Actor Mandy Patinkin announced in a video posted to Twitter Friday morning that he had deleted “about 28,000” of his wife Kathryn Grody’s unread emails. At the time of the recording, some 10,000 unread emails remained, according to Grody, who said she tasked the 67-year-old thespian and musician with conducting the purge.
“Dad is clearing out 38,000 unread emails from my computer. And I don’t want him to finish until the end of this trip because it’s an activity that keeps him very happy and very occupied,” Grody, 73, said, addressing the cameraman, who is presumed to be one of the couple’s two adult sons. “He doesn’t know that I do that on purpose.”
When Patinkin revealed his progress, Grody lamented that he was “doing it too fast, honey.”
“You’ve gotta keep — do a little less,” she added.
Patinkin confirmed the enjoyment he receives from the activity, which is colloquially referred to as achieving inbox zero.
“Nothing gets me more excited than hitting one and it’s like one thousand three hundred,” Patinkin said. “And then I delete it.”
The video was filmed at an undisclosed location, but it appears the family is on vacation. A yellow labrador retriever, identified as Becky, was also present for the filming.
Deleting Emails pic.twitter.com/burvpZIFAs
— Mandy Patinkin (@PatinkinMandy) July 31, 2020
A 2015 YouGov survey found that just 2% of American adults have more than 5,000 unread emails in their inbox, while 22% reported having zero unread emails. Twenty-seven per cent said their inboxes contain between 10 and 49 unread emails. A majority of respondents (53%) said they would be “extremely bothered” by having 1,000 unread emails.
Grody vowed to ensure her husband’s efforts are not rendered futile by her own lack of diligence. “I’m gonna do that [maintain zero unread emails],” Grody said, “because I’m going to get rid of them” as soon as she sees them.
“She promised she would and that she wouldn’t open all this garbage stuff anymore,” Patinkin said.
“Unless we come on another trip,” Grody admitted, appearing to backtrack on her commitment.
Asked by the cameraman whether deleting his wife’s unread emails was truly “[his] favourite activity [he’s] done in a long time,” Patinkin waffled. “Pretty much so. Yeah, I think so,” he said, before remembering a greater joy.
“No, no — my favourite activity is taking Becky on these gorgeous walks here, you know, where we are,” Patinkin said. “It’s just, you know — it’ll move you to tears, it’s so beautiful.”
No other news happened today.