With Rhonda Rousey accepting Jarrod Haschert’s invite to this year’s Marine Corps Ball, thanks in part to some pressure by TMZ, so returns one of 2011’s most ubiquitous trends, Marines asking out celebrities via YouTube video. With the flurry of videos that were posted that year, it was inevitable that some would end up declining, but they always seemed to do so gracefully. Others accepted the invite and attended the event arm-in-arm with their dates.
We look at some of the more notable occasions of this phenomenon that’s almost certain to make a comeback in 2015 thanks to Haschert’s success.
Sgt. Scott Moore Asks Mila Kunis
At just under 20 seconds, (and a whopping 4.5 million views), Sgt. Scott Moore, who was stationed in Musa Qala, Afghanistan, at the time, cut right to the chase, asking out movie star (and Uproxx darling) Mila Kunis. She accepted his invite, thanks to some coercing from then-costar Justin Timberlake. Regardless, she kept true to her word and attended the gala with Moore, who said that “it was a blast.”
Corp. Kelsey De Santis Asks Justin Timberlake
Another concise, to the point video, Corporal Kelsey De Santis wasted no time asking out Justin Timberlake, even telling him to “cry me a river” should he decline. Timberlake accepted the invite, and by all accounts was the perfect date. He went on to say that “what happened then took me by such surprise that I was almost brought to tears… I was truly moved” when watching the tribute video to the men and women who served.
Sgt. Ray Lewis Asks Betty White
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ko_zSr5mh4
Banking on the success of his fellow Marines who had scored dates with Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, Lewis demonstrated some of his physical prowess before introducing himself to the camera, though he switched up the setting before getting formal. The video ended with Lewis in full dress holding a red rose as he asked Betty White to the Ball, saying that “she’s funny, she’s sweet, she’s mature. She’s the all-around perfect woman.” White ended up having to decline the invite, as she was taping Hot In Cleveland at the time.
Linda Hamilton Asks Sgt. Lewis To Ask Her Instead
Learning of Betty White’s scheduling conflicts, Linda “Sarah Connor” Hamilton made a video of her own, starting off with some footage of her working out in Terminator 2 before introducing herself with the line “I don’t know if you know who I am.” It actually got more awkward from there, as she mentioned that she was keeping her sunglasses on as “she’d been up all night crying.” Even though Hamilton called herself “no Betty White,” Lewis accepted her invitation to invite her, and the two attended the event together.
Sgt. Dustin L. Williams Asks Scarlett Johansson
While the original video is no longer available on YouTube, which is a shame, since his Johansson herself said he “displays a cheeky talent for film making,” Sgt. Williams had uploaded a rather elaborate video that asked if she’d attend the event with him. She declined, later saying, “I feel incredibly honored to have been invited to the Marine Corps Ball by Sgt. Dustin L. William.” She did, however, send a case of Moet and Chandon (a brand of champagne she happened to represent at the time) along with her gratitude instead.
Lance Corporal Ian Hart Asks ‘All American Girl’ Miley Cyrus
Keeping with the trend, Lance Corporal Hart made an offer “no American girl can resist,” namely, a date with him to the Marine Corps Ball. He spent just over 30 seconds making his case, stating it’s the “beginning of an amazing tradition.” He wasn’t kidding, as it wasn’t the last time Cyrus was asked to the Marine Corps Ball via YouTube. While she ended up declining, she did call him and express her gratitude for all he does, while her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, extended him an invite to their home in Toluca Lake.
Many others followed suit, with the likes of Taylor Swift, Drake, Emma Stone and Will Ferrell all being propositioned online that year. Although, with Rousey setting the new precedent, and Miley still very much in the public eye, this could turn out to be one Marine’s lucky year.