OMG: Culture in BookThree: Flight Log 2016

Okay… this is judgmental as hell of me. I should feel bad. But I don’t. Because…

PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTY DON’T KNOW WHO ELPHABA IS!

Seriously… I just heard a room full of “Native Professionals” at the DHS Building debate whether the Wicked Witch of the West ever had a name other than Wicked Witch of the West. They all agreed that it was probably “Margaret” since Margaret Hamilton played the Wicked Witch. FINALLY someone suggested a google search on a smart phone… if anybody had a smart phone. Luckily someone did. And they looked at the word and set the phone down and said, “Apparently she does have a name, but I don’t know how to pronounce it.” And they passed the phone around trying to pronounce it… none of them getting it right.

I get that this outs me as a snob. I’ve been a snob for most of my life. Because, in this instance, I take “snob” as a compliment. Snob meaning: one who actively and passionately attempts to broaden their cultural horizons. Sweeney Todd, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Starlight Express, Jesus Christ Superstar, Avenue Q, Wicked, Hamilton, Jersey Boys, and on and on… and that’s just musicals. Live music and plays and other culturally enhancing activities are… just… so damned important to me.

Seriously. I was horrified and in shock at the reaction of this group of women who could not figure out Elphaba.