Bingo in Smoking

They thought it would never happen. “Blasphemy!” they said. Also, “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard.” (Although, to be fair, this doesn’t make any sense.)

But it seems they are wrong, for I am writing a post. Stranger things have happened.

For example.

Since living in the UK, I have noticed several seemingly tiny but culturally huge gaps in the things British and American societies deem important. Soccer and peanut butter respectively top this list.

However, it seems the gap is closing and we are embracing one another’s traditions. In return for the Americans embracing Victoria Beckham as a valid human being (in some cases), British teens have run away with the concept of senior prom.

Prom, where memories are made, is typically tacky and gross and therefore unsurprisingly something of an industry. I was too cool (read: misanthropic) for the prom committee, but I have been in physical contact with catalogues containing everything you need for your perfect magical evening.

Sometimes this gets out of control. My best friend, who was on the prom committee, claims that her senior prom’s color scheme was established to match a committee member’s dress. Further to this, she claims that she visited her high school during prom season years later and found that they had developed a new and unique prom theme all by themselves: Candyland After Dark.

If I remember anything whatsoever about Candyland, I recall it being relatively frightening in broad daylight. Not only did it feature Gloppy the Molasses Monster, the Lord Licorice of the ’80s looks like Satan and the Candyland Kids themselves look like they belong to Aryan Nations or Prussian Blue. I can’t imagine anything in Candyland being improved by darkness.

For that matter, the idea of any character-based board game after dark has potential to be utterly frightening. Clue After Dark. Guess Who After Dark. Don’t Wake Daddy After Dark. Hungry, Hungry Hippos…After Dark.

Is prom’s UK invasion a good thing? Will the obnoxiousness be lost in translation? Let’s consult our Magic 8 Ball After Dark.

Hmm. Outlook not good.

TRICKS AND TREATS

A Deterrant: Prussian Blue – Skinhead Boy
What’s Your Prom Style?