fandomhigh | Pop Culture 101 | Friday

John hadn't been in a Fandom classroom in what felt like forever so excuse him for looking a little giddy and a lot energetic as the students filed in. He was pacing at the front of the classroom, occasionally looking like he was talking to someone who wasn't there, all way shooting the occasional boyish grin at the class. When everyone had assembled, John jumped right in.

"What's up, guys? I'm John Crichton and this is Pop Culture 101. If you're in the wrong class, you can slink out now and I'll pretend not to notice. Hopefully you're in the right class though. So, let's get started, shall we? I used to be a student here so I know people come from all different sorts of worlds, dimensions, and cultures so I know that popular culture differs from place to place. Some places are stacked with pop culture, like the US, and some places aren't. The intention of this class is to teach both those who are from here and those that aren't about the popular culture of this world. And let me tell you, it's freaking vast."

He spread his arms in an attempt to try and illustrate that but knew it didn't even come close. He was just feeling silly.

"From movies to television to music to books to fads to scandals to anything and everything in between, pop culture in this world is never stagnant. It's ever changing and we'll be studying the way it's changed from several years in the past to now. We'll be looking at different media to see how it's evolved from then to now. We'll be watching both television and movies, listening to music, using the internet, reading books, and listening to Hollywood gossip because that is the epicenter of pop culture, it seems. Today though, we'll take it easy and just get to know each other. Yes, it's another class of introductions because I don't know any of you and that makes me feel so frelling old. So, let's go with name, age, birthplace and what you think of this."

John hit play on the television, bringing up the legendary music video for Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby and gestured at the students to begin.

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"Cara, sixteen, Stowecroft, I'd prefer not to," Cara recited as quickly as possible.

"Not a fan of the musical styling of Vanilla Ice?" John asked. Not that he could blame her but still.

"I would have to acknowledge that as music first. So no."

"Why isn't it music?" John wondered, snickering. "There's a rhythm, there's words, there's a beat and I guarantee that you'll find yourself humming the bass line later."

"And there are some people," namely Cara. "Whose cooking contains all the proper ingredients, but is so completely inedible it can't be called food. So why should I call that music. It's an insult to all the truly terrible musicians in this world."

"Fair enough," John said, laughing. "I had no idea someone would feel that strongly about Mr. Vanilla Ice. Don't worry, he made one album and went away. Even the most tone deaf of us couldn't stand to listen to that for long."

"I don't care about it. You asked for my opinion, I gave it."

"And you're a little touchy, aren't you?" John asked, raising an eyebrow. "Didja wake up on the wrong side of the bed? Step on a Lego? Eat some bad cheese?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but the only thing wrong about my bed this morning was that I had to leave it to come to this class." Even that hadn't been intolerable until he'd started playing that 'music'.

"Yeah, not really weeping for you, Marilyn," John said, letting the nickname fall easily from his lips. Well, she was blonde and all. "I'd say cry me a river but I'd probably get sued by that curly haired boy bander. Ew."

Cara took a very deep breath. "Cara."

John smirked lazily at her. "Marilyn."

"My name is Cara." She said every word very clearly and very slowly.

"I know," John informed her. "I've just given you a nickname. Learn to love it, Marilyn."

If looks could kill, John would be needing the Breath of Life right about now. As it was, Cara's arm was trembling with the effort of not hitting him.

John gave Cara another smirk before he moved onto the next student.

After her reaction though, you could bet that John would keep up that nickname for as long as he ~~was alive~~ could.

"I'm Sov, I'm fifteen and I'm from Rer. In Karhide. On the planet of Gethen." Then there was a pause. "I'm not at all familiar with this kind of... thing." They didn't want to seem judgemental and unable to have an open mind after all.

"Never heard music before or not this type of music?" John asked.

"Oh, we have music at home!" If they sounded just a little bit indignant it was because people shouldn't just assume that Karhide suffered from a lack of culture.

"So, just music that's not as bad as this?" John guessed, smiling a little. "Because this is...pretty bad and that's saying a lot considering a lot of our music is bad."

Oh, so this music was supposed to be bad! Sove felt a little relieved. "Well, not all of out music is good of course, but most of it is a lot better and the songs usually tell stories. I know quite a few of them, even some really long ones, if you want to hear!"

"Yeah, this isn't a typical storytelling song," John laughed, shaking his head. "We have some of those too and they probably make a lot more sense than this one. And if you wanna share, go for it, man. Might wanna keep it short since we've only got a limited amount of time but sure."

[Oh dear, encouragement!]

Short, short, a short song...

Sov chose a melancholy song about a parent who mourned their child who had fallen into the Arre river. It was only ten verses long.

[Hey, John is nothing if not curious!]

John was impressed. Considering what he'd just shown the class, Sov's answering song was light years better than that. Vanilla Ice would be slinking away in shame.

"Very nice," John said sincerely. "Definitely not something I could ever do and your music sounds melodic and really pretty."

There was a slight blush on Sov's face. "Thank you," they said, and decided they really liked professor Crichton,

[Awesome!]

Pop Culture 101 | Friday | Period 2

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