Since we’ve all seen Frozen 2 approximately 372,000 times by now, I think we can all agree that Olaf is basically the best. He’s funny, he’s sensitive, he’s the most loyal friend—there’s nothing not to love.
And on Friday, after a long, exhausting week of all things Coronavirus and school closures and general anxiousness amidst all the unknown, the instantly-recognizable voice of Olaf, actor Josh Gad, proved why he’s basically the best, too.
It all started when Gad tweeted: Thinking about a LIVE reading at night for all of you who have kids out there or are just weird and want to hear a grown man read and are stuck at home. What say you?
Of course, the response was a resounding yes, so a few minutes later Gad went live to read the world a story.
Wearing a “Samantha?” hat and broadcasting from what looks to be his home office, Gad explained, “Since we’re all stuck at home right now, I figured we would have a little fun together, so I’ve decided I’m going to read to you and your children,” he said. or just you depending on what you prefer, I’m not gonna pass judgment right now since the world is a little bit of a hot mess.”
He held up a copy of Olivia Goes to Venice by Ian Falconer, and spent the next eight minutes doing “a little isolation reading”—with voices.
And yes, it’s amazing. Just watch:
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) March 14, 2020
Eagle eyes will spot an Olaf doll in the back of the room (my kids noticed it right away!), and it felt good to laugh at the shared misery of attempting not to touch your face. “I wanna lick my finger right now to turn the page but I’m not going to because the CDC says I shouldn’t,” Gad quips as he attempts to flip a sticky page.
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Maybe it’s the voices he gives to precocious Olivia or her perpetually exasperated mother. Maybe it’s the nostalgia of being read aloud to. Maybe it’s eight minutes of calm in a world that’s swirling with uncertainty.
Whatever it is, storytime with Josh Gad is exactly what we didn’t know we all needed—and I for one will have my kids gathered ’round and ready for the next installment.
P.S. Did you hear? Disney+ added Frozen 2 to its streaming service three months ahead of schedule!