John Krasinski's 'Some Good News' returns with star-studded holiday special

Watch: Some Good News returns for a festive special

By Suzy Byrne

John Krasinski recruited a few of his famous friends — Dwayne Johnson! George Clooney! Justin Timberlake! — for a special holiday edition of Some Good News.

There was a surprise special of the YouTube show that the Jack Ryan star created early during the COVID-19 pandemic and then sold to ViacomCBS — and it was especially heartwarming.

After Krasinski delivered a lightning round of happy news from the ’net — with Timberlake popping up to offer to host the show and Clooney giving his assessment of the weather (“looks pretty good”) — the big highlight was a visit from “Dwanta Claus,” better known as Johnson, to help announce a $5 million donation from sponsor FedEx to the Toys for Tots holiday toy drive.

It started after Krasinski spotlighted his pick for "Hero Parent of the Week," a widowed dad named Jay Abel who was selling his cherished comic collectables on eBay to be able to buy his kids Christmas presents. Krasinski told the “superdad,” who’s been out of work during the pandemic, that he tried buying Abel’s listings, but Abel thought it was a hoax and blocked the sales.

Then Johnson popped on, in his “Dwanta” hat, and did what he does best which is spreading cheer.

“Take all of your stuff off of eBay because Dwanta Claus is going to take care of all of that stuff, man,” said Johnson, who promised to buy all the L.O.L. dolls and video games on Abel’s kids’ gift list.

Johnson then invited Abel, who had tweeted the star earlier this month asking him to share his eBay listing, to visit him at the DC Universe in Southern California, once safe, and promised Abel his Black Adam script, saying he’d put in a leather-bound book for him.

That is when Johnson said Abel represented many parents struggling at this time of year, and announced that FedEx would be donating the $5 million for toys going to kids in need.

Johnson said to Abel, “You embody the spirit. And I feel very confident I can speak for my friend John here in that the true measure of a man and true measure of a human being truly is always what’s in their heart. Always what’s deep down in their heart, and in their mana... You inspire us.”