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Derek Jeter found out on live TV he missed a teacher conference. His co-hosts reacted perfectly.

"We weren't supposed to still be on the air."

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Derek Jeter got a concerning phone call from his kids' school live on air.

All parents have experienced the uncomfortable moment when your life as Mom or Dad collides with your career. It could be the call from the school nurse in the middle of the work day, the fever discovered in the morning right before your big presentation, or your kids who are home on school break photobombing the Zoom meeting with your boss.

Being a world-famous athlete and TV personality can make a lot of these problems go away, but apparently not all of them. Even mega-celebrities sometimes struggle to balance their parental duties with career commitments. That's exactly what happened to MLB legend Derek Jeter on a recent telecast.

Jeter, a Hall of Fame shortstop, now works as an analyst on Fox Sports. During a recent game, a rain delay forced Jeter and the rest of the crew to fill three extra hours with coverage and analysis. And then his phone rang live on air.

While in the middle of speaking, Jeter's phone went off.

"Sorry. It’s a rain delay. I had a parent-teacher conference that I’m going to miss. So, sorry guys," Jeter said as he silenced the ringer.

The response from Jeter's co-analyst, former player David Ortiz, was so wholesome:

"Take it! Take it" Ortiz yelled. "Take the call, man." The gang enjoyed a good laugh at the slightly awkward broadcast miscue, but Ortiz wasn't joking. He doubled down a moment later when he said, "Kids first."

Host Kevin Burkhardt then quipped, "Derek has a parent teacher conference to go to, so we're going to take a break." At first, he appeared to be teasing, but he then admitted, "Well, we weren't supposed to be on the air, you're right! This is a surprise to all of us."

"I actually should get on it," Jeter then said, checking his phone again.

"You should go do your thing," Burkhardt said. Ortiz then added, "We got you, dawg."

The video went viral when MLB on Fox posted it to Instagram, and people couldn't say enough good things about how the men handled the situation.

"Best part is, everyone else was like 'go, that’s more important, we got your back'" one commenter said.

"The best part was all the other supporting men on that stage actually meaning when they say 'go man, take it'" added another.

"These men are the best thing to happen to sports in a long time… they’re funny, real humans and pro hands on dads!"

"A+ parenting. A+ teammates encouraging him to take it."

"The man who refused to have children until he finished playing because he wanted to be totally committed to fatherhood or the game. Way to go Derek for being an incredible father"

(That one is true, by the way. Jeter is on record with Fox News saying, ""The one thing I can say about my parents is: They were always present. It’s so hard when you have kids—I don’t care if it’s one kid; I have four kids—you want to be there, and then when you miss a day or two, you come back, and they completely change," and that he tries his best to emulate them.)

parenting, fatherhood, dads, famous dads, celebrities, derek jeter, mlb, yankees, family, work, career Derek Jeter Nod GIF by ESPN Giphy

The video even caught the attention of world-famous family psychologist Dr. Becky, who found the entire exchange to be an incredible teachable moment for other working parents.

She says she often speaks with parents who worry immensely about how their bosses and coworkers will react to their family obligations, causing tons of anxiety and mental strife.

Her advice was simple and pretty brilliant:

"What if people around me think I'm slacking and think I'm not doing a good job?" she said parents often worry. "You might not have [Ortiz] next to you telling you, 'Hey, we've got this, go do that thing for your kid'"

But that doesn't mean we have to feel alone and judged.

"If we are going to make up the thoughts of other people, we might as well make up that those thoughts are supportive. So the next time you're struggling ... imagine everyone in your workplace saying, 'We've got this. Go do that. We support you.'"

In a culture that rewards hustle and sacrifice and does not always do a good job accommodating people who want to have both careers and families, it's nice to see an example of what a supportive workplace atmosphere can look like.

It's great that Jeter wants to be there for his kids, but what's even better about this viral clip is the encouragement he gets from his fellow hosts and analysts that family, indeed, should come first.

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John Cena flips the script on a reporter in the most wholesome way while on the red carpet

Talk about making someone feel seen ❤️

@tushboy/Instagram

For someone whose catchphrase is "You can't see me!" he sure knows how to make others feel seen.

So many of our favorite celebrity moments are when “stars” treat everyday people with the same honor, respect, and admiration the world often bestows upon them. When they break through any preconceived hierarchical structure caused by fame and simply exist with their fellow humans.

In July 2025, Peacemaker star John Cena shared this kind of moment while on the red carpet for the premiere of Amazon Prime’s Heads of State.

john cena, john cena interview, peacemaker, peacemaker season 2, celebrity news, heads of state, amazon prime A snippet from the notorious Peacemaker intro. media4.giphy.com

Tushar Joshi, a journalist who had traveled in from India, asked Cena who he would like to have an interview with, and what he might ask this person. Rather than naming some arbitrary icon, Cena simply makes the interviewer the interviewee. And it ended up being a truly wholesome exchange.

“So if we get to swap places, and I get to ask you a question,” Cena begins, "you flew in when?” He then quips, “That’s not my question.”

Joshi then reveals he flew about ten hours, from Bombay, to Abu Dhabi, to London, where the premiere was being held.

Then Cena says, “You flew all this way to be in the heat, to be behind the camera, and drive a journalistic interview…why do you do what you do?”

To Joshi’s credit, he didn’t miss a beat in delivering a pretty awesome answer, one that Cena couldn't help but smile at.

“Because I absolutely love the movies, it’s in my blood. And I can’t think of anything else than doing this. This moment that I’m sharing with you right now is exactly why I think I was born, and why I’m here. Absolutely love my job.

Grinning ear to ear, Cena replies, "That's one hell of an answer. I dig your passion. And I think that's who I would ask and why I would ask it. Thanks for making me think that way. I appreciate you.”

In Joshi’s caption, he would later share that it was a moment he was totally “unprepared for” but one that really gave him a dose of confidence.

"What came out of my mouth as he was rushed out on the carpet was also an eye opener for me,” he wrote. “So when you have those moments of doubt and you wonder, if what you do is worth it, it helps to get a perspective from someone else. And if that someone else is John Cena, then that moment becomes one the most memorable moments of your life..”

Perhaps this display of kindness should come as no surprise, considering that Cena has made notable positive impact through his charitable work, particularly with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, where he famously set the world record for most wishes granted (650), as well as being an outspoken ally for the LGBTQ+ community and veterans. Then again, it’s one thing to do charitable acts, and another to be able to simply make another human feel seen, which is what viewers really commended him for after watching this video.

“Bro pulled out the uno reverse and the result was UNREAL 👏👏👏”

“It doesn’t matter to me how much money someone has or how famous they are. It’s how they treat people and respect them that matters to me. John Cena is a class act and he has a great heart. This was a beautiful, touching exchange by the both of them. He made the journalist feel seen and that he matters.”

“So nice to see someone who’s ‘made it’ act like a human being. Rare but commendable.”

“John saw the moment, and rose to the moment's occasion, creating a moment between the two that was mutually shared in kindness and uplifting positivity. This, this is what it means to be superhuman. ❤️”

This is the kind of celebrity news that we should be inundated with, don't you think?

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Nicole Kidman fesses up to the unorthodox phone rule she has with husband Keith Urban

It sounds weird, but the couple has been married for 19 years — so they must be doing something right.

Galeria de burningkarma, CC BY 2.0

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman share one secret that's helped sustain their 19 year marriage.

Long before Nicole Kidman began her long-term relationship with AMC theaters, she was committed to husband and country singer Keith Urban. The two have happily been together since 2006—which is a good run for any modern day marriage, but most certainly a Hollywood one. Celebrity marriages have been shown in some studies to be more likely than your average relationship to end in divorce. These marriages certainly feel volatile to us normie outsiders. When big-time celebrities split, it's often very public, all over entertainment news and TMZ, and often pinned (rightly or not) on steamy affairs with other celebrities.

So for Kidman and Urban to be going strong almost 20 years later, it indicates they're definitely doing something right inside their home. Perhaps their nearly decades-long success can be partially attributed to one surprising communication rule: no texting.

While appearing on the Something To Talk About podcast in 2023, Kidman shared that she was the one who initiated the unconventional agreement to (almost) never send text messages to each other.

nicole kidman keith urban, nicole kidman, keith urban, marriage, communication, marriage tips, divorce, celebrity marriage, love, family Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman look really happy together, but like any marriage, it takes work. Giphy

"We never text each other, can you believe that? We started out that way – I was like, 'If you want to get a hold of me, call me…"I wasn't really a texter.,” the Moulin Rouge actress shared.

She added that while Urban did attempt texting her a few items early on, he eventually switched when Kidman wasn’t very responsive. And now, 18 years later, they only call each other.

“We just do voice to voice or skin to skin, as we always say. We talk all the time and we FaceTime but we just don’t text because I feel like texting can be misrepresentative at times…I don’t want that between my lover and I,” she told Parade.

There are, of course, some pros and cons to calling over texting. Research has shown that people who call feel more connected to one another vs. texting, with the voice being an integral component of bonding.

As our society becomes increasingly more distant and lonely, finding those moments might be more important than ever.

At the same time, calling can invoke a lot more anxiety compared to texting, which could lead someone to not communicating at all. Also, I don’t know about you, but the thought of having to call my partner for mundane things like “don’t forget the eggs” would drive me crazy.

Still, Kidman is right that texting can be extremely fraught for anyone in a close romantic, family, or friend relationship. Tone is hard to gauge and it's easy to misinterpret someone's intention when you read their messages. Jokes can come across as serious statements or passive aggressive jabs. It's also easier to be snarky and combative over text when you don't have to look the person in the eye and sit in the discomfort.

Finally, Kidman and Urban may just be in that generational sweet spot where they're not big on texting. The couple are closing in on their 60s, making them elder members of Generation X. People in that generation, while tech-savvy enough, sometimes aren't as fluent in the nuances of texting tone, punctuation, and emoji use, which puts them at even greater risk of being misinterpreted and running into conflicts.

Kudos to them for being self-aware enough to dodge that minefield altogether.

Regardless of whether or not you adopt Kidman and Urban’s no-texting rule, perhaps the bigger takeaway is that relationship longevity depends on being able to establish your own rules.

One that feels good and that each partner is able to stick to. Especially when it comes to communication.

Some couples swear by the old "never go to bed angry," school of thought. Others have unique rules or schedules to keep the romantic side of their lives before. There's no universal right way to do it, but the couples who communicate and come up with their own guardrails are definitely on the right track.

As Urban himself told E! News at the CMT Music Awards, "I have no advice for anybody. You guys figure out whatever works for you…We're figuring it out. You figure it out. Everybody's different. There's no one size fits all."

Luckily, there are many ways to have good text hygiene, without having to do away with it completely. Very Well Mind suggests to avoid texting too many questions, and to be respectful of your partner's schedule (probably best to not text them while they’re sleeping just to say “hey,” for example). Nor should texting be used to argue or deal with conflict. Lastly, probably save the lengthy, in-depth conversations for a phone call. Fifteen heart emojis are totally fine though.

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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'You look like Tony Hawk': People keep almost-but-not-quite recognizing the pro skater

People know he looks like Tony Hawk, but they just can't seem to grasp that he is Tony Hawk — and it's endlessly hilarious.

Tony Hawk/Twitter, @srileyvart/Twitter
People not recognizing Tony Hawk as Tony Hawk is the most hilarious and wholesome thing ever

My best friend lives in San Diego. One day a few years ago, her teenage son came home and told her he'd made a new friend at the skate park. He talked about how they had struck up a conversation, the guy had given him some pointers, and they'd chit-chatted about this and that. "He was really cool," her son said. Then he showed her a selfie they'd taken together.

Yeah, his "new friend" was the skateboarding icon Tony Hawk. True story. Tales of Tony Hawk not being recognized as Tony Hawk—even for people who actually know who Tony Hawk is—have become the stuff of legends. The 56-year-old made a name for himself in the skateboarding world decades ago and is credited with bringing the sport into the mainstream. Even in 2020, he was listed among the Top 10 skateboarders of all time, but his fame goes far beyond the confines of his sport. He's had his own video game, cameos in film and television shows, his own clothing line—everything, apparently, but a recognizable face.

tony hawk, skateboarding, skateboarder, athlete, celebrity, meeting celebrities, culture, humor, funny, twitter Tony Hawk hits a big trick at the X Games Giphy

The "people not recognizing Tony Hawk as Tony Hawk" thing is so common it's become a meme of its own. Hawk himself jokes about it all the time, sharing hilarious interactions he has with people on his Twitter account.

This one from a couple of years ago has recently re-gone viral (or gone re-viral?) and sounds almost exactly like my friend's story:

Pretty awesome that a kid who's hanging out at the skate park can't recognize the legend!

But wait, it gets better:

The teenager, a self-identified skate-head, knows who Tony Hawk is but didn't realize he was speaking to him. Amazing.

It's just one of many similar stories. Hawk told Business Insider that it happens often, but he only shares the interactions that are the funniest.

Now the meme itself results in some funny interactions with people.

People's funny reactions to the meme are becoming their own meme: "I will know Tony Hawk when I see him."

Part of what makes the whole thing so delightful is that Tony Hawk himself is so delightful. He's down-to-earth, friendly, doesn't take himself too seriously, does a lot of connecting out in the community, and is just a genuinely likable guy.

One of the funniest parts of these stories is that people know who Tony Hawk is, know what he looks like, and know that the real Tony looks a lot like the stranger in front of them. But they just can't seem to put it all together for some reason. It's endlessly hilarious.

And to top it all off, he's still a heck of a skater. Though he retired from the pro circuit in 1999, he still skateboards for fun and charity. In fact, he recently landed a 720—two full 360-degree turns in the air off a ramp—which isn't easy for even a young skater to pull off, and then auctioned the board to raise money to help build more public skateparks. (He did say it might be his last time pulling off that trick, but who knows. Good for him for pushing the age envelope.)

And as if Tony Hawk couldn't get any cooler, his son Riley is married to Frances Bean Cobain, daughter of Kurt Cobain. They have a child together that is, by birthright, the coolest person on the planet.

tony hawk, skateboarding, skateboarder, athlete, celebrity, meeting celebrities, culture, humor, funny, twitter Tony Hawk: Excellent human Giphy

Tony Hawk—skating legend, father of four, grandfather, nice guy to all, supporter of community parks, and man that everyone adores but nobody recognizes—thanks for being such a ray of sunshine in our world. May we know you when we see you, or at least be entertaining enough to make your Twitter account if we don't.

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.

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