up high!

April 12, 2004 11:50 AM

This Thursday isn't just the dreaded tax day in America, on the upside, it's also National High Five Day. It's got a rich history and you only need to remember a couple key phrases: Yo, up high! and: Don't leave me hangin'! Remember to act like a fratboy this week and high-five everyone you see.
posted by mathowie (14 comments total)

::Attempts to high-five Matt, misses his hand and accidentally slaps his face... skulks off::

::Wonders when Three Stooges Eye Gouge Day is this year::
posted by wendell at 12:09 PM on April 12, 2004

I'll be driving up the 101 that day with my hand out the driver's window so if anyone is passing a 2003 Dodge RAM camper feel free to five as you pass. It's not like we'd be doing anything more dangerous than everyone else on the road ;-)
posted by i_cola at 12:12 PM on April 12, 2004

revelers, please don't skip the deodorant that day. just sayin'.
posted by whatnot at 12:14 PM on April 12, 2004

I am reminded of a rather jovial fellow I saw at Bonnaroo last year who was walking around asking everyone to give him a high-five. I wouldn't give him one and he got real mad, and called me all sorts of names. I didn't bother explaining to him that I just watched him high five dozens of people as they exited the porta-potties, and that I was dirty enough after 4 days of camping without a shower.
posted by terrapin at 12:39 PM on April 12, 2004

Anyone have any advice as to an acceptable alternative to the high five?

There is nothing, and I mean nothing that is worse than a group of poorly coordinated middle aged men attempting to negotiate a set of protocols on the fly for an impromptu victory celebration.

I went to a hockey game last Wednesday night with three other business associates. Everytime we scored there was a round of high fives. Incredibly inept attempts at high fives at least. In that environment some group ritual is needed as a form of celebration, but what exactly?

Even worse I played in a golf tournament yesterday. I was teamed with a sixty year old white guy, and a thirty-something Chinese women. Every time a member of the group made a significant putt for bird or other particularly good shot, we'd do the modified golfer high five, the fist five (for lack of a better name). It is essentially a knocking of closed fists together. Too geeky. Way too fucking geeky.

So, any suggestions?
posted by Keith Talent at 12:49 PM on April 12, 2004

Just a heads up: May 7th is No Pants Day.
posted by mr.marx at 1:17 PM on April 12, 2004

Psyche.
posted by the fire you left me at 1:25 PM on April 12, 2004

mathowie, I know you've been sitting on this link for months, checking off the days on your Calender, waiting for today to come.

Well, at least that's what I'd do if I found out about National High Five Day.
posted by hughbot at 1:25 PM on April 12, 2004

I thought the 'history' link would be the history of the high five. I have to look that up on my own?!?

Keith Talent: Where did that knuckles thing come from, anyway?
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 2:08 PM on April 12, 2004

Where'd the knuckle thing come from? I dunno? Probably the same place we get everything else, young black urbanites.

It's been a golfer thing for a long time, I have no idea as to it's origins though. I'd suspect it began initially in a hipper sport and was co-opted by golf though. Baseball players have alot of time to sit around and make shit up, maybe that's wher it came from.
posted by Keith Talent at 2:27 PM on April 12, 2004

It's also my daughter's birthday.
posted by konolia at 3:27 PM on April 12, 2004

High Five - apparently popularized in 1968 by the wonderful Dick Shawn who played Lorenzo St. DuBois (L.S.D.) in the original Producers movie. He was also, of course, wonderful as a similar bombed hipster in the earlier 1963 It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World.

[Dick Shawn] Was supposedly the first person to execute the icon "THE HIGH FIVE". It was in the movie, The Producers. It was during the play in the movie, 'Springtime For Hitler', the character of Hitler played by Shawn sent for Goebbels who was played by David Patch, and instead of putting his hand in front of for the "give me five", Shawn held it up and Patch slapped it. Though it would not become popular till many years later.

posted by meehawl at 5:49 PM on April 12, 2004

::Attempts to high-five Matt, misses his hand and accidentally slaps his face... skulks off::

Up high!
Down low!
*pulls away hand, smooths over hair*
Tooooo sloooow.
posted by eddydamascene at 7:47 PM on April 12, 2004

Keith Talent: my friends and I call the knuckle thing "punching it." Much like the request for a high-five, we merely say "Punch it," hold our fist out, and expect the knuckle thing. Punching it, also like high-fives, can be done too much.

Puddy: "High-five."

(I miss Seinfeld.)
posted by bitpart at 11:22 PM on April 12, 2004