George Clooney never fails to stunt on the masses, whether it’s going out with his super accomplished, gorgeous wife Amal or giving noise-cancelling headphones to everyone on a flight with their twin babies. Now we know he’s not only a better father, actor, and philanthropist than the rest of us—he’s also a better friend. According to E!, in a recent interview with MSNBC’s Headliners, one of the actor’s best friends shared a story of how, in 2013, Clooney paid 14 of his closest friends’ taxes and gave them each $1 million, in cash.
"There's a group of guys that we call ‘The Boys,'” Clooney’s friend and business partner Rande Gerber said. “George had called me and ‘The Boys' and said, ‘Hey, mark September 27, 2013 on your calendar. Everyone's going to come to my house for dinner."
At this dinner “The Boys” showed up to find a black suitcase waiting for each of them. Before opening them, Clooney gave a speech to his closest friends. "George begins to say, 'Listen, I want you guys to know how much you've meant to me and how much you mean to me in my life. I came to L.A., I slept on your couch. I'm so fortunate in my life to have all of you and I couldn't be where I am today without all of you,'" Gerber recalled. “‘So I want you all to open your suitcases.'"
In each of the suitcases was $1 million, all in $20 bills. According to Gerber, everyone was understandably shocked. “Every one of us—14 of us—got a million dollars. Every single one of us. We're in shock,” Gerber explained. “One was working at a bar in Texas at the airport, trying just to support his family. Rides a bicycle to work every day. I mean these are guys that took care of George and now he's giving it all back."
Exactly a year later, Clooney married his wife Amal. “Now that's good karma right there,” Gerber said. I don’t know about karma, but I think it’s about time we all start looking for some better friends.
