Thomas Hudson Simmermaker is a sophomore from Little Rock, Arkansas. His major is undeclared at the moment, but he hopes to pursue an English major with a Creative Writing track. Tom currently acts as a Rhodes College Diplomat, Peer Assistant, writer for the Rhodes Humor Magazine, a Snowden mentor, a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, the Lynx Club, and a member of our on campus improvisation organization—Contents Under Pressure, better known as CUP. Whether you know Tom as that funny freshman who played Nicholas Cage in last year’s All Sing competition http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eIaemH5I0c, as the sophomore who led the Class of 2017’s Welcome to Rhodes Jeopardy Program this semester, or as that guy whose Facebook profile picture has over 300 likes:
Tom is truly a campus celebrity in every sense of the title. If you are one of the few people on our campus who does not yet know Tom, you will one day. In the future, you will most likely know Tom as the next comedic genius on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, but for now you have the privilege of knowing Tom as a student of Rhodes College. Tom is the type of individual who shows up to an interview for Campus Celebrity in a t-shirt featuring the phrase “World’s Greatest Dad.” He is also the type of person who claims this to be his weirdest item of clothing:
Let’s get back to that interview though:
Question: What made you decide to come to Rhodes? How has Rhodes changed you?
Answer: “A good friend of mine back home told me to check it out when I was a sophomore. I visited when I was a junior in high school and loved it and Memphis as well. And how has it changed me? I feel like it has taught me a lot about the value of open-mindedness. Many of the people I have met, obviously, have become some of my favorite people in the world. They have impacted for the better, undoubtedly.”
Question: You are only a sophomore and yet you seem to be one of the most well known people on campus, why do you think that is?
Answer: “I am friends with Carolyn Starks.”
Question: If you could, what is something you would want to change about Rhodes?
Answer: “I’d like for there to be some system where if you didn’t eat a meal on your meal plan, you got luck ‘extrabuxx’ or something put on your card for snacks, drinks or something along those lines…maybe funyuns. Or I would just change the name of the Lair to ‘Flour’ or ‘Chipotle.’”
Question: Tell me more about your involvement in CUP, where would you like CUP to go?
Answer: Tom claims that he did “zero improv in high school,” and that he tried out for CUP on a whim. Tom is one of the returning members of CUP this year, and he most enjoys the performances in which he can embody a different character. For Tom, performing in CUP is exhilarating as well as “an hour of ridiculously sweaty armpits.” He hopes that the organization will “continue to grow and give people the opportunity to explore improve comedy.”
Question: Tell me a little bit about your role as a PA Leader.
Answer: “I was a PA leader this year with ChiChi Ugorji as my partner, and it was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed having the opportunity to be a new student’s first stranger-to-stranger friendship at Rhodes. It is very important to me that everyone becomes very well-acclimated to Rhodes and Memphis, and that each of my PA kids feels excited, well-informed, and safe.”
Question: What is the one piece of advice you would give to an incoming freshman?
Answer: “Be yourself. It’s not always easy at the beginning, but be yourself.”
Question: What is something you wish you knew your first year at Rhodes?
Answer: “I wish I would have known that the third floor of Blount only has three showers, and that two of these three showers would be defecated in throughout the year. I wish I would have known this, so I could have avoided in stepping in poop.”
Question: Have you thought about your plans for after college?
Answer: Tom’s dream job would be to work as a television or movie screenwriter or as an actor in either field. He also wants to travel as much as possible following graduation as he feels he “learns the most from other people.” If all else fails, Tom will most likely be a gym teacher.
Question: What is something most people do not know about you?
Answer: “The first time I had people over to my house in high school, my poodle Mootsie drowned in our pool. I also love hip-hop and enjoy slam poetry. I hope to start a spoken-word or slam-poetry competition in the Lair this year.”
Question: Describe your dream themed party at Rhodes.
Answer: “I would love to host a Garden of Eden themed swap. In my vision, you would walk into the room and an apple would be hanging from the ceiling. It would be a nice social event with light, heavenly music playing. At some point in time, a designated person will grab the apple and once he or she bites into the apple all hell will break loose and the calm social event will become a bumping party. Oh and Campus Safety will be monitoring the party dressed as angels with wings.”
Question: Would you rather change gender every time you cough OR not be able to tell the difference between a scone and a baby?
Answer: “Not be able to tell the difference between a scone and a baby. Imagine going to a nursery hahaha.”
Question: Music Lightning Round.
Answer:
Best pump-up song: “Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song)” by Enrique Iglesias http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqON44CLaQM
What you listen to when you are in a bad mood: Old Blink-182
Best break-up song: “Windows Are Rolled Down” by Amos Lee http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnkI9JOoBSg
Best song to dance to: “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViwtNLUqkMY
Be sure to check out Tom and CUP in their next performance this November!