- Today is April 3, 2020.
Let me see what I'm gonna do with this.
Hmm, oh, I got an idea.
It is a day
when monsters like to eat cookies.
It's a cookie monster day with nuts.
I'm gonna write my name here
so that I remember that I'm the one who signed this.
That I wrote this and drew it.
Today is the last day of Mo "Lunch Doodles."
And it's been so great to be able
to come into your homes.
It's been really exciting to see all of your doodles
and to listen to all of your questions.
And for those of you who are asking,
"Why are we ending today?"
It's because you are an M.M.D., a Mo Master Doodler.
That's right.
You now have the knowledge, and you can share that
with your friends and grownups in your life.
It's a beautiful thing.
So we're gonna give you a diploma today.
Special grownup, if you haven't done
what we asked yesterday,
pause and go to this website right here,
and click on the special thing link.
And print it out for however many people you have,
and fill it out.
Because now we're going to be giving the special diplomas.
All right, you got that?
Pause, special thing, print, fill it out, okay.
Now, play.
The reason that you get an M.M.D. is that you
are a great doodler.
You're not an M.D.
An M.D. is a doctor, and those people are heroes.
Those are the people right now
working very, very hard to save people
and to make people feel better.
And you're doing your part by being home
and being creative and being wonderful.
And that's why you're gonna get this diploma.
I'm gonna read this diploma.
So you can see, there it is.
The only difference is, when I hand it to you,
it will magically have your name on it.
Official M.M.D. diploma.
Let it be known that the inaugural educational
artist-in-residence at the
John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts,
Mr. Mo Willems, from his residence, here,
and upon recommendation of the executive board
of the SDD, social distancing doodlers,
recognizes that you
are hereby awarded the degree of M.M.D., Master Mo Doodler,
having demonstrated astounding abilities of creativity
in your own style in the subjects of
art, animation, literature, super bouncing,
costume design, puppeteering, theatrics,
not letting the pigeon drive the bus,
and all other manners of, and related to,
lunch-time art making.
On this day, this day.
In this year, this year.
At your place, where you are right now creating art.
In witness thereof with all the rights, privileges,
and creativity thereto pertaining, we hereby salute you.
And I signed each and every one of these.
Now we have a ceremony
where we're going to give these diplomas
to all of the master doodlers.
Grownup helpers, I hope you're ready by your screens.
Now, we can't just do this without pomp and circumstance.
And that's why I've invited my good friend, Al Yankovic,
otherwise known as Mr. Pomp and Mr. Circumstance.
- That's me.
- Al, this is a very serious moment.
There are many, many, many children out there
who are now master doodlers.
It's remarkable.
So maybe we can play some music
while we give these diplomas.
Would you please step up?
Would you please step up to the screen?
- Okay, here I go.
- Would you please step up?
Here we are.
- Okay, ready?
- I'm ready.
("Pomp and Circumstance")
Is there someone else?
Step up to the screen.
Congratulations.
I'm so proud of you.
I loved your doodles.
(Mo clapping)
Congratulations, you are all now master doodlers.
I pull off my hat and throw it in the air for you.
So proud of the work that you've done.
And so I've gotten you a special gift.
If you go to that same website right there
that's covering Al's face right now.
I'm sorry, Al.
There's a book that I've written for you,
an activity book, that helps you write stories
and draw my characters, and create your own stories.
So you can download that, and you can print that.
And listen, there's so many other artists
and illustrators right now doing what we're doing,
drawing and teaching you and reading books.
So go online and try and find them.
We'll also have a resource of those artists.
And now, to play us out, because it's traditional
for a party, we're gonna roll the credits
of all the people who have helped make this possible,
at the Kennedy Center, at my publishing house,
friends and family.
And I know you don't wanna read all the names,
so in between some of the names
will be things you might find in the kitchen.
So, for instance, if you rent with Al Yankovic,
and you see his name,
that's because you might find him in the kitchen.
If you don't there will be other things
you might find in the kitchen.
And all of my friends here are gonna help us party.
Would you like to play some party music, Al?
- I would.
- That's great.
He learned his line.
All right, guys.
(energetic accordion music)