In 2023, Dick Van Dyke appeared on the season premiere of The Masked Singer. Hidden inside an ornate gnome costume, the veteran performer sang a rousing version of Louis Armstrong’s “When You’re Smiling” that had the studio audience up on their feet. When he was unmasked later in the episode, the emotional reaction was even stronger.

As the crowd exploded and judge Ken Jeong thanked Van Dyke for inspiring him to get into comedy, Nicole Scherzinger simply burst into tears.

“I love you so much… we love you… The whole world loves you so much,” she exclaimed. “I can’t believe you’re here… I’m trying to play it cool, but you look so gorgeous… You look so handsome.”

Before bursting into a rendition of Mary Poppins classic, “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”, Van Dyke replied: “Oh, thank you… I’m 97 years old!”

Scherzinger wasn’t exaggerating. Over 60 years since he first shared his dodgy cockney accent with the world as Bert “the chim-er-nee” sweep in Mary Poppins, Van Dyke is more beloved than ever. As he turns 100 today (December 13), he has become that rare unifying pop culture figure able to bring together fans from multiple generations and across cultural and political fault lines.

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