How MST3K Changed My Life
I don't remember the first episode I ever watched. I do, however, remember it being the summer going into 5th grade. It was on the Comedy Channel at midnight. I guess me and my sisters were flipping around on the tv and happened across it. I was instantly smitten.
I loved just about everything about MST3K. The invention exchanges were always really funny, the interaction between Joel, the Bots, and the Mads was always hilarious. But the riffing once the movies started, that's where the magic really happened for me.
I had to be quick-witted to keep up with Joel and the Bots... way more quick-witted than my peers were. You know, since they were fifth-graders. I also had to find out a lot of stuff - historical or pop cultural events that they referenced. I would write stuff down that they mentioned and try to find out *why* exactly what they said was funny. And when I could find out what they were talking about, boy, was it funny.
There's probably the most important way that watching MST3K changed me - they were fucking hilarious. I guess I was around ten if I started watching the summer going into fifth grade. I watched them religiously for a few years, those oh-so-important formative years. I had to make a decision when I was a kid, a decision that everyone has to make. What kind of a person am I going to be?
Growing up a girl in the 90s was interesting. There were so many different ways I could go, much like... well, every time period. But the 90s had class acts like Britney Spears and Courtney Love in the spotlight for the female front. Luckily, I had an awesome older sister who introduced me to music that would change me just as much as MST3K did. What I'm trying to say, though, is that I very well could have gone the Britney Spears route. It would have been easy enough. And the idea of being able to make boys like me wasn't exactly a deterrent. But the more I looked inside of myself, the more I realized that I wasn't going to be the kind of girl who has men eat out of her hand. I firmly believe that every woman has this power if she decides to tap into it.
But my first crush was on Joel. He was the first guy to make my heart beat faster, to make me feel giddy. I had a huge crush on Joel. And I didn't want him to eat out of my hand. I wanted him to hang out with me, I wanted us to make each other laugh. I wanted him to be my best friend.
And so that's when I decided that I was going to be funny. The only friends I had who also watched MST3K were my sisters, which was just fine with me. I always felt kinda outside of the "normal" people circle. As I got older, I didn't want to wear make up and do my hair like other girls my age. I just wanted to be me. And just being me definitely landed me firmly outside of what my peers thought was cool. I knew, though, that there were people out there like Joel and the Bots who were funny like I was. I started to realize that my sense of humor was what defined me.
To this day, my sense of humor is still the most important part of my personality. It's the number one thing I look for in a friend or when I'm dating someone, as well. Obviously, MST3K wasn't the only thing that helped me realize it. I mean, I wouldn't have left the show on if I didn't relate to it in the first place. The seed was there, though, and the guys on the Satellite of Love helped nurture that seed into what would be come the core of my personality.
Last night I went to see Cinematic Titanic, the live show with some of the core group of MST3K writers. Live riffing, people. It was absolutely hilarious... after over 20 years, they've still got it. :)
I met Joel in the vestibule while I was waiting in the will call line to get my tickets. He was just standing there, looking around. I did a double take when I realized it was him. I know I was standing there with my mouth hanging open like a moron, but he was nice to me anyway. He smiled at me, said hello, shook my hand, asked me how I was doing. I was completely star struck. There he was, my very first celebrity crush, asking how I was doing. After the show, they did autographs and pictures, which was cool. Joel looked pretty tired by the time I got to him, which is understandable. I was tired and hungry, too, and I didn't have freaks like me trying to talk to me.
Either way, I hope they keep doing Cinematic Titanic and I hope they decide to come back to the Philly area. Maybe next time I won't be such a moron, and I'll actually be able to communicate with them in more than squeaky thanks and big smiles.
I loved just about everything about MST3K. The invention exchanges were always really funny, the interaction between Joel, the Bots, and the Mads was always hilarious. But the riffing once the movies started, that's where the magic really happened for me.
I had to be quick-witted to keep up with Joel and the Bots... way more quick-witted than my peers were. You know, since they were fifth-graders. I also had to find out a lot of stuff - historical or pop cultural events that they referenced. I would write stuff down that they mentioned and try to find out *why* exactly what they said was funny. And when I could find out what they were talking about, boy, was it funny.
There's probably the most important way that watching MST3K changed me - they were fucking hilarious. I guess I was around ten if I started watching the summer going into fifth grade. I watched them religiously for a few years, those oh-so-important formative years. I had to make a decision when I was a kid, a decision that everyone has to make. What kind of a person am I going to be?
Growing up a girl in the 90s was interesting. There were so many different ways I could go, much like... well, every time period. But the 90s had class acts like Britney Spears and Courtney Love in the spotlight for the female front. Luckily, I had an awesome older sister who introduced me to music that would change me just as much as MST3K did. What I'm trying to say, though, is that I very well could have gone the Britney Spears route. It would have been easy enough. And the idea of being able to make boys like me wasn't exactly a deterrent. But the more I looked inside of myself, the more I realized that I wasn't going to be the kind of girl who has men eat out of her hand. I firmly believe that every woman has this power if she decides to tap into it.
But my first crush was on Joel. He was the first guy to make my heart beat faster, to make me feel giddy. I had a huge crush on Joel. And I didn't want him to eat out of my hand. I wanted him to hang out with me, I wanted us to make each other laugh. I wanted him to be my best friend.
And so that's when I decided that I was going to be funny. The only friends I had who also watched MST3K were my sisters, which was just fine with me. I always felt kinda outside of the "normal" people circle. As I got older, I didn't want to wear make up and do my hair like other girls my age. I just wanted to be me. And just being me definitely landed me firmly outside of what my peers thought was cool. I knew, though, that there were people out there like Joel and the Bots who were funny like I was. I started to realize that my sense of humor was what defined me.
To this day, my sense of humor is still the most important part of my personality. It's the number one thing I look for in a friend or when I'm dating someone, as well. Obviously, MST3K wasn't the only thing that helped me realize it. I mean, I wouldn't have left the show on if I didn't relate to it in the first place. The seed was there, though, and the guys on the Satellite of Love helped nurture that seed into what would be come the core of my personality.
Last night I went to see Cinematic Titanic, the live show with some of the core group of MST3K writers. Live riffing, people. It was absolutely hilarious... after over 20 years, they've still got it. :)
I met Joel in the vestibule while I was waiting in the will call line to get my tickets. He was just standing there, looking around. I did a double take when I realized it was him. I know I was standing there with my mouth hanging open like a moron, but he was nice to me anyway. He smiled at me, said hello, shook my hand, asked me how I was doing. I was completely star struck. There he was, my very first celebrity crush, asking how I was doing. After the show, they did autographs and pictures, which was cool. Joel looked pretty tired by the time I got to him, which is understandable. I was tired and hungry, too, and I didn't have freaks like me trying to talk to me.
Either way, I hope they keep doing Cinematic Titanic and I hope they decide to come back to the Philly area. Maybe next time I won't be such a moron, and I'll actually be able to communicate with them in more than squeaky thanks and big smiles.