So let me see if I have this straight: We invaded a country for whatever reason du jour (WMDs, Saddam an evil dictator, 9/11, terrorists, etc.), without the people at the top having the foreknowledge of the history of the area or the difference between various Muslim sects, took out the relatively secular (although admittedly dictator-based) government in favor of a far more Islamic (but democratically elected) government and continued to occupy said country, fighting in some cases FOR the Shia (being assisted by our sworn enemies, Iran) and against the insurgent Sunnis (that our allies, the Saudis, support). Have I got that right?
...the Buffy Sing-A-Long, involving screenings of the 2001 critically-acclaimed musical episode, “Once More With Feeling,” clearly demonstrates. The event has packed the house in places like Austin, Texas, and New York City, and on September 23, 2006, it made its way to the CLO Late Night Cabaret in Pittsburgh. With a 261-seat capacity, extra chairs had to be brought in to accommodate the overflowing crowd.
All of which begs the question: why, three years after the show went off the air, is Buffy the Vampire Slayer still so popular? The best science fiction often acts as an allegory for modern society and thus resonates with its audience. Buffy, especially in its early years, served as a metaphor for the horrors of high school. Students who were ignored by other students became literally invisible. The attractive teacher who seduced male students was literally a man-eating praying mantis. And in the series turning point, when Buffy sleeps with vampire Angel, the dream boy turns into an actual monster. Although wrapped in the supernatural, these narrative arcs contain contemporary coming-of-age commentaries that viewers connect to.
...But Buffy reaches beyond the outcasts and sci-fi geeks of society. Academics, intellectuals and simply fans of great storytelling are also among its greatest enthusiasts. This was evident in Pittsburgh as well, as attendees blurted out answers like “the writing” or “great characters” when asked what attracted them to the series.
...In Pittsburgh, arguably the most popular group activity was shouting “Shut up, Dawn” any time Buffy’s little sister entered the scene. Loud applause also followed every musical number, as well as any time fan-favorites Spike and dancing demon Sweet were on the screen. As for New York City, an audience member posted afterwards on the Whedonesque.com fan site, “The sing-a-long worked particularly well, I think, in songs that involved multiple characters—the audience usually spontaneously divided itself into roles, and there was a lot back-and-forth”. If all this audience participation sounds vaguely familiar, you are correct. In fact, the IFC Center in NYC even billed the Buffy Sing-A-Long as being “in the tradition of Rocky Horror.”
...In late 2003, for instance, Channel Four in England offered the opportunity to vote for the “100 Greatest Musicals” via their website. While the Rocky Horror Show finished number seven on that list, the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer wasn’t far behind, coming in at number thirteen. The Alamo Theater in Austin’s website, meanwhile, proclaims, “Sure, HBO’s got all those shows that get the critics talking and help to teach us all new curse words, but the musical episode of Buffy is the only piece of episodic television we’ve seen that holds up to repeat viewing after repeat viewing after repeat viewing.”
Military personnel: Adam* looks like hell this morning -- like he was smoking crack all night. Adam, you are a civilian, right?
Adam: Yes.
Military personnel: Ah, then it's alright. You don't get drug-tested like us. Smoke all the crack you want.
Washington, DC
