Tag Teamin’ With Billy and Cody: Classically Conversational
The Dark Knight came out in theaters this past summer. Its general plot development was fairly easy to anticipate: When there is gross injustice; when the world becomes polluted with evil and no one is there to step up against it; when good things get ruined by bad people; and when good people get ruined by bad things, the stud hero Batman bounds to the scene, and all is not lost. Billy Evans and Cody Stipes may not immediately compare themselves much to Batman, but I think maybe they ought. “No, Luke, we really don’t compare ourselves to Batman,” they tell me. But still I persist. “What about that one scene where he’s like, ‘Woah!’, and they’re like, ‘Woah!’?” Blank stares. “No, no, Luke, not really.” Well Mr. Stipes, you can jump in a lake. Let my claim stand to be judged.
There exists a phenomenon surrounding politics. At the heart of the usual political climate are harsh tones, underlying agendas, personal attack, and, of course, personal bias. Any mention of politics rouses an incredibly high sense of emotion in people. In everyday politics talk people get offended, or ignored, or rubbed the wrong way, or simply too caught up in their own personal opinion to listen to others’. All this turns anger on and discussion off. Such a negatively charged climate is an injustice against politics that Messrs. Billy Evans and Cody Stipes are seeking to amend. With their radio show Tag Teamin’ with Billy and Cody, they have opened a new avenue for political conversation, aspiring to spark and hold an appreciation for politics that politics deserves. Together they have worked hard to develop a refreshingly different approach to that wearisome science we call politics.
These two WNDY disc jockeys bag politics with goof, working original humor into important discussion. “We want to lighten the mood for guys, yet give them some solid information,” says the sophomore Evans. The once-weekly show includes a segment on just about everything, as its opening line, “News, Sports, and Weather…Together”, identifies. They get down to business with Salutes and Pollutes, a witty critique of national, state, and Wabash headlines. Their critical analyses have in the past included such topics as adding support to the iconic Joe the Plumber and, albeit reluctantly, shame onto the once again choking Cubs. The showmen do however try to keep much of the focus on the pressing political issues at hand. As Evans goes on, “You know, we do have a lot of fun, but we still want to be informative. We’ve really hit big on presidential debate coverage, our nation’s economic crisis, different ideas surrounding the proposed financial bail-out— the topics that really deserve the most attention.”
Following this leading news segment is the creatively critiquing Sarah Palin Hour. The jockeys just cannot get enough of the Governor and former vice presidential hopeful. Evans again jumps in, “There are a lot of things about her we find intriguing, not to mention physically attractive.” Yet Stipes, also a sophomore, counters, claiming that even despite his infatuation he considers the Governor’s appeal significantly lessened when she begins talking. “Although”, he pauses, “you’ve got to love that accent.”
At the close of each show is the Final Countdown, which they each agree is one of the defining features of the show. They highlight ten issues of the previous week that were especially noteworthy and relevant to current discussion. They cover these key issues to the backdrop of the segment’s namesake, Europe’s “Final Countdown”. Throughout the show the jockeys enjoy plugging in songs of all nature, anything that might at the moment be fitting. I wondered if the Batman theme song were ever fitting. “Maybe,” guffaws Stipes, “like if we were wearing capes and nabbing cronies or something.” However, as a visit to the show’s Facebook site suggests, the wearing of capes and nabbing of cronies might not be so farfetched. As always, these men take care of business.
The jockeys tackle another of what I consider to be an example of an existing injustice against politics. They claim that the basic goals of their radio show are to promote not only political involvement, but also the creation of open forums for political discussion. Where differences exist between the men’s opinions, they confront them head-on. As Stipes reasons, “There’s no hiding among the hedges. You’ve got to take the bull by the horns, as it were.” Yet the men go one step further to ensure proper balance and debate in their broadcast. He continues, “When Billy takes a more liberal look at something, I’ll combat it from a more conservative perspective, and vice versa. There are so many sides to politics; we generally believe that not all things are always just so black and white.” Evans concurs, “You know, I always try to look an issue straight in the face, not from one side or the other. Whereas some people are all for one side and all against the other, I think it’s fair to say we play the moderate’s ticket.”
Interesting approach, gentlemen. While this is not exactly the perspective of a Phoenix staff writer, it certainly is laudable nonetheless. The two men realize how fully healthy conversation depends on differing opinion, and therefore embrace any opportunity for intelligent debate. Certainly, the heart of a liberal arts environment beats with contest.
In this spirit Mr.’s Evans and Stipes held on their show the widely acclaimed “Great Debate.” The October 13 showdown featured Obama supporter and Democrat activist Gary James ’10 in contest versus McCain enthusiast Mike Bellis ’12, two men whose views could not be more different. Despite their differences the two agreed to meet on the air to talk things over. The debate was formal and well-structured, with the contestants covering a wide range of key campaign issues. Tag Teamin’ provided a relaxed, objective arena for an intelligent contest; an arena which allowed for the discussion to at times become heated, intense, and passionate, yet still topical and informative. In other attempts made on campus to create such forums, the created atmosphere has rarely been so pure. The men ought to be proud knowing that their attempts to reform the political climate on campus have so far been effective.
Though this and the show’s other efforts are small in comparison to larger-scale projects put on by Senate-funded groups, they are efforts nonetheless. “We feel it is our way of making a contribution to the conversation at Wabash, that as citizen-students we are essentially obligated to do,” urges Evans, then grins, “You know, our show knows only three words: discussion, America, and Wabash.” It is this willingness to open the floor to critical comparison that becomes the backbone of social improvement.
According to the Gentleman’s Rule, critical comparison is the elixir vitae of Wabash. A fundamental pillar of personal character development first, in cooperative action critical analysis opens the blinds of skewed subjectivity to reveal a refreshing vista of forward motion. As weary politicians have for nearly two years now muddled through a mire of lie-supported funding, tirelessly degrading campaign ads, speeches that contain more flakey fluff than solid fiber, etc., the mention of constructive forward motion through critical thinking is certainly a notion of hope.
Of course, hope is a word that has been thrown around a lot lately. It is a classic catchphrase, which, once spoken by the man behind the pulpit is taken up and bleated around by a herd of followers. But let us as men be not so sheepish. When a President of Wabash College speaks, we do not merely hang onto every word he says, mindlessly chanting phrases he has taught us to say. As the hope of our college depends so fully upon critical thinking, we must search out the meat in what he says and find what lies behind his smooth, often emotional talk. When we accept his plans of change without carefully looking into them and debating our agreement therewith, do we give up something that defines us as men and citizens? Of course.
The hope of our college rests upon our capacity and utility to think sensibly. We must be prudent investigators, first as independent gentlemen and collectively, in turn, as effective debaters in appropriate forum. At Wabash, discussion is our Batman of sorts – protecting us from the wiles of a society changed, nay, polluted by erroneous ideas.
The two disk jockeys Stipes and Evans agree: capes and the Batman theme song would be not only sweet-action, but moreover appropriate. My claim stands justified. Together they add a final word: “And all others on campus engaged in the conversation around them, cheers, Wallies. You earn yourselves a spot on Salutes.” But, of course, only in line behind Sarah Palin’s darling pronunciation, “Say it ain’t soe, Joe. You knowe, doggone it, let’s looek ahead naow…”
Yes, thank you ma’am. Let’s.
