Vanity Fairest

Oh yeah, my show!

It went great. Of course there are always a million last-minute issues and acamergencies, but nothing too bad. The best part is that there were no sore losers this year … the third-place group, for example, wasn’t pouting that they didn’t get first. They were shocked and thrilled, as was the second-place group. The first-place group, well, everyone knew they were going to win, but they were still ecstatic. This stands in stark contrast to last year, when an all-male group with huge egos decided to trash their dressing room after they didn’t place.

Then everyone went to PJ Clarke’s after, and for the first time, the after-party was a huge success, due in large part to the aforementioned glee of all participants. The groups even sang together, as I so love them to do, and I only had to do a little finagling to make the moment happen. I kept trying to get people to start “Lean On Me,” which was the big song to do post-concert back in my day. But, alas, no takers. Rob just shrugged and said “I guess we’re old.”

It was at this point that a girl from the winning group came up us and said she couldn’t get over how familiar Rob looked. It turns out they are from the same town, though because are 10 years apart and certainly weren’t in high school together, that didn’t answer the question of how she might know him.

So I decide to start throwing out some names of people we know, trying to make the connection. Of course the first name I try is Rob’s best friend Barry, who apparently really is known by everysingleperson from the North Shore, because sure enough, her eyes light up. Turns out she recognizes Rob and Barry from when their band used to play at her piano recitals when she was a little girl, as all three of them took lessons from the same teacher.

The kicker is that she kept repeating that part about “when she was a little girl.” And yeah, if she’s 18 now, and we’re 27, then back in 1996, when Loose Change was in its heyday, Rob was 15, and that would have made her … SIX.

The only thing that made me feel older than that is my recognition that the students’ pant legs were noticeably tighter than mine, particularly in the ankle region. The girls in the winning group rocked the belts that I so wanted to wear back in fourth grade. I was too young and uncool to wear them then, and I’m too old and uncool to wear them now.

Here’s a video of that group, the University of Southern California SoCal VoCals. Allegedly they are all music theater majors, which I’m sure will shock you.

And because I have finally gotten over myself (and my fear of becoming a part of the aca-nerdery), and because it is high time that you all see exactly what it is I do for a living, I give you some of my all-time favorite moments in college a cappella. At least, the ones I could find on “the internets,” as we old fogies say.

This is Brigham Young University Vocal Point, who won the tournament a few years ago, performing “Thriller.” I’m a sucker for that one zombie move … you know the one!

Here’s University of Oregon Divisi, who didn’t win the tournament a few years ago. Don’t want to talk about it. This is “Yeah!” by Usher. Watch it until the end, you’ll be glad you did.

And BYU Noteworthy, another tournament winner, singing “How Great Thou Art.” About once a week, I get this stuck in my head and get a case of semi-permanent goosebumps. (Then I go and sing it in the shower and ruin it for myself.) They’re all crying by the end, and so am I.

Last but not least, yours truly and my husband-to-be, in the group that started it all for us. Keep in mind that this is basically what we majored in. Which actually kind of works out for me, considering my career today. Still, though.

See if you can spot:
- Kyle’s snake T-shirt
- John Bang dressed as a “bad-ass Asian,” complete with gold chain
- me wearing a tube top for the first and only time
- Rob’s sideburns
- Rob doing a cartwheel
- Rob’s white athletic socks with black shoes
- the moment when Kris decides that he needs to give Kyle a horse tranquilizer
- the quad, Lincoln Hall, the alma mater, Murphy’s Pub, the six pack dorms, and other favorite U of I spots

I have to say, I really do love my job.