Rogue troubadors in my lecture hall.
October 21, 2013 5:11 PM   Subscribe

Singing for a smile at the University of Toronto. [SLYT]

Two men in button-down shirts, black pants, one playing a guitar, the second bearing flowers and a song: "PS. I am not a singer or claiming to be a good singer! Just for fun!" Smiles and embarrassment ensue.
posted by simulacra (11 comments total)
 
i have not yet watched this video but doubt it beats Robarts Mansion, filmed mostly in and around the 5th floor collection that i call home for 40 hours a week
posted by avocet at 5:48 PM on October 21, 2013


Best part was when the profs would turn and give the class that "really?" look.
posted by Valued Customer at 6:10 PM on October 21, 2013


Any homage to a library involving sampling from Tupac Shakur is automatically—to steal from Ted Chiang's Story of Your Life—"highly neat."
posted by simulacra at 6:11 PM on October 21, 2013


I think this was super cute, but I do wish they hadn't skipped giving the guys flowers in the audience. Since it's so specifically directed at the ladies, I feel like they're being put in the position of just smiling and pretending they like the attention, whether they like it or not.

My favorite part though was the professor, who just straight up said, "You have 30 seconds." Like this just happens all the time, and now there's a rule for dealing with troubadours.
posted by headspace at 6:36 PM on October 21, 2013 [4 favorites]


i found it creepy, sort of misogynst, and denied people the potential to learn
posted by PinkMoose at 9:59 PM on October 21, 2013


i found it creepy, sort of misogynst, and denied people the potential to learn

Ah metafilter: where good fun comes to die.
Each moment lasted about 15 seconds. Any decent teacher would have had their class back in their control within five minutes max. It's a light hearted momentary distraction.
And misogynist? How? What? Where?
posted by matt_od at 10:06 PM on October 21, 2013


I also thought it was pretty creepy. But then most forms of

Hey, everyone! Watch while I gift my magnificent attention to some random woman! My important MAN attention! I had no reason to think she would want it, but girls *like* being singled out for embarrassing public attention by strangers!

are going to be creepy no matter what specific form they take.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:38 PM on October 21, 2013 [7 favorites]


Is this a viral ad for security guards, or what?
posted by Sys Rq at 11:33 PM on October 21, 2013 [1 favorite]


Is this a viral ad for security guards, or what?

Looks like this is the better title for the FPP.

Yes, creepers they sort of are. And, the one guy (self-professedly) cannot sing. As for the choice of songs, there is also much to be had.

I think this post was most amusing for reactions from the unwitting recipients of unwanted and the non sequitur nature of the attention.

Sort of like "when heterosexual courting rituals go awry, university edition". One prof even gives his lecture lapel/wireless mic to the guy to help with his anonymous pop crooning to random lady.
posted by simulacra at 12:32 AM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]


All else aside, those are some pretty crappy flowers.
posted by Kabanos at 7:07 AM on October 22, 2013


Hey, everyone! Watch while I gift my magnificent attention to some random woman! My important MAN attention! I had no reason to think she would want it, but girls *like* being singled out for embarrassing public attention by strangers!

Ha! I dated a guy who serenaded me at the airport. He was a trained opera singer. It was a wonderful performance, and he was a great guy, but oof that really drove home that he either did not 'get' me or was willing to disregard my fears in order to show off. He also met me at the airport other times with things like giant stuffed animals or large signs. It was like he felt the need to perform boyfriendness for onlookers, rather than, y'know, being a boyfriend to me.
posted by troika at 7:44 AM on October 22, 2013 [1 favorite]


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