Some Oles may easily remember high school when their fellow students voted for the queen and king of their class during homecoming week. Memories of your high school homecoming might fill you with nostalgia or anger, but no matter what high school’s homecoming was like, this year’s contest was certainly version 2.0. This year SAC (Student Activities Committee) hosted St. Olaf’s own contest for the men of the hill.
Mr. St. Olaf – King of the Hill (the facebook page can be found here www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170757646337260) was received by an enthusiastic group of Oles on Friday. The event was so popular that The Pause was filled to capacity and many students had to wait to get in. Not only were students in attendance, but a number of parents took part in the homecoming festivities as well.
Both the parents and students got quite a show! The St. Olaf boys who participated were strung through a series of contests including swimsuit, talent, pick-up line and a final round of serious questions in order to determine the winner. The judges were Pamela McDowell, Natalie Christine Davis, and Josh from the bag lunch line. Audience members were given the chance to participate as well, by voting for titles like “Best Butt” and “Best Smile.”
The winner of King of the Hill was Joel Money ’12, but in my mind, all of St. Olaf was a winner in this contest. Whether or not you enjoyed your high school’s homecoming this event was funny, entertaining and decidedly less judgmental than those from your teenage years.
The absence of a parallel Queen of the Hill contest was probably a good decision because the line between humorous and sleazy is a thin one. What is humorous for the men (swimsuit contests for example) would need a less sexual alternative for the women.
When I asked a fellow Ole, Sarah Scott ’13, whether she would like to see this event again she replied, “Yes, but I would also like to see an evening wear section where [the contestants] dress up and dance.”
Perhaps St. Olaf should consider hosting more events like this in the future – perhaps a St. Olaf So You Think You Can Dance or a St. Olaf Iron Chef? While these ideas may seem a bit out there, due to the popularity of Mr. St. Olaf – King of the Hill, it seems likely that similar contests would do well here in the future.