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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in a wet T-shirt holding two puppies

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in a wet T-shirt holding two puppies

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Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson saving two puppies from drowning in a pool will be the most popular story on the internet today. It won't be the most popular story because it's 100 percent true — Johnson has a track record of fibbing on social media. It won't be the most popular story because the event — more than all events across the planet — warrants such attention. It will be the most popular story on the internet, because it's the least offensive, most joyous, and easily sharable thing we have — even if it's just self-promotion.

The photo is more powerful than the sum of its parts: it features Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, one of the most broadly loved celebrities on Earth; Johnson is wearing a wet T-shirt, revealing his muscles; he is smiling; the photo also features not one, but two puppies; those puppies are French bulldogs, a popular breed among the Instagram set; and the photo is accompanied by a hero's tale.

I look at this photo, and I see a man who learned his most valuable lesson in his years as a pro wrestler: fact or fiction, people won't care if you give them a good show.

Here's a fun Labor Day weekend story... We just decided to add two new members to our Johnson family. Baby French Bulldogs. In my right hand is BRUTUS and in my left hand is HOBBS. Bring them home and immediately take them outside so they can start learning how to "handle their business and potty like big boys". I set them both down and they both take off in a full sprint and fall right into the deep end of our pool. HOBBS immediately starts doggy paddling while BRUTUS (like a brick) sink heads first to the bottom of the pool. I take off into a full sprint, fully clothed, dive in the pool, swim to the bottom, rescue my brick, I mean BRUTUS and bring him back to the edge of the pool. He was a little delirious.. took a moment, threw up all the water he swallowed and looked up at me as if to say, "Thank God you didn't have to give me mouth to mouth!" and then ran off to play with his brother. A few lessons I've learned today.. A) Not all puppies have the instinct to doggie paddle. B) Some puppies (like BRUTUS) will be so in shock by experiencing water they will sink extremely fast so react quick. C) While spiriting to save your puppies life, before you dive in, try and throw your cel phone to safety. Don't keep it in your pocket... like I did. #BRUTUSLives #HOBBSCanSwim #MyCelPhonesDead #AndNoMouthToMouthNeeded #HappyLaborDay

A photo posted by therock (@therock) on


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