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"I'll Try Anything With a Detached Air of Superiority"

A couple of years ago I read an article with the above title in The Onion.  It starts out:

I'm a pretty sophisticated, well-educated person.  I went to Wesleyan, where I got my B.A. in comparative literature.  I listen to This American Life on NPR.  I've traveled abroad fairly extensively and even spent a year living in London.  Given all this, you'd think I might be a little staid and stodgy, that I'd shun certain activities because I'm too good for that sort of thing.  That is completely untrue.  The reality is, I'll try anything with a detached air of superiority. 

And so it was in this tongue-in-cheek spirit that I agreed to participate, as a cheerleader, in the upcoming pep rally to gear up for the Homecoming game.

A week ago one of my students, a cheerleader, approached me.

"Ms. K, we're recruiting teachers to participate in our pep rally routine.  Will you cheer?"

I gave her a perplexed look.

"Maybe you should ask [ra ra teacher].  I'm not really the cheerleading type."

"We know!  That's why we're asking you!  It's ironic!"

Maybe I buckled because she got the meaning of the term "ironic" finally.  Or maybe I had a moment of temporary insanity.

The bottom line, regardless, is that yours truly will be body-rolling and boob-thrusting my way through an inane dance routine on November 17th.  And, like that of the Onion writer who participated in townie culture while simultaneously sneering at it, my mantra will be "I am above this.  I am better than this.  This is beneath me, but I will still do it because I'm open-minded enough to try anything and look down my nose at it at least once."

Posted on Wednesday, November 8, 2006 at 10:37PM by Registered CommenterPopscholar in | Comments12 Comments | References19 References

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Reader Comments (12)

WOOT! GO TEAM!
November 8, 2006 | Unregistered Commenterruby
I think that's my line! [cringe]
November 8, 2006 | Unregistered CommenterPopscholar
i'm impressed; the cheerleaders at my high school didn't know what ironic meant ;) i'm sure you can body-roll with the best of them ;)
November 8, 2006 | Unregistered Commenterbearette24
pictures. i want pictures. i know you won't post them, but i want them in my in box or by post.
November 9, 2006 | Unregistered CommenterGretaJane
I wish I could see that in person. I want pictures too!
November 9, 2006 | Unregistered Commenterbeastmomma
you forget yours truly was once a cheerleader ;-)

yeah, got in a bit late last night, was talking to the mom, catching up with r... when i realized it was after 10 and i should have been in bed....
November 9, 2006 | Unregistered Commenterms
Holy cow, that's me and the LA club scene. ;)
November 9, 2006 | Unregistered CommenterRobert
Oh my my. this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime events i'll hate to miss. and, my friend a, you have done quite a fine job of announcing this little event. great piece of writing.

i can just see it. i need pictures also. rah rah to you.

:)
November 9, 2006 | Unregistered Commenterkj
B -- I SUCK at the body roll. I can do the boob thrust though.

GJ , kj, and J -- You'll have to send spies if you want pics. This shit is not getting out!

ms -- you were an exception to the cheerleader rule. Got your message after we got back from Quizzo. Will touch base tomorrow.

R -- you participate in the LA club scene with a detached air of superiority?!

I have a treat of a blog entry for y'all when I get back from my weekend away. To whet your appetites, I will call it "Gas Passing Rituals."
November 10, 2006 | Unregistered CommenterPopscholar
Have fun!! We went to a wedding this spring and the bride was once a cheerleader. Eli and I joked that when we got out to the parking lot after the reception all the cars would be soaped. The cheerleaders used to do that before football games. Score, score, score!!
November 10, 2006 | Unregistered CommenterMelissa
Very interesting. Just like my teachers. Could never say no to the students who used correct syntax and semantics. I agree, a photograph would complete this remarkable announcement.
November 11, 2006 | Unregistered Commenterces
OK, so...maybe I'll stay down in Philly this weekend instead of in northern NJ...then I can get a few snapshots. Yeah, that's a plan!
November 14, 2006 | Unregistered Commenterkrizmic

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