Patrons lack
respectability
ERIN REITZ is a senior theater
performance major and a Daily
Nebraskan columnist.
Hooters has opened in Lincoln, and I am
like, oh, so happy!
I am so planning to apply for a Hooter’s Girl
position because I so feel that it would be, like,
such a great career move for me. I have always
aspired to, like, magically transform into my
Barbie, and I seriously think that this is my
chance. Just give me, like, a couple of weeks to
tone up my tummy and dye my hair blonde!
If you know anything about me, you have
probably come to the conclusion that the above
statement is as much a crock of B.S. as my last
research paper.
I am not happy that Hooters has come to
Lincoln. I’m actually rather pissed. Here’s why.
This big, wide, wonderful world that we live
in is a pretty sexist place. If you are human,
you’d have to have noticed this at some point
(I’m hoping, anyway). Although I do like them,
men seem to have an innate need to dominate
pretty much everything around them, including
business.
The business of Hooters, just by being itself,
is doing a spanking job of reassuring us of this.
If you don’t know, Hooters is a lovely com
pany developed by a small cluster of very manly
executive-type guys which is based on one main
ideology:
T & A can sell chicken wings.
In this world, T & A can sell anything, and
for the last 15 years, innocent chickens have
been dragged down into this muck.
But it’s really not so much the chickens that
I’m worried about. It’s all the patrons of the
establishment
I, by choice, have never been in a Hooters
restaurant, but I have seen pictures. This is what,
by using my overly-vivid imagination, I am
envisioning:
Greasy construction workers, beer guts
hanging over their Wranglers, ogling the staff.
Over-excited 17 year-olds drooling into their
Shirley Temples. Executives, still in their suits,
having a beer after work with the rest of the
boys’ club, pinching their waitress’s derriere as
she bounces by. (And how funny that the boys
just happen to be at the boys’ club.)
Mmim-mmm!
Personally, I worry about the guys (and
unfortunate gals) who foam at the mouth for the
chance to go there. I’m not too sure these are the
kinds of people I want to have wandering
around in the streets.
I’m not sure I want to associate with those
who support exploiting female “assets” and
innocent chickens in the name of a decent meal.
The fact that Hooters is now in Lincoln, and
America’s continued obsession with places like
it, makes me realize that America
has taken some pretty obnoxious
turns recently. I cite Hanson and the
new-sprung professional wrestling
craze as two prime examples. \
What is it about these things that
excites our society? I like to think
that it stems from a little something I i/
call “Ignorance of Decency, f
Integrity, Originahty and Class, I
Y’all,” or I.D.I.O.C.Y. for short.
Most Americans seem to be
missing any sense of appreciation
for respectability and the finer things
in life. Hooters (much like our bad
little friend whose initials happen to f~
be Monica Lewinsky) has zero
respectability. But then, it doesn’t
claim to. At least it’s realistic about
something. 1
As a society, it’s about time that
we started to appreciate things that
stand for culture and integrity.
Because I am an idealist who is con- l
sistently lambasted by my fellow = \
realists, I can admit to the fact that \j
this won’t happen. But, dammit,
can’t we try? f
The most obvious starting point i
in ridding this country of
I.D.I.O.C.Y. would be to quit fre
quenting “wholesome family-orient
ed establishments” such as Hooters
and Shakers and the like.
Side Note: Hooters and Shakers
are really not all that different when
you think about it. Oh wait, you can
order a beer at Hooters. Oops.
Making fun is far more amusing
than boycotting, though. It pisses off the right
people and oftentimes sends a biting black-and
white message.
I am here for the very reason in helping you
get started in doing this.
If you are a male and you think Hooters is a
steaming pile of you-know-what, you can work
a little magic by dressing up like a Hooters girl.
Oh yes. Read on.
The company describes Hooters Girls as
having an “all-American cheerleader image.”
That gives you a good idea of where to start.
(Three words: Stuff, stuff, stuff!) Get your own
wait tray and start taking customers’ orders. This
will accomplish a few great things.
1. You’ll piss off all of the real Hooters Girls
because you’ll be taking the bulk of their hard
earned tips away from them.
2. You’ll send the message that you don’t
appreciate sexist discrimination against guys
(like you) who’d kill for a job that means easy
money just by flaunting your “booty.”
3. You’ll get kicked out. This may be one of
the most glorious moments in your college (or
professional) career. Rock on with your bad
self!
II you are a liberated, intelligent female who
also thinks Hooters is a load, you too can join in
the fun.
Dress up like the greasy construction worker
mentioned earlier (Two words: Don’t stuff),
and go on in. Grab the first “piece” that walks
by your table and yell loudly, “Hey, baby! Move
your sweet ass to the bar and bring me an Old
Style!” This will also accomplish a few great
things:
1. By exaggerating the behavior of idiotic
males o.d.-ing on their own testosterone, you
might make the guys around you think about
what they’re doing by being there in the first
place.
2. You’ll get some priceless looks.
3. You’ll get kicked out Refer to the afore
mentioned benefits of this.
As you can see, mockery is my suggested
tactic in displaying adamant disapproval of
something. It is a fim and, oftentimes very effec
tive tactic when done efficiently and to the right
people. (Ross Perot is a prime example.)
The moral of the story is this: Those of us
who don’t “jive” with the whole Hooters load
are aware that it will probably always be around,
but at least we can have fun slamming it while
we’re here.
So, my educated and self-respecting readers,
I implore you. Think about the chickens. Think
about decency. Think
about Hanson. Don’t
subject yourself to the
evil that is
Hooters. Go to
the Grove
instead.
Vfl^ELANIE FALK/DN
Sexual theme
isn’t all bad
TASHA KUXHAUSEN is a sopho
more news-editorial major and a
Daily Nebraskan columnist.
Hooters has come to Lincoln, and all I can
say is, it’s about time! With the hundreds of
cities nationwide that have already opened
Hooters restaurants, it’s finally Lincoln’s turn.
But even with the extreme popularity of
the establishment, I’ve heard some opposition
to Hooters claiming Lincoln as a new home.
Lincoln, as a community, tends to share
conservative views. The mayor of Lincoln is a
Republican - need I say more? But perhaps
how conservative the community members
are is the reason for the delayed arrival of a
Hooters.
Omaha, on the other hand, has accepted a
Hooters in its community for several years. So
why is there so much opposition in Lincoln to
a restaurant with great food and a fun atmos
phere?
My guess is that some Lincolnites view
the name of the restaurant with a sexual con
notation, possibly degrading to females. But
the mascot of the establishment is an owl.
The meaning of the hooting owls is
implied, though perhaps not subtly. Those
who choose to take offense from waitresses
who wear tight Hooters tops and tiny orange
shorts are overreacting.
The scantily clothed waitresses may be on
display, but Hooters is providing tastefiil
entertainment. It is amazing that community
members would be concerned about Hooters
being a “sexist establishment” when there are
plenty of strip bars in Lincoln that display top
less women.
Katherine, “Kitty Kat,” a trainer from a
San Diego Hooters, replied to the state
ments of those who believe Hooters
is sexist.
“We try to steer away from
\ (Hooters) being seen as a sexist
J V establishment.”
She informed me
that Hooters can be
a family restau
rant. Kids’
menus are pro
vided, and the
waitresses try
to make the
women cus
tomers feel
comfortable.
Despite the
good food and
that friendly
service, I’ve
heard some
comments
linking
Hooters with
male vio
lence. Some
claim that any
establishment
that displays
! women as sex
objects invites
uncontrollable
j sexual behav
iors in men.
But the fact
is that both
women and
men are seen as
sex objects at
certain times.
Gorgeous men
and women are
t the most fre
quently dis
played sex objects, and it has always been that
way.
There has never been an ugly James Bond,
and there never will be. I’ve also never seen a
“Baywatch” star who didn’t look great in a
swimsuit. Soap operas showcase beautiful
men and women as well.
It is hard to fmd average-looking men and
women as models, news anchors and movie
stars. Hooters isn’t any different. The restau
rants want gorgeous women to portray their \
image, and they are not the first to have this
idea. •
Irresponsible male behavior is also fre4 ||
quently linked to alcohol. Since Hooters J >J
serves alcohol, non-supporters have more
ammunition.
But just because there is alcohol, as well
as a large amount of pretty women, it doesn’t
mean that men are going to leave Hooters and
sexually assault a female.
I don’t believe that restaurants like
Hooters, or the late Playboy Club, which was
known for sporting waitresses dressed as bun
nies, are responsible for men’s aggressive sex
ual behavior. Men who are violent or sexually
controlling were made te-way.hy5«i>^e^^iu
bly genetics
Beyond that, men usually rape to have
power over a woman, not for pure sex. It’s
unlikely that a man would rape because a half
dressed woman served him a burger and he
had too much to drink.
If I, as a woman, can go to Hooters restau
rants while not being offended and manage to
have a good time, the place isn’t that bad. I
hope people who wish to knock Hooters have
at least visited the restaurant withup open >
mind.
I have only one regret regarding Hooters
opening in Lincoln It is too bad that titers ■s
isn’t a restaurant boasting male servers wear
ing tiny biker shorts and sporting six-pack
stomachs joining Lincoln’s restaurants as
well.
I’m sure that if there were such a place, it
might be named “Hogs,” with a pig as die
mascot, (of course the mascot is a pig - what
were you thinking it was?) It would be more
difficult for women to complain about
Hooters with a spin-off establishment like
Hogs as such an appealing place.
Unfortunately, Hogs is just my dream
restaurant Maybe someday it will come true.
But until it does, I’m sure many, women espe
cially, will continue to criticize Hooters.
But I believe that criticizing an establish
ment because it showcases beautiful women
displays very jealous and hypocritical behav
ior.
Sure, men will go to Hooters to ogle the
barely clothed waitresses, but then they will
come home to you - the girlfriend, the wife,
whatever
There is no need to worry unless, of
course, your guy is untrustworthy, in which
case you shouldn’t be with him anyway.
Another reason that we women shouldn’t
try to stop men from visiting Hooters is that
most of us would become hypocrites.
If there were a “Hunky Male Model” con
test in Lincoln, you’d better believe I’d be out
the door so fast my head would spin. Ladies,
you know you’d do the same. Admit it
Despite the negative comments about
Hooters, I doubt that the restaurant’s business
will be anything short of booming. After all,
Lincoln is home to the largest college campus
in Nebraska.
So, my faithful readers, try to have open
minds regarding the recent arrival of Hooters.
Maybe even visit for yourselves. Once you
finally get a table, you’ll see it isn’t such a bad
place to eat.
