When:
Sat June 4
Where:
Lake City, home of the original Panty Raid
As Gilbert said in the time-honored classic Revenge of the Nerds, “No one will really be free until nerd persecution ends.” Luckily for his underappreciated kind, at least one form of discrimination is being eliminated tonight, as this “total nerd worship” party celebrates all things socially awkward.
The invitation warned us with talk of “geeking out” and ’80s movies, but still, we should have been more prepared. As we enter, costumes are in full effect, with a full-fledged Weird Al, a complete set of Heathers (with croquet mallets in hand), and something evil from Legend. Dr. Peter Venkman (Ghostbusters) and The Dread Pirate Roberts (The Princess Bride) also make an appearance. Every costume is wonderful, elaborate, and totally dweeby.
Now, good costumes alone don’t make a party. You’ve got to be able to make a fool of yourself in the aforementioned getup, and at this party, that’s where the karaoke machine comes in. Please, allow me to paint a mental picture of some of the sweetest karaoke to ever enter my eye sockets:
The room is half full, with all the partygoers standing near the back, creating a makeshift performance space. Pre-laser eye surgery Al Yankovic takes the mic, wearing a red Hawaiian shirt and a mustache made of what creepily seemed to be covering the bathroom sink earlier in the night (chest hair?). A hush comes over the crowd. The blue TV screen displays “Cyndi Lauper-Girls Just Want to Have Fun.” A murmur spreads throughout the room. Can he hit those high notes? As Weird Al begins to sing, we realize that he’s performing the song as Weird Al would, while booty grinding in the middle of the floor. It’s beautiful, and we all heartily sing along. Viva la Nerd!
Can you sing better karaoke at your house party? Party Crasher wants to see! Send the date, address, and why your party is gonna rock to partycrasher@thestranger.com.