Beyond the high energy entertainment, a distinct feature of every show was Adam's connection to his audience - and viewers with each other - via an interactive live chat. There were frequent, uplifting reminders to stay strong and be tough, but also be sweet, like a cookie. An ever-present pineapple on the piano was another subtle message of tough sweetness. Through weeks that stretched into months of isolation, there were steady words of encouragement ("you made it through another week" and "stay strong, keep punching"). And while the show had a virtual tip bucket, Adam suggested simple acts of generosity like making donations to local charities as alternatives to giving money to the band.

At the end of each show, the audience would sign off with 💪🍪❤️emojis.
This combination of positive mantras and connections provided the inspiration for

Tough Cookie Love.

​

In December 2020, several volunteers gathered at Share Food Philadelphia to show that organization some Tough Cookie Love. As individuals, we were Tough Cookie fans who had been watching those livestreams, meeting for the first time. As a group, we worked side by side packing dozens of boxes of food and embraced Adam's message of "just do something."