When I was abroad last semester, there were a few obvious things about campus that I missed. Pre-packaged kosher food as far as the eye can see. Endless barrages of flyers imploring me to join groups I didn’t even know existed until I saw their flyers. The Subway that clearly holds the world record for most people ever to work in a single Subway. But one of the things about Wash. U. I missed the most was our own television station, WUTV. The absence of the unique combination of an eclectic selection of uncut, first- (or second-, or third-) run movies with the occasional student-made show left a gaping hole in my TV viewing. WUTV has been great so far this year, but nothing can compare to last year’s unique television experience.
The “Mean Girls” phenomenon that struck campus last fall was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The movie was talked about more than campus developments, news stories, pretty much anything except the debate, and that wasn’t too far ahead. The reasons for the movie’s appeal weren’t too difficult to figure out. Female students easily connected with the clever, painfully funny depictions of bitchy and awkward social interactions between girls in high school, and male students easily connected with the idea of being able to see Lindsay Lohan on TV all the time.
Movie stars normally look good on screen, but I (and any other guy on this campus) will gladly testify that Ms. Lohan set a new standard for movie hotness in this film. Whether or not they’re real (my educated guess is that they are) and even though she’s already past her prime (I mean, honestly, blond?), on a campus where one of our “rival’s” main points of attack is the ugliness of our girls, Lindsay proudly stood out to the University campus as an example of how truly hot a girl could be (even though now, according to celebrity expert Philip Q. Bressler, she is “anorexic as shit”).
Part of my enjoyment of WUTV no doubt stems from the fact that it is just another in a series of ways to procrastinate that has grown significantly over the years. Also, this fall, although not quite on the level of “Mean Girls,” “Anchorman” was introduced into heavy rotation-also quite an enjoyable experience. Will Ferrell might not match up with Lindsay in looks, but he definitely gets the edge in quotability and moustache growing. Something that those in charge of the station seem to have a knack for is picking movies that are enjoyable, whether watching the whole thing or just a scene or two. Anyone would welcome 10 minutes of hanging out with the “Girls,” and there are scenes in “Anchorman” funny enough to merit flipping to WUTV regularly.
There is another key element to WUTV that cannot be underestimated: 24-hour programming. While most channels die out around 2 a.m. and have infomercials showing the rest of the night, it is supremely clutch how our friends on campus manage to have their regular programming on, whether it is 4 p.m. or 4 a.m. And this factor doesn’t just come into play at night. During the day, at about 1 p.m., there is little on TV except for lame talk shows and lamer news programs. But WUTV manages to be a shining ray of light through these dark daytime clouds on my usually glorious TV horizon. If I’m up all night studying for a midterm, I know I can count on WUTV for a late night fix of the last third of “Dirty Work.” If I get back from class and need some solid entertainment, I have confidence that I’ll be able to catch the beginning of “The Thomas Crown Affair.” Who cares that it’s the old Steve McQueen one, instead of the new Pierce Brosnan one with a naked Rene Russo running all over the place? It’s the principle of the thing that counts, and while I’m not entirely sure what that principle is, it’s cool that movies are always on. So party on WUTV. But more important, bring back “Mean Girls.”
Matt is a senior in Arts & Sciences.