When the Grinch Hit the Dougie, the Internet Took Notice
By Chad Eric Smith, Director of Marketing and Communications, Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts
Over winter break, CABCoFA junior music business major and Student Council President Alphonso Evans Jr. found himself at Universal Studios face to face with a hip Grinch who has stolen millions of hearts. What happened next turned into a viral moment that blended joy, cultural fluency, and unmistakable creative instinct.
Already aware that the Grinch character had been circulating widely on social media, Alphonso knew he had to seize the moment. With no line in sight, he and his family stepped right in. After a furry dap with the Grinch, portrayed by actor Nick Darnell, Alphonso asked him if he knew how to dance—specifically, if he knew how to Dougie.
“Teach me how to Dougie, huh?!” the Grinch exclaimed.
What followed was a spontaneous Dougie dance-off that felt effortless, funny, and instantly shareable.
The internet agreed. The video quickly took off, amassing more than 1.3 million likes, hundreds of thousands of shares, and a rapidly growing creator community around Alphonso’s page. The clip was reposted across Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok—often without attribution—as if it were content audiences had discovered organically on their own. It was the kind of virality that cannot be manufactured, only hoped for.
For Alphonso, the experience was both affirming and grounding.
I had already seen the Grinch going viral on social media, so when I got to Universal Studios, I knew I had to see him. There was no line, so my sister, cousin, and I ran up—and from the moment he approached, I realized it was Nick. I decided to just be myself and have fun. Going viral has been an incredible experience, especially seeing my creator community grow, but through it all, I’m grounded in keeping God first.
Part of what made the moment resonate so widely was the performance on both sides. Nick Darnell’s Grinch is clearly informed by the physical comedy and elastic expressiveness made iconic by Jim Carrey, yet Nick brings something distinctly his own to the character. His portrayal carries an undeniable Black creative genius flair—rhythmic, improvisational, and culturally fluent in a way that feels fresh rather than derivative.
Together, Alphonso and Nick created a moment that felt joyful, authentic, and deeply of the culture. It is a reminder that creativity does not live solely on stages or in studios. It lives in instinct, timing, and the courage to lean into play.
At the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, we celebrate students who understand that artistry is not just about craft, but about presence. Alphonso’s viral moment is more than a fun story. It is a reflection of what happens when preparation meets personality, and when creative confidence meets opportunity—even if that opportunity happens to be wearing green fur and a Santa coat.