David Pogue is a genius.
But Wednesday night, the talented, very prolific (and longtime Westport resident) tech genius blew by Einstein, Stephen Hawking and Steven Spielberg — combined.
He’s been dating Nicki Dugan, a wonderful woman with whom he quickly fell in love.
There was one small problem: She lives in San Francisco.
Technology solves many problems — it helped sustain their long-distance relationship — but David wanted more.
He wanted to marry Nicki.
He also wanted to propose in the most Poguian way possible.
David Pogue, in a typical pose.
So he hired a crew of actors — including a man and woman who looked like himself and Nicki.
He found an NYU film director. He wrote a script. He scouted locations.
Then he wrote a movie trailer, about a man who falls in love with a woman. He connived to show it at a movie theater in Vermont, where he and Nicki were on vacation.
As only David can manage, the voiceover is done by the real guy who’s intoned “In a world…” many times over.
But, as a film doctor — okay, Marty Floch — tells “Nicki”: “You live 3,000 miles from him.”
And, as “David” tells a buddy — walking along the Saugatuck River — “I’d rather have an angel from heaven half the time…”
The real Nicki Dugan.
Around this time, Nicki figured what was up. We can tell — I should mention that David has posted the “trailer” — because in the lower right corner, we can see Nicki’s reaction. We can see all this, because David — I told you he’s a genius — hid a camera in a ficus plant to record her reaction.
She said yes!
As she did, the audience — and the actors, in the trailer — cheered lustily.
The trailer must be seen to be believed. There has to be an Oscar-worthy category for it, somewhere.
And I’d say that even if I didn’t have my own cameo role in all this, just 44 seconds in when “Nicki” first appears on screen.
Congratulations, David and Nicki! May you have a long, wonderful life together.
And I can’t wait to see the wedding video!
(Click here to view the trailer. In a typical David Pogue flourish, it comes from “Happiest Man Alive Productions.”)
The real David and Nicki, with the fake trailer playing behind them.
Tsk tsk to Dave! So soon??
David Pogue truly is brilliant! This is absolutely wonderful! (and note that Nicki responded right on cue…). His kids were in on it, her reactions were priceless – ‘truly David Pogue at his best. ‘Wishing David and Nicki a lifetime of love and happiness!
thanks for this moment of joy !! we need all we can get….I hope it lasts forever. xoxoxo everyone
Sure hope he tweeted the news moments later, threw it up on his tumblr, checked-in on foursquare, added it to his diaspora profile…
Dan.. I watched the whole video and missed you!!! Where were you?
I’m at the 42-second mark.
We noticed you, Dan! Great part as the guy in Nicki’s office (dressed in a suit!) who took some papers from her. I’m amazed others didn’t ask David, “Hey, where was a credit at the end for actor Dan Woog?”. 🙂
Great. But does not say who moved, and did the kids follow ?
This happened two days ago! They probably haven’t set a wedding date or figured out anything except that they want to be together forever.
Seeing as David works in NY and still owns his house in Westport, I assume the girl and kids moved to the east coast – but I could be wrong.
Brilliant job. This is a fantastic proposal and I hope it goes viral. Too much!
WC
Wonderful! Made my morning. And I’m jealous I didn’t think of it myself.
For sure a viral video in the making. Incredibly heartwarming. But let me be the first to start their question with: “If there was a camera hidden in the ficus, might there have been one hidden in…” 🙂
Dying to know if there’s an alternate unused ending where the actors react to Nicki saying no.
i just fell in love with David Pogue! and Dan you were brilliant, oscar worthy handshake!
Awesome!
Ironic that technology caused his last marriage to fail, threw a phone, and made this one happen?
Who cares!
Agree…..pretentious and conceited
The day we don’t care about Romance, is the day we should all hang it up. Add passion and romance to everything you do appreciate the passion and romance of others! Because I said so!
Maybe a little sex, too? 🙂
Dan,
Your article is much better writtten than the one on WestportNow.com
They always are! Keep up the GREAT work, Dan!
Will do! THANKS!
WestportNow.com editorials and stories are kind of a joke… They are only good for the pictures and hard facts.
Woog’s blog is the best.
Dan, I LOVE that you wrote about my proposal! I LOVE that you were such a good sport about performing a role only 2 seconds long!
And I HATE that I was so fried by the final hours… that I left you out of the credits!!! 🙁 🙁 🙁
That’s a horrible, horrible lapse. I am SO, so sorry. I’ll fix that and get the video re-posted as soon as I get back home!!
No credit needed! My reward is playing a teeny-tiny role in the greatest, most important trailer in movie history. Congrats to you and Nicki — you’re the best!
Well, anyway, the version with the fixed credits are up on YouTube! http://j.mp/PGk9YE
The Vimeo original will be fixed this week!
Very, very cool. Unnecessary, but very thoughtful!
I think it was just terrific!!! Dr. Floch looked great! Dan Woog is super duper for finding all these stories and this blog.
Thanks, Dan!
Patty Kondub
Smart – Yes, Genius – No, EGO – HUGE!
Wow–what did I do to deserve the “huge ego” remark!?
David, your video is fun and creative. Congrats to you both. Confused though–do you really see women of Westport as 1/2 normal?
Hi David, my sister (who lives down the street from you) said I had to see this. Very touching and funny but oddly enough did you know that it only seems to play properly on IE (a browser I’m loath to use) as it only plays at high speed on Firefox (can’t see any speed controls in the flash player).
Cheers,
Ken
Not true. I use Firefox, and it’s fine.
I donno Dan, mine only plays at high speed (kinda funny too).
Cheers,
K
I like the ‘dream Nicki’, she’s cute!
And congraulations to both of you!
It really was good and unique!
Very cleaver and creative. Wish them both all the best. However, I felt the
video was insensitive to mother of his children. Also, it reminded me of
Tom Cruise famously jumping on the couch to declare his love for his new
love at the time. Southport
An acrimonius divorce and a long distance relationship – I wish them happiness, but it ought to be a long engagement.
Another self-congratulatory posting:
http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/30/how-to-propose-the-pogue-way/?ref=personaltechemail&nl=technology&emc=edit_ct_20120830