If you were wondering why, unlike every other year, roman numerals weren’t used for the Super Bowl this time around, here’s a solid answer: @NFL scared of L word #SuperBowl50 is patriarchy #FeministSuperBowl. – @blakerr
This year’s Super Bowl was a grand show, to say the least. Tom Brady was justifiably booed upon entering the Levi’s Stadium (thank you, crowd for your boldness). Lady Gaga looked like she was ready to host the Hunger Games (thank you, Internet for that meme). Peyton Manning earned his 200th career win as if he weren’t 13 years older than Panthers QB Cam Newton (thank you, HGH — oops, too soon?).
Beyoncé, Bruno Mars and Coldplay painted the halftime show every color of the wind and even included some political statements in their entertaining performance (all hail Queen B). Despite the Broncos’ 24-10 win, the real winners of the night were Candace and Toni of Portlandia’s Women and Women Bookstore skit and their Twitter page.
On the IFC T.V. show, Toni is played by Carrie Brownstein and Candace is played by Fred Armisen. Together, the two have become some of the most famous characters of the satirical sketch-comedy series about the city of Portland.
The two hyperfeminist characters controlled the show’s Twitter account and made #FeministSuperBowl trend throughout the entire game. Their hilariously clever tweets made fun of how sexual and male-centered society can be, bringing a new perspective to this ultra-masculine, American sport.
Along with all the feminism buzzing around Twitter, the commercials were also a spectacle. I was flipping back and forth between Portlandia’s Twitter page and Adweek’s to see their official rulings on each advertisement shown. The medical ads for various health conditions and medications seemed a bit odd and out of place, but there were a few entertaining commercials.
I have to say, the Heinz “Meet the Ketchups” commercial was one of my favorites this year for two reasons: all those wiener dogs (who were made into hot dogs) running through pastures of greenery and for the tiny little ketchup packet baby (that I’m planning on adopting). Speaking of babies, those “Are you a Super Bowl baby?” ads, though. I’m still uneasy about that whole campaign, especially since I was born in October.
OK, almost done with the Super (Duper) Bowl. Let’s talk about Bey a little more because, let’s be real, we are all drunk in love with her. On Feb. 6, her new song “Formation” dropped along with a tasteful-as-usual music video. This was just in time for her to perform it during the halftime show.
All of Queen B’s performances are a treat, but this one was significant in because she incorporated social commentary on the recent Black Lives Matter movement. Bey’s backup dancers were all dressed in costumes influenced by classic outfits worn by members of the Black Panther Party — a black nationalist and socialist organization that was active from the ‘60s until the early ‘80s. For anyone who thought otherwise about Sasha Fierce’s performance, Jessica Williams says it all in this Daily Show monologue. Also, the Formation World Tour announcement! Eeep!
On campus, some protesting happened on Feb. 3 when students spoke out on the administration’s proposed tuition hike of 4.76 percent for resident students and 4.46 for non-resident students. That increase could mean an extra several hundred to over $1000 more a year per student.
The common theme among the students outside of Johnson Hall was one of “enough is enough,” and I completely agree. Enough with raising our tuition costs, and also enough with making all of these decisions without student input. The lack of student input in this decision has angered several students involved in various campus organizations, and as a result this open letter addressed to the “University of Oregon campus community” was written.
Life is full of frustrating and unjustified events that are sometimes hard to conceive. I’m talking about the New Hampshire primary of Feb. 9 and just how disappointing the outcome was, not just for me, but for the future of America.
The GOP “candidate” who came out on top was Donald Trumpet (again, a name trademarked by my seven-year-old cousin, not me), and the Democratic “front-runner” was the Bernmeister. New Hampshire was only the second state primary, after Iowa, so there’s still a long road (of hope) in front of us. And in case you forgot, I am still, and will always be, #WithHer.