2016 has been a bad year. We've lost greats like Prince and David Bowie, Donald Trump is the Republican candidate for the presidency, racism is increasingly more apparent in our society, hell, even the Olympics have been disapointing. It doesn't seem to be getting better as the year goes on, in fact, we started this week with the news of Gene Wilder's death. I'm sending 2016 back. I demand a refund because it is clearly defective.
Wilder, most famous for his roll as Willy Wonka in the 1971 adaptation of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, was 83 when he passed away on Monday morning after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. Gene Wilder was a huge part of my childhood and, if your parents are anything like mine, he was for you as well. One of my earliest memories is singing "Pure Imagination" with my mother in our cramped kitchen.
When I heard about Wilder's death, I hated to say that I wasn't surprised. I have become quite numb to celebrity deaths in the last few years. I still cried, but it wasn't the heart-wrenching sobs that erupted from my body when we lost David Bowie and Robin Williams. Gene Wilder was an incredible actor and a really entertaining human and the world is a little darker today without him.
One of the greatest things about Gene Wilder and his acting are his facial expressions. Having such an expressive face marks a whole nother tier of acting prowess to me, and Wilder's movements never dissapointed. So, to celebrate the late, great Mr. Wilder, let's just take a quick moment of silence to look at these 13 perpetualy relateable Gene Wilder gifs.
1. When you remember the night before that have a paper due at 9 am and you haven't started it:
2. When it's 3 in the morning and you're only halfway done with said paper:
3. When you finish the paper:
4. When your family members start asking about what you're going to do after college:5. When you make food for your housemates using whatever you've got in your pantry:
6. When you and your friends are trying to decide if you want to go to that party you were invited to:
7. And then you get to the party like...:
8. When you pretend to pay attention in class:
9. When you hear some juicy gossip:
10. When you just can't even pretend to care anymore:
11. Walking home drunk after a party:
12. But then you come back to the party like:
13. When toxic people leave your life:
Thank you for being a dreamer, Mr. Wilder. Rest easy up in a world of pure imagination.