On Wednesday April 11th, the (now infamous) Barstool Blackout Tour is coming to Ziggy’s in downtown Winston. For those who are unfamiliar with the event, the Tour is sponsored by the oh-so-popular college website, Barstool U (“For the C- Student By the C- Student”). Blackout can be described as an “almost rave”: a black-light and techno music extravaganza that travels to over 40 U.S. cities, with the hopes of luring its college fans into attendance.
When I first heard about the possibility of Barstool Blackout coming to Ziggy’s, I was beyond excited. In fact, I even “liked” the ‘Bring Barstool to Wake’ Facebook page. I mean, why wouldn’t I look forward to something that gives me an excuse to don a neon sports bra and rage on a Wednesday (RIP Wake Wednesdays)? However, as the event has drawn nearer, it has been stirring up an intense controversy on the Wake Forest campus and in the Winston-Salem community overall.
As one would expect from any website whose target audience is college students, Barstool U prides itself on being witty, satirical, and a little bit outrageous. The website bloggers discuss sex (frequently posting pics of hot college girls known as ‘Smokeshows’), obsess over sports teams, and occasionally add in their own two cents regarding current events. But because the website is run by students like us, who occasionally forget to think before they act or speak (never!), there have been times when irrational or even extremely inappropriate comments have been posted on the site.
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Two specific comments, made by the website’s founder and main personality, David “El Presidente” Portnoy, cannot be ignored. The first quip is pulled from a May 7, 2010 post, in which Portnoy jokes about a court verdict acquitting a man of rape charges for alleging that the female victim’s pants were too tight to remove without help. Portnoy responded to the case, saying, “I never condone rape, but if you’re a size 6 and wearing skinny jeans you kind of deserve to be raped right?” Wrong.
The second controversial comment comes from a December 14, 2011 post. In it, Portnoy wrote that he doesn’t condone rape at any of the Blackout parties, yet stated “if a chick passes out, that’s a grey area though.”
These comments certainly did not fall on deaf ears at other college campuses, and I sincerely hope they don’t here. Four months ago, when the Blackout Tour announced it would stop in Boston, it was met with hundreds of protesters from Boston University and Northeastern, with the intention to ‘Knockout Barstool’. The students launched a Tumblr blog in January 2012 which expressed outrage at the way Barstool normalizes, and sometimes even justifies, rape through the use of “rape humor.” In March, when the Tour stopped at Boston’s House of Blues, hundreds of students physically demonstrated outside the event as well. Portnoy’s response to the protesters was less than eloquent, calling them: “a couple fat chicks who are mad [Barstool Sports] didn’t accept them as Smokeshows.”
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Recently, Barstool Blackout hit a bit too close for comfort for me. Two weekends ago, the tour made a stop in my hometown of Montclair, New Jersey. I had many friends attending, and was looking forward to hearing their fabulous recaps of the event, which I assumed would hype me up even more for the upcoming show in Winston-Salem. However, Blackout Montclair never happened. The event was shut down by police…but with good reason. Chief of Police David Sabagh explains his decision: “People started fighting with the police, so there were a half-dozen arrests, and people hospitalized.” Twenty-four students were hospitalized for alcohol intoxication, and the majority were unconscious females. (Is this the disturbing ‘grey area’ Portnoy referred to?) Also, one person was hospitalized for a human bite (Yes…you read that correctly.) Barstool U has made no comment at all regarding the failed event, which took place March 29th.
Barstool Blackout has had problems like the one in Montclair in the past. For example, in Huntington, New York earlier this March, a show was canceled at 11:30 pm. Seven arrests were made, and nine individuals were treated medically, many for alcohol-related illnesses.
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For those of you planning to go to the event, I’ve mentioned quite a bit that could sway you in the opposite direction. But remember, I too was planning on having a blast at Blackoutl! With some careful research, however, I’ve discovered that the cons surrounding this event might just overshadow the pros.
The alarming issue of Portnoy’s haphazard attitude toward a very sensitive subject is undoubtedly concerning. Wake Forest prides itself on being a thoughtful and responsible community. With classes like RAD, groups like PREPARE, and events like ‘Tie A Yellow Ribbon Week’, we DO NOT take rape jokes lightly. In fact, we DO NOT tolerate them at all. Of course, with that said, I understand that Portnoy is a human being, and apt to making mistakes just like the rest of us. Freedom of speech is a right we all possess. Sadly, humility and empathy are qualities we all do not. There was no apology made by Portnoy for his remarks, and I find that inexcusable.
The second issue is the looming threat of danger at the event itself. Winston-Salem residents, following in the footsteps of the protesters in Boston, have decided to arrange a boycott at the Blackout event on Wednesday. Adam Casey, the organizer of the protest, said that the protesters here want Ziggy’s to cancel the party. “I know it’s supposed to be a kind of dude-bro web site – chicks and beer and that kind of stuff,” Casey said, “But that light-hearted attitude of using rape as humor… it’s just unacceptable.” If Ziggy’s does not cancel the event, the protesters will assertively rally outside throughout the night.
There is no question that the topic of sexual assault prompts intense reactions. Emotionally charged protesters, alcohol, and rowdy crowds of college students sounds like a dangerous trio to me. Combine that with police presence, A.L.E, Ziggy’s fairly small venue, and the threat of being pushed, shoved, hospitalized… or even bitten. I’m not sure if I would describe the above scenario as fun. And, quite frankly, I don’t think it’s a situation I want to put myself, or my fellow collegiettes in at all.
*Barstool Blackout is an independent event which is separate from both Wake Forest University and Her Campus.