A big shout-out to ET for keeping it real

The issue has recently been brought to public attention by Adam Wilson, a sophomore in the College of Engineering. In a letter to the editor, he shares his concern that certain columnists use their column space to promote themselves and their friends ("Columnists promote selves, friends," 11/3/99). He cites my 10/22/99 column ("Killing centipedes for world peace") as a major example, and asks if we can "get some more obvious 'friend' plugs in a campus publication."

By "campus publication," he is clearly referring to the Daily and not Michigan Engineer, which has been known to blatantly promote alumni and friends who have made a difference in the field of engineering.

In response to Wilson's (rhetorical) question, I would say yes, that we could probably fit some obvious 'friend' plugs in the Daily, if he continues to insist.

Jennifer Strausz Jump Ship and Swim

Promoting friends in campus publications is very similar to promoting products in movies. Noticeable merchandise plugs in a movie can be distracting and annoying (have you seen "Big Daddy"?). Equally bad are the low-budget movies that go out of their way not to feature any brand names. In these, the cans that are covered in construction paper and labeled "Cola" become just as distracting as obvious merchandise plugs.

The perfect balance is a movie like "ET," in which the selective inclusion of brand-name products like PEZ, Coke and Speak-'n-Spell keep the story believable, the characters easy to relate to and the scenes true to life (except for that part about the extraterrestrial).

Non-news stories in the paper work the same way. The selective and purposeful use of a friend's name and/or characteristics can benefit a story. Referring to actual people and actual things is a reminder that the author is human and that the story is real.

If my intentions were to promote myself and my friends in the newspaper, I wouldn't even try to disguise it as a story. It would be a cross between the 'U' mail section of the Daily's classified ads and a day's worth of posters in Angell Hall. It would be personal messages, inside jokes, propaganda. It would be like it was in Res Rep Summer Troupe 1999, when we (Josh, Geeta, Ben, Dia, Cliff, Dayna, Eric, Vipul, Kellee and I) would slip references to our friends into the orientation skits if we knew that they would be watching.

In the hypothetical event that I would be using my column space for such obvious 'friend' plugs, I would give a big shout out to my housemates (Jen, Mira, Ashleigh, Betsy, Stacey, Deborah and Rachel), who are all rock and roll princesses, and I would even mention their last names (Roth, Freilich, Gersh, Wagner, Schwartz, Bass and Karabenick).

I would break the news that we need an immediate or winter sublet because Demmy moved out, and I would tell anyone interested to call Rachel at (734) 623-2353.

If I wanted to promote myself, I would point out that I am much cuter in real life than I am in this picture, which was taken by Daily photographer David Rochkind, who is my next-door neighbor.

I would make another next-door neighbor (hi Steve Krieger) very happy by mentioning that EnAct, the University's environmental action group, meets every Wednesday in the MSA Chambers (3909 Michigan Union) at 8 p.m.

I would recommend checking out Sugar Pill tonight at the Blind Pig, which I would go to even if I wasn't friends with the lead singer.

I would tell everyone to sign up for Alternative Spring Break, not only because I did it last year and loved it, but because my friends Eric, Jen, Joel, David and Sharlene are five of this year's site leaders. I would also suggest filling out those applications quickly (from the web at www.umich.edu/~mserve/serve), because the deadline is today.

I would express my gratitude to the girl who was sitting next to me at the library yesterday, and who kept an eye on my backpack and computer during my countless trips to the drinking fountain.

I would admit that I wouldn't be so protective of my belongings if Britt Framalin's lap top hadn't recently been stolen, and I would thank Britt for helping to remember the 'run-on sentences rap,' which I shared with my English class on Wednesday.

I would probably conclude this hypothetical 'friends' plug with a short list of "shout-outs" that wouldn't really have to do with anything: to Adam Grant, Monica Sharma, the Groves High School graduating class of 1998, the three Rachels from ASB, English 417.010, the Lloyd Hall Scholars Program, Grandpa Lloyd, Brett and Utpal, 532 Elm Street, Rabbi Avraham Jacobovitz, Rory Michaels, the 'disoriented' e-mail list, my Russian class and the entire cast of the 1987 Lathrup Village Youtheater production of "The Chronicles of Narnia."

- Jennifer Strausz can be reached over e-mail at jstrausz@umich.edu.

11-19-99