s 2002 banger, “Work It”—and she absolutely slayed. The almost overwhelmingly pure and charming video immediately went viral, with even Elliott herself praising Halsey’s flawless performance.
On Thursday, Halsey stopped by The Ellen Show to chat about her newfound viral fame and then, wearing the same floral shirt and again clutching her majestic shofar, she took to the Ellen stage to perform “Work It” once again. This time, though, Missy Elliott actually showed up to rap alongside her.
The audience, Ellen guest Kristen Bell, and literally everyone else watching in the world completely lost it, and Halsey and Elliott finished off the song together, arm in arm, before giving each other a giant hug. The heart struggles to process the immediate flood of emotions.
Please, just watch the whole segment above. Let the sweetness of the entire encounter warm you. Let it bathe you in a renewed sense of calm. It is a soothing balm for all that ails you.
Thank you, Ellen. Thank you, Missy Elliott. But most of all, thank you, Mary Halsey. You blew your horn and the world got better, somehow, if just for a moment.
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