Today is April 25, and “Miss Congeniality” fans – and at least one of its stars – know exactly what that means: It’s the perfect date.
It stems from a quirky mix-up in the 2000 Sandra Bullock-starring film that fans have come to celebrate for nearly two decades. Bullock plays an FBI agent, who is assigned to go undercover as Miss New Jersey’s Gracie Lou Freebush in a beauty pageant.
The iconic “perfect date” line comes during one of the talent rounds of the competition.
“Miss Rhode Island, please describe your idea of a perfect date,” William Shatner’s pageant MC Stan Fields asks contestant Cheryl Frasier, played by Heather Burns.
She responds: “That’s a tough one. I’d have to say April 25th. Because it’s not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket.”
Her misunderstanding of the question is one of the film’s most memorable quotes.
Social media erupted today with memes and GIFs celebrating the date.
“Still a perfect date,” one user wrote. Another posted: “Once a pageant girl… always a pageant girl. #PerfectDate Happy April 25!”
One user captured the true enthusiasm of the day: “IT’S THE PERFECT DATE! HAPPY APRIL 25TH!”
Even actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt tagged Shatner in a tweet about it, and then Shatner himself jumped on the GIF bandwagon.
“You know what today is? It’s the #PerfectDate Thank you Miss Rhode Island!” Shatner tweeted.
In his reply to Gordon-Levitt, Shatner also explained why that particular date was chosen in the first place. “It’s the birthday of the wife of the director of #MissCongeniality (Donald Petrie). So her birthday is memorialized in the film forever!” he wrote, adding, “Use this factoid at your next cocktail party; you’ll be a hit!”
Happy perfect date to all.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Miss Congeniality’ fans, rejoice: William Shatner celebrates April 25
