If you have a pulse and a social media account, then you don’t need any introduction to the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. If you haven’t heard of it yet, then educate yourself here. I know that many have their criticisms of this charitable trend, but various segments of the Walt Disney Company have helped to spread awareness about ALS and these videos are like a game of hide-and-go-seek tag. Who will be next?
On August 15th, President and CEO Bob Iger was nominated by Apple’s Tim Cook, who challenged him to dump a bucket of ice water over his head.
My BFF Bobby nominated fictional characters Olivia Pope (ABC’s Scandal), Peter Quill (Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy) and Tony Stark (Marvel’s Iron Man). Did they accept the challenge?
They did indeed. Chris Pratt nominated Dave Bautista (Drex from Guardians of the Galaxy) and Robert Downey Jr. challenged Thor (Chris Hemsworth).
Dave Bautista challenged James Gunn, director of Guardians of the Galaxy. Chris Hemsworth picked on his Avengers costars Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk) and Chris Evans (Captain America).
James Gunn challenged fellow Guardians Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Vin Diesel (Groot) and Michael Rooker (Yondu). Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo have FAILED to dump a bucket of ice over their heads (hopefully they made sizable donations). Chris Evans showed a ton of class in his video and nominated Captain America: The Winter Soldier costars Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), Anthony Mackie (Falcon) and Frank Grillo (Brock Rumlow).
Zoe Saldana was unable to take the ice bucket due to being pregnant (an announcement she publicly made during this video). She nominated James Cameron, who is too busy working on the upcoming Avatar Land at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to accept. Vin Diesel takes his ice bucket like the super human that he is, but also challenges James Gunn to “plant a tree for Groot” and Angelina Jolie (Maleficent), who is too busy cursing babies. Michael Rooker ended the Marvel Universe nominations and picked on his Walking Dead cast. Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie haven’t responded to Chris Evans’ challenge yet, but Frank Grillo took his with a side of wine and nominated Joe and Anthony Russo, directors of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
You may be thinking “What about Loki?” Well the god of mischief Tom Hiddleston was nominated before his Marvel costars could get the chance to tag him. He nominated the Queen of Hearts, Helena Bonham Carter (I assume she is waiting for somebody to bring her a pig to rest her feet on while taking her bucket).
“Moving right along” from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Kermit the Frog was challenged by president of World Wrestling Entertainment Vince McMahon and for Kermit it’s especially dangerous to be submerged in ice water (and not just because he is made of felt). Kermit challenged his Muppets Most Wanted costars Tina Fey, Ricky Gervais and Ty Burrell.
Tina Fey’s acceptance of the challenge may be a little bit suspicious, but she nominated Miss Piggy and Captain Hook. Ricky Gervais had already done his challenge, which was forwarded to him by Tony Perkis (Ben Stiller – Heavyweights). “I’m feeling skinny, Tony!”
Does pouring ice water over your head seem a little, I dunno, juvenile to you? Well if you, like, totally think so, then brace yourself for the former and current stars of Disney Channel to participate in this Tren-D fad. Lets start with a Disney Channel Rewind. Remember High School Musical? Baby V (Vanessa Hudgens) was nominated by her sister Stella (STELLA!!!!).
She nominated Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale), who nominated Troy Bolton (Zac Efron… Zefron) and had him participate in the same video with her.
Demi Lovato (Camp Rock, Sunny With a Chance) took a walk of freezing shame in her video. So far, so great.
Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) and Robby Stewart (Billy Ray Cyrus) made it a family affair in their video, but due to language we have chosen not to include it here (you’re free to seek it out on your own in all its rednecky glory). She’s just bein’ Miley. She can’t stop, she won’t stop.
Getting a little more current, the creators and cast of Phineas & Ferb had the best summer ever pouring ice water over their head. Ashley Tisdale (Candace) was already challenged, but the rest of the cast hadn’t had the thrill yet. Dan Povenmire gets some assistance from Dr. Doofenshmirtz in his video.
Among Dan’s nominees was Phineas himself, Vincent Martella.
Perry the Platypus’ voice James Arnold Taylor gets the Star Wars Universe involved (voice of Obi-Wan Kenobe in The Clone Wars, host of WDW’s Star Wars Weekends) with his inspirational how-to video.
The entire cast of Dog With a Blog accepted the challenge and passed it along to the cast of Jessie. Although Stan is suspiciously absent from the cast when the bucket gets poured. (In a related story, the internet has been broken by dogs being nominated and accepting the ice bucket challenge).
Leaving Disney Channel standing shivering in a puddle of ice water, we take a trip to N.Y.C. to BROADWAY!!!!! Nants Ingonyama means “dump ice water over ya head” in Swahili, and that’s what the Broadway cast of The Lion King did. They nominated the cast of Newsies.
These newsboys carry the bannar, spreading awareness for ALS and challenge James Iglehart and the cast of Aladdin.
The Aladdin cast replied and nominated Alan Menken. They also nominated Bob Iger, but we forgive them for not knowing that he already did it. At this point, I think it’s more rare to find somebody who hasn’t participated.
Now it’s time to “Let it Go” with one final challenge. The queen of ice herself, Idina Menzel (Elsa from Frozen).
There’s no end in sight for the ALS ice bucket challenge, so you never know who in the Disney family will be challenged next. And if you sat down and watched all of these videos, you may have realized that you have now been challenged to participate… or at least donate to this worthy cause.