Secret Superheroes celebrates people who’ve overcome adversity, made amazing contributions to society, and inspired others to do the same. Each week we highlight exceptional people in different fields. This week we focus on Christmas! 🎄🎁
Mariah Carey
When Mariah Carey announced in 1994 that she would be releasing an album of Christmas music, critics scoffed. Now the holiday period is known to fans as simply Mariah Season, such is the singer’s good-natured grip on Christmas culture. She hasn’t just silenced her critics as the best-selling Christmas artist of the modern era, but also the racists who have been flinging abuse at her since childhood.
When Muppet Show creator Jim Henson tragically passed away, his children were left with an enormous challenge. They were not just grieving for one of the planet’s best-loved family entertainers, but also tasked with rescuing his company and preserving his legacy. Brian stepped into his father’s shoes and directed his first-ever feature film, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and in the process created one of the greatest festive films of all time.
Few figures are as closely associated with the holiday season as Anderson Cooper, the face of CNN’s raucous New Year’s Eve coverage for the last twenty years. This celebrated news anchor’s path to journalism began with tragedy, and he’s been forced to face homophobic abuse ever since becoming a public figure. As time passes, he’s succeeded in ringing out old bigotries and ringing in a new, more accepting age; who better to preside over the celebration as Times Square prepares to welcome 2023?
