Air Jam was again a rollicking success, except this year,something was missing from Emens Auditorium - the performance lastyear's winners spent 20 hours preparing.
Members from Alpha Phi sorority wanted to perform "Cell BlockTango" from "Chicago." But they were advised to change theirroutine because their performance, after it was reviewed by astudent committee, was said to be too sexual.
Edwin Shipley, the executive director of the Alumni Association,said the performers weren't denied a chance to perform, but weretold to alter their performance.
Air Jam's rules, as listed on Ball State University's HomecomingWeb site, prohibit obscene actions or words and do not permitsuggestive songs and vulgar wording.
The student committee acted according to those rules, nodoubt.
But while good taste is always appreciated, most of the Air Jamattendees were Ball State students. Naturally, a collegiate setwould have been more accepting of suggestive material. The contentof "Cell Block Tango," especially when it's compared to the lyricsin "Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera or "Baby Got Back" by SirMix-A-Lot, which were performed, is not overtly sexual.
But no one wanted to stop, "My anaconda don't want none unlessyou got buns, hon."
No one seemed to think, "I need that to get me off / Sweat untilmy clothes come off," was too sexual.
Though Shipley and the committee were acting within the rules ofthe contest, on a night that featured songs with much moreoffensive and overtly sexual lyrics, a song from an award-winningmusical should not have been considered too suggestive. Itsperformance should not have been disallowed.
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