John Krasinski’s ‘Some Good News’ Is a Rip Off of Instagram Account ‘Good News Movement’
There have been a few celebrities who have become unlikely heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether they began sharing more personal content to social media in an effort to connect better with fans or did big giveaways to help those who have been struggling, many stars went above and beyond.
One such celeb is John Krasinski, who began hosting the web series Some Good News on YouTube in early March. The series highlights positive and life-affirming stories, and fans flocked to YouTube to catch new episodes. Still, in light of the recent news that Krasinski sold the rights to his web series for a hefty sum, fans are speaking out — and they aren’t happy at all.
How did John Krasinski become famous?
Krasinski was born in 1979 in Boston, Massachusetts. He began his acting career on stage, appearing in various productions and honing his skills.
In 2005, he began appearing in the now-iconic TV series The Office, opposite his former college pal, B.J. Novak. Krasinski quickly became a fan-favorite as Jim Halpert and he continued to appear on the show until 2013.
After his success on The Office, Krasinski moved on to a series of movie projects, including Aloha, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, and The Hollars. He received critical acclaim for his directorial work in The Quiet Place. He also starred in the successful horror film, opposite his wife, Emily Blunt.
Most recently, Krasinski has been appearing in the Amazon series Jack Ryan.
John Krasinski made the ‘Some Good News’ series popular
In early March, anxiety swept the nation as news about the COVID-19 pandemic started making waves. To calm upset fans and to inject some positivity into the environment, Krasinski launched the web series Some Good News on YouTube. The web series is a show dedicated entirely to good news and happy thoughts and featured a wide variety of celebrity guests, including Steve Carell, Brad Pitt, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jon Stewart.
Beyond just celebrity guests, Krasinski highlighted the accomplishments and achievements of ordinary people around the world. He even got ordained as a minister in the state of Massachusetts in order to officiate a virtual wedding.
With each episode clocking in at around fifteen or twenty minutes, Some Good News became a way for fans to unwind and connect, stepping away from the relentless cycle of scary and overwhelming cable news.
Fans aren’t happy that John Krasinski made a profit from ‘Some Good News’
In mid-May, the news broke that John Krasinski had decided to sell his web series to CBS. The deal would enable Krasinski to stay on as a producer, but he would no longer be acting as the series host.
While the new host has not been announced yet, fans have already spoken out about the deal, and how disappointed they are with Krasinski. Fans took to Twitter to express their anger, saying things like, “remember when he created this free feel-good YouTube show to “make people feel good” and now he is…………….selling it for $$$? really cool, 100% honorable.”
Complicating matters is the fact that the initial idea for “Some Good News” was born on Instagram, under the name “Good News Movement.” The creator, Michelle Figueroa, made news when her “Good News Movement” account was followed and highlighted by Meghan, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry in early January.
There is certainly an argument to be made that CBS could have bypassed Krasinski’s series entirely and worked with Figueroa to monetize her original concept — and fans seem to agree. It would have been a more affordable and ethical purchase, for sure.
