Twerking Is The New Harlem Shake

@Ida_homie referred to Robin Thicke as "Beetlejuice."

Here we go again...

It's time to give a history lesson.  Some people may argue that I sometimes live in the past.  Hmmph.  If people like me didn't bring up history, then young people would think that the world just started when they were born.

The Harlem Shake was revived and re-branded as something new and now another dance from back in the day has been resurrected into mainstream.

Two nights ago, Miley Cyrus performed on the MTV VMA's (Video Music Awards).  Why they give away awards for music videos is beyond me because I didn't know MTV showed videos any more.  I'm waiting on the name change to RTV (Reality TV).

Anyway, people on Twitter tore into Miley because of her attempt at twerking.  Twerking is a dance in which you generally use a lot of gyration / hip movement.  Some were upset at the criticism of her because they assumed people were attacking her for attempting what is stereotyped as a "black woman's dance."  That's not the case, in my opinion.  People were criticizing her because she sucks at twerking.  She tries so hard.  Good thing she's already rich.  I wish her transition from child star to adult well.

However, that's not the point I'm trying to make.  The thing I'm wondering is: how is twerking still around in 2013 and why is it done in public?

Most people may not be aware, but twerking has been around 20+ years.  In fact, the first time I heard the term was from a song back in my college days.  I can't remember the New Orleans rap artist's name, but he talked about twerking on the dance floor.  It is a dance once reserved for the privacy of the bedroom, nightclub, and strip club.  Now it's slipped into prime time TV because parents barely teach kids about what's inappropriate in public.

Twerking reached it's peak in the late-90's as a hardcore stripper dance used to excite men who tend to like it rough.  It wasn't made for 17-year old teen agers to do in YouTube videos and it definitely wasn't made for a former child star turned actress singer rapper dancer to do it on an awards show that attracts kids.

Don't get me wrong!  I love seeing ladies twerk, but I prefer that she's of age, first and foremost, that it's in the correct setting, and that she's actually skilled in doing it.  So, please keep twerking out of places your child can see it and save it for your loved one in the bedroom.  Keep it off the Vine videos, keep it off of award shows, and please keep it out of the grocery stores!


I'll ask, but I think that I know the answer: we can't keep inappropriate things from being mainstream in the public eye any more, can we?"

(VIDEOS) The New Harlem Shake?

Okay, I'm all for new trends and viral videos, but I'm so confused on this one.  First of all, the Harlem Shake is a dance that's been around for probably more than a decade.  It goes as shown below...

However, it's back again and with a twist.  A very crazy twist, I might add.  People are uploading videos to YouTube of their version of the Harlem Shake and it looks nothing like the original.  In fact, the entire concept of the video is one person dancing until a certain part of the song and then...  well, watch the video below to get  taste of what happens...



So, the videos are generally 30 seconds long and it spotlights one person before everyone else joins him by doing something totally off-the-wall. This one I don't understand, but it makes me literally laugh out loud every time I see it...

 

And here's another...

 

And another...

 

And here's a creative one...

 

So, you get the point by now. This is the new "planking" and I have to admit that it's actually funnier. It requires more creativity, if you ask me. Despite it being extremely stupid, sometimes a little stupidity goes a long way to bringing a smile across sensible people's faces! For those who want to see the Original Harlem Shake, then check the video below and you'll get a feel for it within the first minute...

 

JAN to MCO II (I'm Not 24 Any More)

This isn't my typical rant. Then again, it isn't a rant at all, but I wanted to share more about my recent trip to Orlando. This is part two of three. To see part one, click here.

My business meeting ended last Wednesday, which is earlier than normal, but it is what it is. So, instead of flying home on Wednesday evening, I flew The Mrs. down to Orlando to spend the rest of the week there with me. It was her first time in Orlando, so I thought we would make it a mini-vacation. We stayed in our favorite hotel, The Hyatt Place, but I now have a beef with them after their internet service kept crashing. I couldn't blog at all which is why I'm just now telling you about a trip from last week.

We hung out with some of my co-workers for a little Trivia Night at the Miller's Ale House in Sanford. Won 1st place ($30 bar tab) in the first game, too! On Thursday night, I visited some relatives of mine in Altamonte Springs and had a great time. But, Friday night was where the fun really happened. We made our way to Universal Studio's City Walk to see if we could grab a bite to eat and find something to get into later.



Since City Walk offered a pass to visit all of their night clubs for only $12, we figured we'd give it a try. After all, most of the nightclubs there charging $7-$10 admission any way.

First up was Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. We went there to eat, but it was packed! A 45 minute wait. Now, you would think I would have tried a drink there being that the place is named after one, but for someone reason, it slipped my mind! I guess seeing some waitresses on stilts threw me for a loop.

We ended up eating at the NASCAR Restaurant basically because it was no one there. LOL! Boy, were we surprised! The food was off the chain! I had a three-cheese burger and The Mrs. had chili nachos and we chowed down like hostages after a week-long standoff.

After stuffing our faces, it was time to hit the clubs. We peeped Bob Marley: A Tribute to Freedom and the reggae band there was nice! They have an outdoor pavillion that has a lot of dancing room and the band was posted up under a gazebo and they were getting down! It would have been so much more enjoyable had it not been 34 freakin' degrees! 34 freakin' degrees in Orlando? That wasn't in the brochure! This is supposed to be the Sunshine State!



Anyway, we checked out the Red Coconut Club which was lame and then The Groove which had one of the best DJ's I've heard in a while. He kept the dance floor packed! It was the first time I've danced since my quadriceps tear in Nov. '09. I started to feel my age, too. After two or three songs, I soon realized that I'm not 24 any more!

But, the highlight of the night (for me) was City Walk's Rising Star Karaoke Bar. This place not only allows you to make a fool out of yourself in front of an audience, you get to make a professional fool out of yourself! Once you get on stage, it's not just you. There's no DJ spinning the instrumental tracks of songs. It's a live band who plays your song. Also accompanying you on-stage are two backup singers and a hype man to pump the crowd while you perform. It is basically an amateur concert and it was a very nice alternative to the karaoke spots here in Jackson where you will see a drunk standing next to a jukebox singing some Patsy Cline song. We call those spots "Waffle Houses".



The Mrs. and I spent most of the night there while laughing at some of the entertainment who clearly had too much to drink. Don't get me wrong. Some of them were actually pretty good performers, but others were just having a great time with no shame.

After we left there, we stopped in for a sec at The Latin Groove which was kind of boring. Then again, it was almost 2 AM which is when everything closes.

The Mrs. and I really had a good time at the City Walk. We absolutely do not club at home, so this was something different for us. We both enjoyed ourselves tremendously.

"We Wear Short Shorts!"

The title of this blog won't mean anything to anyone under 30 years old. Click here if you're curious (or nostalgic for those who knows its origin).

Here's the scoop: two members of the Univ. Tennessee-Chattanooga dance team (the Sugar Mocs) were not allowed to perform because they refused to wear the new uniforms.

The two ladies both said that the uniforms were too short and referred to them as "booty shorts". They even asked if they could wear flesh-colored tights under the shorts and the coach said, "no".

Why did they not let these ladies perform? It's not like they were coming out there wearing a rival team's colors, so why not let them sport whatever they wore the previous week or something?

Look, I'm all for booty shorts (LOL!), but I also think that in today's society, where morals have gone the way of the dinosaur, that these young ladies should be applauded for having the courage to say "I'm not doing it."



Sex sells and now colleges are trying to get on-board to do what it takes to increase attendance. Some take notes from the professional franchises and make their dancers/cheerleaders sexier.

Isn't it normally the other way around? The students pushing the limits on what's "too sexy" instead of the school pushing the students?

If you're above the age of 18, then you can wear what you want (within reason). I'm not arguing that. I'm arguing for these two young ladies, with high standards, that refused to go against their moral upbringing at the risk of exposing themselves.

These ladies should be cheered and this story is perfect for someone to teach a young person that it's okay to go against the crowd if it's for what you believe is right.

When did exploiting college students sexually become "okay"?

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