Watch This Bizarre ‘Everything is Awesome’ Parody by Gannett Executives
America’s largest newspaper publisher has laid off a large number of employees in recent days, but things appear to be quite rosy at the top. An internal team-building video has surfaced that’s raising quite a few eyebrows: it’s a parody of the LEGO Movie song “Everything is Awesome,” featuring company CEO Gracia Martore as the band leader.
Jim Romenesko got his hands on the clip, which you can watch above.
Mike, the reader who sent in this tip, writes: “As a former photojournalist myself, I love how they have money to produce bizarre videos like this as they cut staff.”
Here’s what people are saying about the video on Twitter:
No joke: Gannett CEO Gracia Martore 'performed' to a dub of "Everything is Awesome" during town hall broadcast to employees, I've been told.
— Jessie Opoien (@jessieopie) April 21, 2015
(Note: Everything is NOT awesome at Gannett.)
— Locke Party (@bradlocke) April 24, 2015
FYI @Gannett: In the Lego Movie, this is a brainwashing anthem made by an evil corporation: https://t.co/IkEEljDvVp via @romenesko
— Eric Scott Johnson (@HeyHeyESJ) April 24, 2015
The best part about Gannett execs un-ironically doing "Everything is Awesome" is that it's a song by a dictatorship
http://t.co/jQrUVJNEP9
— Steve Cavendish (@scavendish) April 24, 2015
I, um. Oh, boy. I – YEESH – can't process this. / Gannett execs make "Everything is Awesome" parody: http://t.co/Fn6RsaqdLh via @romenesko
— Scott Leadingham (@scottleadingham) April 24, 2015
Everything is awesome, if you survived the layoffs! http://t.co/n6er3ZzI77
— jeff schweers (@jeffro2316) April 24, 2015
Mind blown. Gannett execs, who got big raises for laying off hundreds, sing "Everything is Awesome" in insane video. http://t.co/P5ydHCx0rj
— Tim Paluch (@TimPaluch) April 24, 2015
No one on the Gannett exec team seems to possess a sense of irony: http://t.co/hAroa9dyW5
— Scott Smith (@ourmaninchicago) April 24, 2015
Everything u want to know about decline of newsmedia found in @Gannett surreal team building music video http://t.co/gJWypkD3KP cc @rafat
— Chris Schroeder (@cmschroed) April 24, 2015
People have even begun posting parody videos of the parody:
So, unfortunately for Gannett, it seems like this idea backfired…
