22 Things to Be Thankful for in 2020

Finding the positives in 2020 is like looking for a live wild turkey in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. But, they exist. Aside from counting your blessings for family and friends, entertainment has been a source of inspiration and much needed distraction — though I’ll admit these pandemic-themed episodes of network shows lately are a huge downer. I don’t watch Grey’s Anatomy (because I hate myself enough already), but does Meredith really need to battle with Covid? Really? Entertainment is escape people. In any event, as Thanksgiving fast approaches, I figured I’d take the time to single out 22 amazing things to come out of this year that I’m truly thankful for. In a year of such sadness, dread, and darkness, these television shows, songs, movies, etc. provided so much light. Drop some more in the comments, because, you know, everything is subjective. Happy Turkey Day. Let the light in where ever you can find it. The list is in no particular order.

1. The King and His Throne: Whether it was his powerful 8:46 clip off of his Netflix special from Ohio last June which dealt with the fallout from the death of George Floyd directly, his brilliant interview with David Letterman on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction (kudos to Dave here), or his evocative monologue from the post-election Saturday Night Live, Dave Chappelle was a superhero this year. A master craftsman, comedian for our times, and truth teller — his comedy never goes where you think it will, and always hits us over the head when we need it the most.

2. The Return of Michael Stipe: Late last year, REM released a mega-fantastic 25th anniversary edition of their 1994 banger Monster. It featured remastered versions of songs, demos, and bonus tracks from the album, and truly set me on a journey back to their catalog. Damn, I miss this band. During the pandemic, Michael Stipe surprised us by releasing a new tune with Aaron Dessner of The National for his side project Big Red Machine entitled “No Time for Love Right Now.” The song? A timely triumph. A Song Exploder episode on how the band’s “Losing My Religion” BECAME “Losing My Religion” was even sweeter. Here’s hoping for more music from Stipe and perhaps even that magical band from Georgia. Magical things seem to be happening in that state lately. Ya never know…

3. Checkmate: The Queen’s Gambit is the best new show of the year by afar. The Netflix miniseries about a chess prodigy struggling with addiction is masterful in every way but it’s fueled by Anya Taylor-Joy unapologetically fierce performance as Beth Harmon. She very well may be the best character since Don Draper.

4. Baby Yoda is Cute But There’s More: The Mandalorian’s stellar first season wasn’t a fluke. Thus far, this season of the Star Wars spin-off series hasn’t disappointed (well there was that frog lady episode with the eggs) and has embraced the entire Star Wars narrative. Also — no one does Easter Eggs better.

5. Mental Health Awareness: Lily Cornell Silver’s IGTV series Mind Wide Open has been arguably one of the most important things to happen on social media this year. Hey, it’s not that outlandish when you consider how incredibly toxic this medium is. Lily launched Mind Wide Open in July to help destigmatize mental illness by simply talking about it with an eclectic mix of guests.

6. Fetch! Fiona Apple’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters is quite easily her best work. Take any pick on this album, and you’ll be mesmerized by the ferociousness of her delivery and the bite of her lyrics. Shameika said she had potential? Naw. She reached it years ago.

7. Keep Running: Next to perhaps Apple or surpassing it, Run The Jewels released the best album of the year. RTJ4 plays like a soundtrack for the month it came out in. In the midst of the protests following the death of George Floyd, the duo dropped this album that shook us. “Walking in the Snow” alone with its lyrics like “And you so numb you watch the cops choke out a man like me…And ’til my voice goes from a shriek to whisper…‘I can’t breathe’ …And you sit there in the house on couch and watch it on TV…The most you give’s a Twitter rant and call it a tragedy…” rattled the hell out of us. Good. We need it.

8. Beyond Bababooey: Howard Stern is the best celebrity interviewer on the planet. He has been for decades, but during this pandemic, it’s truer than ever. Listen to his tour de force three-hour set with Eddie Vedder, and marvel at how he fearlessly asks the Pearl Jam frontman about everything from Chris Cornell’s passing to his feelings toward his mother after her lying to him about who his real father was. It’s great radio. People used to joke that Barbara Walters would make her subjects cry because she had a way of getting to the heart of things. Stern has a way of making his subjects open up while somehow laughing through it.

9. Marc Maron. That’s it. That’s the post. Everything about him — his brutal honesty, his WTF podcast, and him period.

10. Volcano MAAAN!!!! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. So much joy has been brought by the music of the Will Ferrell comedy Eurovision. There are so many utterly catchy songs here. “Double Trouble” is a fav.

11. Sweep! The Schitt’s Creek Emmy sweep was well deserved and probably unexpected only by the cast and crew themselves. Consistently one of the best comedies on television, the series delivered one of the best final seasons of any TV show ever. It deserved all the gold it got, and watching Daniel Levy’s reaction after each win was just very hard not to connect with right now.

12. Oh My GADNESS!

Whether it was reading popular children’s stories to kids on his always wonderful Twitter account, voicing special Olaf shorts on Disney+ or creating an amazing retro series Reunited Apart — no one has worked harder to bring joy to us more during this shitshow pandemic than Josh Gad. He’s also made sure to have a charitable component to almost everything he does, and at the time of the election, he encouraged everyone to vote big time. He even dared people to reach retweet milestones in exchange for him recanting the story of Star Wars or election results in Olaf’s voice. Legendary. Season two of Reunited Apart is coming very soon. Thanks Josh. My kids and I thank you.

13. So Good! So Good! John Krasinski delivered warm feelings and some GOOD cries during his Some Good News run on YouTube. It’s been “off the air” for a bit, but let’s not forget how groundbreaking, insanely human and kind this show was. It got me through many days and I’m grateful for SGN and Krasinski. I know a series is coming, and I can’t wait. I’m hopeful Krasinski’s online show will comeback as well.

14. Crime Pays: The Gentlemen came out last January, and it’s hard to remember anything that happened before Mr. Covid came to town and mucked everything up. Yet, here I am digging into my brain and recalling a hilarious action-packed Guy Ritchie movie that was so damn good with an amazing cast led by Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam and the always great Hugh Grant.

15. Well, It’s Groudhog Day Again: Palm Springs is the most enjoyable movie of the year — taking the Groundhog Day concept and turning it on its head. The time loop anti-rom-com rom-com finds Andy Samberg at his very best with a breakthrough turn by Cristin Milioti. I loved every second of this. Literally.

16. It’s Miley, Bitch: Miley Cyrus’s voice has always been killer. With her reimagined look and sound of an 80s rocker, she’s firing on all cylinders. She’s crushed covers of The Cranberries, The Cure, and Blondie at various events and the first single off her forthcoming album Plastic Hearts — “Midnight Sky” is already a modern classic. It pays homage to Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen” and the legend has already appeared on a remix of the song with Cyrus. “Sky’s” follow-up “Prisoner,” which arrived last week, is a super synth fantastic duet with Dua Lipa. The music video is sexy AF but also an 80s romp. With Joan Jett and Billy Idol confirmed to appear with Ms. Miley on Hearts, I can’t wait to dance to it full blast in my, well, basement until the clubs reopen. OK, I didn’t dance in clubs when they were open. OK, I don’t dance either. Look, I’m excited to hear it, OK?

17. Katie Crunchfied for Household Name 2021: Waxahatchee’s “Saint Cloud” is a folk classic and the best album she’s ever done. “Fire” and “Lilacs” are two of the best songs you’ll hear in any year. “Will you let me believe that I broke through?” Yes, because you did.

18. Epitome of Strength: Amanda Kloots lost her husband Nick Cordero to Covid-19. For months, she chronicled the Broadway star’s struggles as a result from the disease on her Instagram page— telling us how he first fell ill to his small victories against it to set backs to his untimely passing on July 5. But, there was more. She showed pictures and videos of their son Elvis. She told us stories of Cordero — how they met, how he proposed, etc. We met Kloots’ brother, sister, and parents. We saw her visits outside of Cedars-Sinai each day. We saw her breakdown crying, celebrating “small wins,” and everything in-between. She started an army of support for Cordero — friends and strangers worldwide organically began singing his song “Live Your Life” at the very same time each day to first try to wake him up from a coma and once he did, to inspire him to keep fighting. He never stopped fighting, and Kloots never stopped believing. Kloots is an inspiration.

19. Dad First, Legendary Guitarist Second: When Eddie Van Halen passed away on Oct. 6 at 65 from cancer, accolades naturally followed for this groundbreaking guitarist who next to Jimi Hendrix will live on forever as a “GOD.” What was unexpected, however, was just over a month later, his son, Wolfgang Van Halen would release a poignant song “Distance” and a gut-punching music video filled with home movie clips to it. It’s a great song, and the video shows a side to EVH we’ve never seen before. “Wolfie” also bravely appeared on The Howard Stern Show to discuss his grief, Van Halen, and more.

20. Unapologetically Pop: Lady Gaga’s Chromatica is quite simply — the most fun your ears will have this year. Whether it’s “Stupid Love,” “911” or “Rain on Me,” the album is filled with catchy dance songs that will melt away fears and simply make you want to sing along to them. I don’t think this album gets enough credit. It’s a beautiful diversion for the heaviness we’ve been dealing with.

21. It’s Miller Time: Sofia Coppola’s On the Rocks is an enjoyable comedy — her best work in years. Rashida Jones is terrific as always. But, it’s Bill Murray who, of course, steals the movie as her womanizing dad who makes his daughter go on a series of stakeouts with him to see if her husband (Marlon Wayans) is cheating on her. Murray is essentially playing himself but that’s never a bad thing, and if this was a normal year, the Oscar buzz would be deafening.

22. Always Paul Rudd: Look I want to put Perfume Genius on this list but then I remember this video, and I just can’t…