Most fan-launched petitions these days inspire a shrug, although some (like the angry group who wanted a Game of Thrones eighth season remake) prompt laughter and roasting. However, there’s a new petition that one would be hard pressed to take issue with, and that’s the hopeful elevation of Keanu Reeves to god-like status. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, for in reality, this is a petition that seeks to name Reeves as TIME‘s 2019 Person of the Year. And the campaign doesn’t even try to explain the nuances of the goal but merely attempts to make a blunt point: “Keanu is the most wholesome person alive, make him the person of the year!”
Short and to the point. That’s admirable in a sense, and it’s working. Less than 24 hours ago, the petition stood at close to 1,500 signatures, but on Tuesday, that number skyrocketed in only a few hours after word began to spread. As of this writing, people are signing every few seconds, and it currently stands at over 9,000 signatures.
It’s a little silly, yes? However, this plea speaks to the Keanussaince currently underway, largely due to John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum‘s box-office success and the sheer fact that no one has ever had anything negative to say about the best action movie star alive, who even poses for photos in a “respectful” manner. He also thrilled gamers at a recent Xbox presentation, and he’s simply an all around swell guy.
Will TIME take excited fans of Speed and Always Be My Maybe into account, and does it even matter? We’ll find out later this year, and although the storied publication has treated the honor with much seriousness for the past few years, there’s always allowance for more Keanu world domination.
(Via Change.org)
