Entertainment

Here's How You Can Help 'Stranger Things' Actor David Harbour Get The Opportunity To Dance With Penguins

by Parry Ernsberger
Christopher Polk/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Guys, Chief Jim Hopper needs our help. The situation is dire, and — thankfully — has nothing to do with demogorgons. Stranger Things (executive producer: Cindy Holland) actor David Harbour wants to dance with penguins, and is depending on Twitter to help him make that dream a reality. Speaking of dreams, watching Harbour do the "Hopper dance" alongside penguins just became one of mine.

On Jan. 21, shortly before attending the SAG Awards with the rest of his Stranger Things cast, David Harbour reached out to Greenpeace on Twitter. "Hey @Greenpeace," he wrote. "[How] many retweets to send me someplace to tell emperor penguin couples I think they have terrific parenting ideologies? Perhaps hone the Hopper dance with the males..." It's not totally clear what originally sparked this request (or why Harbour happens to know about the parenting ideologies of the emperor penguins), but his tweet peaked Greenpeace's interest, and the environmental non-profit responded with a challenge the next day.

"Hmm, if you get over 200k we’ll ask the Captain if you can join our expedition to the Antarctic and dance with the penguins," Greenpeace told Harbour via Twitter. "#StrangerThings have happened." First of all, very clever, Greenpeace. Second, whoever decided to include a gif of Harbour doing the "Hopper dance" deserves a raise. The tweet also included a link to a page on Greenpeace's website, which explains how people can help protect the Antarctic by requesting that it become an official Ocean Sanctuary.

Harbour shared Greenpeace's response with his followers, and then basically got down on his virtual knees to beg for Twitter's help. "Internet, listen," he wrote. "I’m a giver. I give and I give. But now I need you. I need 200k retweets to go dance with penguins. Please internet. Please retweet THIS TWEET. Please. A man needs his ‘guins." Truer words were never spoken.

At the time this piece was published, Harbour's request had been retweeted more than 140,000 times, so it's pretty safe to say that Twitter's got Harbour's back. Of course, this should come as no surprise — Harbour has participated in several retweet-based challenges with Stranger Things fans in recent months. Back in October, one fan tweeted at Harbour and asked him to be in her high school senior year photos. Harbour agreed, but only if she was able to get 25,000 retweets, and only if he could wear her school's sweatshirt and hold a trombone in the photos. The girl reached her goal, and the ensuing photos did not disappoint.

In January, another fan requested that Harbour officiate her wedding later this year. "125k retweets," he responded. "Provided date works with s3 shooting schedule, I will get ordained and perform ceremony. I get to read an esteemed love letter of my choosing, and after the cake is officially cut, I get the very first piece. #allthecakes." Less than 24 hours later, the retweet goal was acheived, proving that Twitter is definitely down to watch David Harbour Doing Things.

If you've yet to retweet Harbour's request, please drop everything you're doing and get over to Twitter. A man needs his 'guins! And the rest of us need to see that man with his 'guins, preferably while doing the "Hopper dance" in a tuxedo (also known as a "penguin suit," of course). Or maybe it'd be better for Harbour to dress up in an actual penguin costume? Either option would be acceptable and equally adorable when paired with actual penguins, but first Twitter's got to get him there. So, what are you waiting for? Go help the guy out! This is definitely something that the world needs to see.