NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk Police Department’s “funky” lip sync challenge video took the world by storm last summer, and now it’s looking to win one final showdown during a new CBS special.
The show will be on News 3 at 8 p.m. on September 9.
According to CBS, the network was so inspired by the viral video phenomenon that it will air a new, one-hour entertainment special called “Lip Sync to the Rescue” later this year. The special will be hosted by actor and comedian Cedric the Entertainer, star of the CBS comedy “The Neighborhood.”
“Lip Sync to the Rescue” is an interactive countdown special where viewers vote for their favorite video of performances featuring first responders channeling their inner pop stars – and that includes Norfolk’s finest! The winner will be announced live during the broadcast.
The challenge began as a fun way for police and first responders to engage with the communities they serve, in turn challenging other departments to do the same.
The first round of voting begins on CBS.com this month. You can view 30 clips from departments across the country tackling the challenge and vote for your favorite as often as you want.
Then, the Top 10 videos will be revealed during the show, which will film in front of an audience of first responders, families and friends. Only two videos will advance to the live vote during the broadcast to decide the winner.
Norfolk Police shot a one-take video of officers strutting their stuff through the hallways of the department, lip syncing to Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ 2014 hit “Uptown Funk.” After going viral, they told News 3 the video strengthened their relationship with the community. They even hosted a meet and greet at the Waterside District, where they signed autographs and took photos with citizens.
“There’s this kind of perception that we might be like robots; that we’re so matter-of-fact all the time, and the truth is we’re no different than everyone else,” Corporal William Pickering, Jr. said in July 2018.
The department received a Special Engagement Award and a $5,000 donation for the video during the Learning 2018 conference in Orlando, Florida, in November.
Click here to vote for NPD’s video.
