Will Ferrell would like you to put your phone down and talk to your loved ones, please. (Possibly about your Dodge Stratus and ability to do 100 push-ups in 20 minutes.)
The beloved comedian/unlikely MLB journeyman is the star of a new set of PSAs for non-profit organization Common Sense Media. The #DeviceFreeDinner campaign is exactly what it sounds like, a push to remove mobile devices out of family dinners and adopt more balanced lifestyles in how we consume digital media. In these spots, the kids seem to have sorted out that being on your phone mid-conversation is rude, but Ferrell can’t quite shake the hold being online has on him.
“As long as it’s still in the basket I can technically still touch it, right?” asks a hopeful Ferrell once his device is surrendered.
He’s not really a McGruff type hero in these public service announcements, but more of a silly bratty villain putting cat filters ahead of his own family. (To be fair, his family could be really dull.) The PSAs are quick, easy-to-understand and have Will Ferrell in hard dad mode. Heck, by Ferrell standards, this comes across like the most reasonable mealtime interaction we’ve ever seen the guy have.