Just Do It Over (12)—Rudolph Redux

A year ago on Round and Square (26 December 2011)—Fieldnotes From History: Melancholy Anthropology
Click here for the introduction to the Round and Square series "Just Do It Over"

[a] Seeing red RF

This is the last post in a three-part series about holiday music and freedom. Click below for the other posts.

Egalité 1                    Egalité 2                    Egalité 3

Well, what a long, strange day it's been. It began with Patsy Cline, continued with Chinese food and a movie, and is wrapping up with just a little bit more reflection upon life, liberty, and maybe even the pursuit of a little jocundity. This will be brief. If you have read the last two posts, perhaps you still think that all of this red-nosed ostracism is just hypothetical, just an innocent little story. 

Wanna bet? I say it is insidious, and weakens the very bonds of commensality.

I know that you have seen it already (it has about as many hits as the surprised kitty video). Still, I couldn't help but post a relatively recent, real-life Rudolph story. If you haven't read the two previous posts, you don't know how serious I am about this (it's jocund でわない). 

You also may not have considered how "common" this kind of story is.* Take another look at Susan Boyle's Rudolph moment from 2009.

[b] Passing 'em by RF

Rudolph's Got Talent 7:10

Yup. They laughed and called Susan names, then laughed some more. If you watch the audience reaction closely, they couldn't believe what they were seeing—how such an outlier could even think to join "the club." Elaine Paige? Please (we hear them cry). That'll never happen (we hear them chuckle).

Nobody was laughing by the end of the third line. Piers Morgan might have said "you had me at 'I'..."

               And...then all the reindeer loved her, and they shouted out with glee, 
               Susan Boyle from Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, you'll go down 
               in history.

You can decide for yourself whether it is a happy story from here on. You can probably guess how I feel. A net worth of £22 million is nothing at which to sneeze, but still I weep for poor, petty, shallow humankind. 

Good for Susan (and Rudolph).

Very, very bad for us.

This is the last post in a three-part series about holiday music and freedom. Click below for the other posts.

Egalité 1                    Egalité 2                    Egalité 3

[c] Hardly petty RF

*Homecoming Queen, Michigan 
  Homecoming Queen, Ole Miss (hopeful signs, at least) 
  I plan to add to this list throughout the coming months.