By Megan Acquavella
Staff Writer
On March 30, at 7 p.m., the children’s network Nickelodeon broadcasted a special program, “#KidsTogether: The Nickelodeon Town Hall.”
The special offered a kid’s-eye view of the coronavirus pandemic and directly addressed questions and concerns children may have.
Nickelodeon’s intent was to create a space for children to have an open conversation and help them better understand how to stay healthy with tips and insights from medical experts.
The broadcast was hosted by actress Kristen Bell, and featured many other celebrity appearances such as Kevin Hart, Charli D’Amelio, Ellen DeGeneres and Noah Centineo.
The special began with a segment featuring the Former Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, to help explain the coronavirus to two girls who were also present on the virtual call: Zoe from Memphis, Tenn., and Desi from Los Angeles.
“What are some of the symptoms of the COVID-19,” asked Desi.
Dr. Murthy answered many questions surrounding coronavirus, and reminded viewers and young children the importance of washing your hands and not touching your face.
The second segment featured many pre-recorded clips of younger celebrities, including JoJo Siwa and Millie Bobby Brown.
“I’ve been playing tons of games with my family and I have actually been learning how to write with my opposite hand,” said Siwa.
During the broadcast, there was a clip of Serena Williams showing off her garden and explaining her daily routine while in quarantine.
“One thing I’ve really been doing a lot is cooking. I do like lots of salads and greens and I have been trying to eat healthy while I’m self-quarantining,” said Williams.
Bell discussed the surge in TikTok users, which is an app that is used to create short dance, lip-sync, comedy and talent videos.
TikTok star Charli D’Amelio and her family joined the broadcast to teach Bell a popular TikTok dance, called “the distance dance.” This is a subtle nod at the required social distancing being practiced across the country.
During the end of the segment, there were a multitude of clips from many artists performing live “house concerts” on their personal Instagram accounts.
The show concluded with a virtual performance by Alicia Keys, singing the acoustic version of the song “Underdog.” Keys also played the piano during the performance.
“Kids know the only way to get through tough times is by doing it together,” said Bell.
