What are your favorite "the pro joins the amateurs" videos?

March 17, 2023 11:02 AM

I'm a total sucker for a professional athlete or musician encountering talented amateurs and joining them for a game/song, especially when it showcases the amateur's skills/composure. (Think Lenny Kravitz with a high school choir, Ed Sheeran at the mall, Rafa hitting with a kid at Indian Wells, etc.) I can search YouTube like a champ, but what are your favorites in this genre?
posted by AgentRocket to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (18 answers total)

Jimmy Somerville of Bronski Beat joins a busker to sing Smalltown Boy.
posted by chr1sb0y at 11:06 AM on March 17, 2023 [5 favorites]

A lot of good music ones in this previous Ask.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:09 AM on March 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

There is a whole genre of some guy thinks he can play with pro women athletes. The WNBA stars crushing guys who played in college but weren't on anyone's NBA lists are my favorites.
posted by advicepig at 11:22 AM on March 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

So to be clear, you're not interested in the genre of "NBA player clowns youth basketball team?" because I love those but they do not really showcase the amateur's skills
posted by dismas at 11:23 AM on March 17, 2023

Right, missed that part.
posted by advicepig at 11:29 AM on March 17, 2023

I think Wilco let their roadie (or some other person close to the band but not a playing member) play some songs live on stage. I think the song was Love Will Keep Us Together, but I'm not 100% sure.


Also, this one of The Who replacing their drummer with a fan mid-concert is pretty famous.
posted by The_Vegetables at 11:36 AM on March 17, 2023

Here's Glen Hansard joining in with someone busking on the street playing one of his songs. The song is a vocal duet, most famous from the film and musical theatre production Once.
posted by sol at 11:44 AM on March 17, 2023 [4 favorites]

This video of Kristin Chenoweth singing with audience member Sarah Horn always fills me with happiness.
posted by essexjan at 12:46 PM on March 17, 2023 [8 favorites]

Beyonce joining a huge group of middle schoolers dancing to her song at a school performance never fails to put a smile on my face. The attitude and sass of the kids before they realize Bey is joining them is joyful enough, but then when they get excited to see her join in the middle and yet KEEP flawlessly executing their choreography... it's the best.
posted by CiaoMela at 1:03 PM on March 17, 2023 [11 favorites]

Oh yes! And this one of Lisette Oropesa, singing her fourth encore of the evening, who is joined by an opera student sitting in the audience.
posted by CiaoMela at 1:11 PM on March 17, 2023 [2 favorites]

This one probably does *not* fit the theme...

Ex Marine plays Airsoft and gets 18 "kills" in one minute
posted by kschang at 1:49 PM on March 17, 2023

I love this video of Michael Buble being browbeaten into bringing an insistent fan's son onstage during a concert...and then what happens next.
posted by Cheese Monster at 2:54 PM on March 17, 2023 [3 favorites]

Tony Hawk does this a lot. Here's one video.
posted by hydra77 at 5:00 PM on March 17, 2023

Adele put on a fake nose and chin to sing with a group of Adele impersonators. (She starts around 3:30 or so.)
In a somewhat similar vein, Jewel once did the fake nose for a karaoke night.
posted by Superilla at 5:33 PM on March 17, 2023 [4 favorites]

Lizzo just shared a video kinda like this on Instagram (with a really lovely caption).
posted by Empidonax at 6:01 PM on March 17, 2023 [3 favorites]

This happened at the 2021 Tour of Britain. Follow-up piece.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:24 PM on March 17, 2023 [1 favorite]

Tools's drummer Danny Carey with some highschool kids playing a very respectible version of The Pot.

I love that he seems to be having a great time and the kids do a great job.
posted by DrumsIntheDeep at 10:34 PM on March 17, 2023

This is a favorite. Guy at a small coffee shop is playing a Matisyahu song without realizing it's Matis himself singing with him.

The follow up of the kid joining him on stage is nice as well.
posted by eggman at 2:14 PM on March 18, 2023