By Julia Burns /// Staff Writer
A keg and red solo cups adorned the law school’s second annual Lewis & Clark Talent show on Thursday, March 6, demonstrating that life down at the graduate campus isn’t so different from ours on the hill. As the lights dimmed, the MC kicked the show off with some self- deprecating jokes about the dreary lives of law students, joking: “shouldn’t you nerds be in the library?” Luckily for the crowd, the performers were able to set their books aside for an evening and show that their talents went beyond scrutinizing legal documents. Performers showcased their skills in tap dancing, partnered jazzercise, slam poetry, traditional Middle Eastern dancing, and musical instruments.
Ultimately, it was the audience that decided each performer’s fate with a vote: who would win a gift certificate to a local eatery and who would drown their sorrows in the free beer and wine after the show? The results are in. The winner of 3rd place– and the best use of a pun– went to Law Revue. To the tune of Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA,” they performed an original song titled “Listing on the ESA (Endangered Species Act),” a parody chock- full of references to law that I didn’t even come close to understanding. But for an audience full of law-savvy individuals, it was a crowd pleaser. This performance landed the group a $25 gift certificate to Jolly Rogers and showcased the talent of the Law School itself––currently the top environmental law school in the country.
2nd place went to Jeff Crosswhite & Friends, who performed covers of Tracy Chapman’s “Give Me One Reason” and The Head and the Heart’s “Rivers and Roads.” The band followed a perfect indie-band formula: a lead female vocalist with a sultry voice backed by two bearded men with acoustic guitars. Their aesthetic appeal and talent earned them a $35 gift certificate to Chez Jose.
Slam poet Austin Bly was awarded 1st place for perform- ing his original poem “You’re not a retard and neither is he,” which dealt with the way that the world views his relationship with his psychically and mentally disabled brother. Through his performance, Bly was able to shed light on some of the darker parts of society, and the result was very moving. As he walked off the stage, everyone in the audience was left with chills. Bly’s talent was rewarded with with a $40 gift certificate to Tryon Creek Grill.
But the real winner of the night was not the bands, dancers, or poets that competed––it was an audience member who won the ultimate raffle prize: thirteen Voodoo doughnuts a month for an entire year. Let’s hope she avoids cardiac arrest and lives to see next year’s Talent Show.
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