For Tory Bullock, nothing is as magical as a snow day.
So the 28-year-old Boston actor, improv instructor for kids and video extraordinaire has made it his mission to share his love for the wintry mini-vacations with the world.
“I want people to start acknowledging how amazing snow days are,” Bullock told Metro. “If it was up to me, I would make the first snow day in the city of Boston a holiday because it’s just, nothing is more fun.” Sunday night, following news that classes would be cancelled for Boston Public Schools on Monday, Bullock posted a video of himself rapping about his joy at reading a text about the news over an uplifting cut from “Lion King” soundtrack – one of his favorite movies. By Monday afternoon it had been viewed more than 10,000 times. RELATED: Boston snow facts: What you need to know when it snows The Boston native’s snow day celebrations, which he started posting last winter, are becoming a sensation among students, teachers and others who just remember the feeling only a snow day can bring. They’ve popped up in teacher’s union newsletters, been shared among former students and garnered hundreds of comments on Facebook from people sharing his excitement.
That moment when you find out you go ANOTHER snow day. #BPS #BostonPublicSchools #LionKing
Posted by Tory Bullock on Sunday, February 7, 2016
His video from the school cancellation on Friday, which featured him rapping over the theme from “Rocky,” waspicked up by The Today Show. He said he picks his theme music based on the vibe he gets from the announcement.
“It really goes off of the emotion that I feel when I first get the news,” he said. “The first tone was like it was an underdog story of a teacher who never thought they were going to get a snow day.” He said he already had his song picked out in case school is cancelled Tuesday, but said it’s top secret.
Bullock’s many videos —improvised riffs on issues of the day, sketches and the like —have had a wide audience before. One video from January, in whichhe shared his opinion on the Oscars’ lack of black nominees, was viewed more than 400,000 times. RELATED:Boston comics with Laughing Liberally share jokes about Iowa caucuses He said by speaking his mind online, he hopes to inspire his students to express themselves. Bullock works with a program calledUrban Improv, where he leads improvisation workshops for students at a dozen Boston schools, focusing on conflict resolution and discussions about topics like racism, homophobia and good nutrition, he said. He is not employed by Boston Public Schools. “It’s about being present in the moment,” he said. “When the kids watch these videos I hope they take away, ‘Wow. He’s in the moment.’”
At least for Monday, Bullock said he planned to spend his moments lounging on his couch in his XXL onesie, sipping hot chocolate, watching his favorite TV show (“Dawson’s Creek”) and maybe having a snowball fight. “Anything can happen on a snow day,” he said.
Clarification: This story has been updated to more accurately reflect Tory Bullock's role as an improv instructor for children. Bullock is not a Boston Public Schools employee.
