« What to Read: The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson | Main | Some People Besides Me Who Are Voting for John Kerry »
Watching Ashlee Simpson do her little hoedown dance makes me feel embarrassed to be human.
Once again, I wish that English had a word for when you feel humiliated on behalf of someone else. A friend once told me that there’s a word in Spanish that means “alien embarrassment”, but she couldn’t remember what it was and I have never been able to find it.
Of course, I mention this because I just finished watching the video of Ashlee Simpson from this past weekend’s Saturday Night Live. I have not watched the program in several years, so I am so very glad that this precious moment in musical history is preserved on the Interweb. It’s really, really funny—awful and excruciating, but funny. That little jig she does? Priceless.
If you’re looking to prolong your pleasure with bitchily thorough commentary, please visit Stereogum, The Media Drop, Defamer, and Gothamist (from which I swiped the photo).
October 26, 2004 | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d8341d426c53ef00d8346f8bf969e2
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Watching Ashlee Simpson do her little hoedown dance makes me feel embarrassed to be human.:
Comments
I have not seen the video, but I thought it hilarious of course when I heard she did a "jig" before leaving stage. Perfect.
I'm actually amazed that this is even a big deal. I mean, who *doesn't* know that live performers use backing tracks? Poor naive bastards.
Posted by: Mike | Oct 26, 2004 4:54:07 PM
Would it have been uncool for her to start singing "Radio, Radio"?
Posted by: clem | Oct 26, 2004 11:18:55 PM
In Spanish what you say is "pena ajena", wich are two words. And means what you said: embarrasment in behalf of another.
Posted by: Manuel | Oct 27, 2004 4:45:27 PM
vaya con dios, manuel. gracias.
Posted by: jessica | Oct 27, 2004 4:53:31 PM
Am I the only person who found the hoedown dance a LOT cooler than that stupid "I'm sexy" dance move she was trying to start with? Stupid teens.
Posted by: sarah | Oct 28, 2004 11:36:32 AM
sarah hand, i will pay you $5 if you do the hoedown dance at eric & kelly's wedding. $10 if you're sober when you do it.
Posted by: jessica | Oct 28, 2004 11:51:12 AM
Girl, for you, I'll do it for free!
Posted by: sarah | Oct 28, 2004 2:24:32 PM
hot damn!
i'm bringing my flask, anyhow, tucked into the top of my stocking. perhaps this time, i'll fill it with something people might like to share, so that i don't end up drinking it all myself and puking all over your car.
Posted by: jessica | Oct 28, 2004 2:26:43 PM
Note: also, don't be drinking straight GIN. That SoCo I had was a big hit, but I'm planning on getting toasted with the elixir of the saints: St. Brendans Irish Cream. You can't really get drunk off it, just really....*pleased*... with everything.
Posted by: sarah | Oct 28, 2004 4:45:47 PM
No doubt you were wanting to know the Dutch term: 'plaatsvervangende schaamte', the first bit meaning 'in another's place', the second of course 'shame'. Love your site (by way of slate and surfergirl)
Posted by: david | Nov 15, 2004 8:19:06 AM
fantastic! now i have two phrases to use when i'm embarrassed to be human! thanks, david, and thanks for the kind words.
Posted by: jessica | Nov 15, 2004 10:34:03 AM
