Washington Square News January 29, 2018

NYU’s Independent Student Newspaper | est. 1973

nyunews.com

Monday, January 29, 2018

Volume L, Issue 2

ARTS

FEATURES

OPINION

SPORTS

Tisch Alumnus Pays Tribute to National Lampoon

Tide Pod Challenge Just the Latest Fad

Bias Response Line Unresponsive

NYU Reacts: 2018 Super Bowl Predictions

ON PAGE 7

ON PAGE 9

ON PAGE 11

ON PAGE 4

#MeToo Raises Ethical Questions for NYU Journalism

K

By CAROLINE HASKINS Investigative News Editor

atie Roiphe, director of NYU’s Graduate Cultural Reporting and Criticism Program in the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, allegedly planned to out the then-anonymous creator of the “Shitty Media Men” List — which drove the media industry’s response to the #MeToo movement — in a still-unpublished Harper’s Magazine piece. She also possibly lied to The New York Times about her own knowledge of the creator’s identity.

Ted Conover, the head of NYU’s graduate Journalism program, said in an email to WSN that he has received “several” emails regarding Roiphe since Jan. 9 when knowledge of her unpublished Harper’s Magazine piece became known on Twitter. According to an email from Roiphe, NYU Journalism may host an event in March in

which she would have the opportunity to answer questions about her article in Harper’s Magazine. Roiphe said the article may be published in early February. Roiphe and Conover declined to provide further information about the event.

The “Shitty Media Men” List was an open-sourced Google Sheet anonymously published on Oct. 11 and taken down after 12 hours. Several men on the list lost their jobs due to inappropriate conduct in the weeks following the list’s publication, but it’s unclear what role, if any, the list played in these decisions. The list also prompted dozens of written responses in October. Some praised the list’s goal of believing and protecting sexually victimized women, while others criticized the list for not properly distinguishing less serious and credible claims from more serious and credible claims.

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‘Deplorable’ NYU Professor Sues University, Colleagues for Defamation

By SARAH JACKSON Deputy News Editor

VIA TWITTER.COM

Katie Roiphe is a journalism professor at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Her part in the outing of the creator of “Shitty Media Men” is drawing attention and criticism from the NYU community and beyond.

The Storyteller Behind Jesediah

By AVANI JURAKHAN Contributing Writer

Up-and-coming rapper and Tisch junior Jesse Sgambati –– known popularly as Jesediah –– shakes his work up by intertwining spontaneous beats with structured storytelling.

Born and raised in Syracuse, New York, Jesse Sgambati began learning classical piano at eight years old. He later switched to guitar lessons under his history teacher, setting in motion a strong love for music that endures to this day and focuses on the concept of storytelling.

Although he always appreciated hiphop, Sgambati made the choice not to limit himself to just one style of music.

Instead, his art is a product of mixing multiple genres.

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Liberal Studies professor Michael Rectenwald, known for criticizing social justice and political correctness under the Twitter handle @antipcnyuprof, filed a defamation lawsuit against NYU and four of its professors on Jan. 12 in Manhattan Supreme Court.

The professor, who proclaimed himself “deplorable,” alleges in the lawsuit that fellow professors Jacqueline Bishop, Amber Frost, Carley Moore and Theresa Senft made false statements in a department-wide email exchange between May 8 and 12 of last year that have damaged his personal and professional life. He said in the lawsuit that NYU did not intervene when necessary to end the harmful accusations.

The emails, included in the lawsuit, reveal claims by faculty that Rectenwald is a “racist, sexist, misogynistic, adderal-filled [sic] bully” as well as the “devil” with a “delusional, narcissistic, and drug-fueled narrative.”

In an interview with WSN, for which his assistant and one of his lawyers, Edward Paltzik, were present, Rectenwald was quick to draw the line between insults and defamation, arguing that the emails were clearly defamatory.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2|

Check Out The

Hidden Feature

COURTESY OF JESSE SGAMBATI

Jesse Sgambati, known largely as Jesediah, is an up-and-coming rapper studying both production and songwriting in the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.

nyunews.com/HIDDEN

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Washington Square News | Monday, January 29, 2018

NEWS

Edited by Sakshi Venkatraman and Mack DeGeurin news@nyunews.com

‘Deplorable’ NYU Professor Sues University, Colleagues for Defamation | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“This has been an orchestrated attempt to assail my character and destroy me professionally,” Rectenwald said. “This is not about my feelings. This is about my career, this is about my reputation as a professional. That has been assaulted.”

Rectenwald maintains in his lawsuit that the verbal harassment, which has cause him emotional distress, only goes one way.

“You look at the emails and see my responses to them, you’ll see the contrast between how I interacted with them and how they talked to me,” Rectenwald said. “How they insulted me, how they used the most obscene, absurd epithets and allegations whereas I never mentioned one person by name.”

A look at the emails Rectenwald sent to his colleagues in response suggests otherwise.

“I don’t care what your [bachelor’s degree] was in, Amber, nor have I said anything about it,” Rectenwald wrote in an email dated May 10. “Further, I am hardly in misery. I have transcended all of this garbage and am enjoying writing about the insidious ideology that has overtaken the university system, nationwide and beyond, while being handsomely rewarded for it.”

In an interview with CLG News, a website Rectenwald founded and edits alongside his assistant of 15 years Lori Price, Rectenwald expressed his reasoning for filing the lawsuit.

“My ‘colleagues’ have utterly contaminated the entire faculty and curtailed my career by at least 10 years,” Rectenwald said. “I had no choice but to sue them for their outrageous lies and imputations, and NYU for essentially condoning their outrageously defamatory remarks.”

Rectenwald claimed in the lawsuit that NYU should have stopped the email chain.

The emails began as an acknowledgement of Rectenwald’s forthcoming book, “Springtime for Snowflakes: ‘Social Justice’ and Its Postmodern Parent.”

Rectenwald is unsure of what changed the tone of the emails into what he describes as vitriolic and abusive towards him.

“Apparently something I tweeted set them off; I don’t want to say ‘triggered,’ but apparently it triggered them,” he said.

Rectenwald was placed on paid leave

by NYU shortly after outing himself as the owner of the once-anonymous Twitter account in October 2016. He resumed his position earlier this month.

The clinical professor claims he was forced to go on leave, although LS Dean Fred Schwarzbach said in a series of emails that Rectenwald requested the leave.

“The fact of the matter is that this leave has nothing to do with your opinions or your take on the academy and was not involuntary; rather, the truth is, the leave is something you said you wanted and needed,” Schwarzbach

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CRIME LOG

Staff Member Reports Eight Missing Wi-Fi Routers

By SARAH JACKSON Deputy News Editor

From Jan. 21 to Jan. 25, the NYU Department of Public Safety received five reports of larceny, six reports of controlled substances, one report of domestic violence, one report of fraud, two reports of harassment, one report of criminal mischief and one report of forgery.

VIA TWITTER.COM

Michael Rectenwald, also known as “The Deplorable Professor,” is suing NYU and some professors for defamation.

wrote in an email dated Nov. 11, 2016.

Rectenwald believes the controversial opinions he expressed on Twitter were the grounds for his leave but still stands by the account.

“My aim was to expose the ferocity with which non-complying views expressed on social media by an anonymous academic would be attacked,” Rectenwald wrote in The Washington Post soon after going on leave. “But I take issue with the implication that I personally harmed or betrayed anyone simply by posting a controversial news item.”

Michael Isaacson, the former adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice who gained notoriety for tweeting that it was “a privilege to teach future dead cops,” was also involved in the email exchange.

“Sounds like you need a safe space, snowflake,” he wrote to Rectenwald.

In the lawsuit, Rectenwald also accused Isaacson of calling him an “asshole” four times.

Rectenwald said he has not received physical threats but had “reasons to believe that there was some possible jeopardy,” referring most likely to Isaacson, a member of “Antifa.”

“One of the interlocutors on the email list, who shouldn’t have been on it, is known to be a member of a group,” Rectenwald said before consulting with his lawyer and declining to finish his statement.

Rectenwald said the Equal Opportunity Employment chief officer suggested he move from his regular office in the LS department to his current one in the Russian and Slavic Studies department for his safety.

“It was a hostile work environment,” Rectenwald said. “Not only being shunned, but being treated as a sort of moral leper, being treated as a pariah, people refusing to get on elevators with me, things of that sort.”

Rectenwald believes the lawsuit is telling of what he calls the surveillance state environment on many university campuses today.

“Everytime you open your mouth, you could be accused of committing a microaggression or some other bias or infraction,” Rectenwald said, reading off of his notes. “This is a terrible way to run a university. It is antithetical to in-

tellectual work.”

He added that the criticism leveled against him makes a point about how NYU handles dissenting opinions.

“The bigger picture is that this is a question of academic freedom and tolerance and the ability to have first amendment expression without having it curtailed, without having it administratively chastised and without having to face basically libel and defamation in the process,” he said. “[This] shows that a particular ideology has been treated as doctrine and that anyone who dares and has the temerity to even question it faces a veritable rhetorical firing squad.”

Paltzik echoed the plaintiff’s principle that indoctrination is not education.

“In addition to professor Rectenwald, the students and their parents who pay exorbitant tuition rates and entrust NYU and its professors to educate, rather than indoctrinate, are victims here,” Paltzik said. “This litigation will reveal some truly outrageous and shocking behavior.”

In the meantime, Rectenwald has four years until his five-year employment contract with NYU expires. He remains unsure of whether he will stay at NYU if he loses the lawsuit.

“I have no idea what would happen if that happened, and I won’t surmise about any outcomes,” Rectenwald said.

Price was copied on the initial email thread. She said that the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Group — or the Conformity, Inequity and Exclusion Group as Rectenwald referred to it — was almost too eager to issue a statement against Rectenwald.

“You can’t express your thoughts without getting condemned by an inclusion group, ironically?” she said.

University Spokesperson John Beckman initially said, “This lawsuit is without merit.” He responded to a second request for comment by repeating the statement.

Professor Moore declined to comment, and the remaining professors involved have not responded to requests for comment.

Email Sarah Jackson at sjackson@nyunews.com.

LARCENY

On Jan. 22 at 3:28 p.m., an NYU student reported that $50 was missing from the nightstand in her dorm at Third Avenue North Residence Hall. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

On Jan. 23 at 9:30 p.m., an NYU student reported that his coat was missing from his locker in the men’s locker room at Palladium Athletic Facility. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

On Jan. 24 at 10:30 a.m., an NYU staff member reported that eight Wi-Fi routers were missing from several locations throughout Warren Weaver Hall. A police report was filed, and the case is open and under investigation.

On Jan. 24 at 1:45 p.m., an NYU staff member reported an attempt to remove items from the bookstore without paying for them. Police recovered the items and escorted the person out of the building. Police notification was declined, and the case is closed.

On Jan. 24 at 1:50 p.m., an NYU student reported that her dental loupes were missing from the locker room at the NYU Dental Center. Police notification was declined, and the report is open and under investigation.

CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

On Jan. 23 at 11:17 a.m., an NYU resident assistant reported that she recovered alcohol from students entering Rubin Residence Hall. Police notification was declined, and the case has been referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

On Jan. 23 at 4:00 p.m., an NYU resident assistant reported that she recovered alcohol during her rounds in Third North. Police notification was declined, and the case has been referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

On Jan. 24 at 7:39 p.m., an NYU resident assistant reported that she recovered alcohol from Coral Tower Residence Hall. Police notification was declined, and the case has been referred to the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services.

On Jan. 25 at 10:30 p.m., an NYU resident assistant reported that he

recovered alcohol during his rounds in Founders Residence Hall. Police notification was declined, and the case has been referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

On Jan. 25 at 11:29 p.m., an NYU resident assistant reported that he recovered alcohol during his rounds in Lipton Residence Hall. Police notification was declined, and the case has been referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

On Jan. 26 at 2:39 a.m., an NYU resident assistant reported that he recovered alcohol during his rounds in Lipton Hall. Police notification was declined, and the case has been referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

On Jan. 21 at 10:25 p.m., an NYU student reported that he was a victim of domestic violence at Palladium Residence Hall. Police notification was declined, and the case has been closed and referred to the Title IX office.

FRAUD

On Jan. 23 at 11:45 a.m., an NYU student at Brittany Residence Hall reported that her credit was used fraudulently. Police notification was declined, and the case has been referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

HARASSMENT

On Jan. 23 at 8:11 p.m., an NYU student reported that he received unwanted flirtations and lewd photographs from another student. Police notification was declined, and the case has been referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

On Jan. 25 at 3:20 p.m., a staff member at 370 Jay St. reported that members of his team received numerous harassing phone calls. The number was blocked. Police notification was declined, and the case is closed.

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

On Jan. 24 at 1:30 p.m., an NYU resident assistant reported that a poster by the elevators in Gramercy Green Residence Hall was vandalized. Police notification was declined, and the case has been referred to the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services.

FORGERY

On Jan. 24 at 1:45 p.m., an NYU staff member reported receipt of a forged instrument at Weinstein Residence Hall. Police notification was declined, and the case is open and under investigation.

Email the Sarah Jackson at sjackson@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Monday, January 29, 2018

nyunews.com

Page 3

NEWS

Edited by Sakshi Venkatraman and Mack DeGeurin news@nyunews.com

#MeToo Raises Ethical Questions for NYU Journalism | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

After journalists Dayna Tortorici and Nicole Cliffe tweeted that Roiphe planned to out the then-anonymous creator of the list on Jan. 9, some writers argued that Roiphe was not an appropriate voice to speak about the list and they criticised her for skepticism toward sexual assault and sexual harassment allegations.

On Jan. 10, the day after news of Roiphe’s unpublished story broke, the creator of the “Shitty Media Men” List identified herself as Moira Donegan in a widely shared piece for The Cut. Donegan wrote that Roiphe contacted her for an article about the “feminist movement,” and Donegan declined to comment. Weeks later, Donegan said that a fact-checker for Roiphe emailed her and characterized Roiphe’s article differently. “‘Katie identifies you as a woman widely believed to be one of the creators of the Shitty Men in Media List,’” Donegan said that the fact checker wrote. “‘Were you involved in creating the list? If not, how would you respond to this allegation?’”

According to The New York Times, Roiphe claimed to not know the identity of the list creator on the same day that Donegan’s piece was published and added

that she would not have identified the creator without her permission.

Several tweets claimed that Roiphe violated ethical norms within journalism by possibly lying to The New York Times about knowing that Donegan created the list and by allegedly not planning to minimize harm to her subject by publishing her name.

The NYU Journalism Ethics Handbook, which all NYU Journalism students and faculty must pledge to respect, does not mention minimizing harm to a story subject or being a source for another publication.

The handbook does instruct students to “avoid using unidentified sources whenever possible.” But Donegan allegedly declined to provide Roiphe with information for her story, meaning Donegan did not fit NYU Journalism’s definition of a source in early January.

When asked if the emails sent to NYU Journalism referred to the possible message of Roiphe’s article, what is known about the reporting process for Roiphe’s article, or both, Conover said, “They were concerned about different aspects of the conversation.”

Carrie Courogen, an associate editor for The Scene and an alumna of NYU’s undergraduate Journalism program, emailed

Conover regarding Roiphe on Jan. 11.

Courogen told WSN on the phone that she hoped the email would encourage NYU Journalism to reconsider Roiphe’s curriculum and employment status.

“Harper’s take and potential doxxing extremely concerned me — it goes against so many protective measures and codes of ethics,” Courogen said. “It’s a problem and somebody who has that leniency toward ethics shouldn’t be shaping emerging journalists.”

Conover’s response to Courogen, which was obtained by WSN, promised to share Courogen’s concerns with the NYU Journalism faculty.

“Thank you for carefully articulating your thoughts about the current situation, thank you for caring about NYU Journalism,” Conover wrote to Courogen on Jan. 11. “We take alumni concerns seriously, and I will share with colleagues what you have shared with me.”

On Twitter, Courogen urged other graduates of NYU’s Journalism School to send emails regarding Roiphe.

Meanwhile, NYU Journalism alumnus Orli Van Mourik said on the phone that there is not enough information about Roiphe’s reporting or her unpublished article to warrant concern or prompt sending an email to Conover.

“People on social media were looking to protect the author of the list, to scapegoat and [to] place blame based on instinct,” Van Mourik said. “Placing sanctions on professors for voicing unpopular opinions is dangerous territory as journalist.”

Danielle Tcholakian, a freelance journalist who did not attend NYU, emailed Conover regarding Roiphe on Jan. 11.

Tcholakian is a professor of journalism at The New School, but told WSN on the phone that her email to Conover represented her personal views and not those of The New School.

Tcholakian said that by emailing Conover, she hoped to learn more about NYU Journalism’s ethics policies, and increase the context for an article she had already written for LongReads, which criticized Roiphe’s reporting and anticipated criticism of the “Shitty Media Men” List.

“It seems unconventional, at the very least, to be intentionally misleading when contacting a subject who is considered a whistleblower, expose her and leave your fact-checker to ask the real questions,” Tcholakian wrote to Conover on Jan. 11. “Obviously this industry is complicated in that we don’t have standardized industry-wide ethics, but I’m curious as to whether the journalism program at NYU does?”

Tcholakian published Conover’s response to her email on Twitter four days after sending her original email. Conover referred Tcholakian to Andrew Sullivan’s column in The Intelligencer, which urged caution toward allegations and skepticism toward women associated with the #MeToo movement.

“There are ethical considerations galore in this matter,” Conover wrote to Tcholakian. “I’m sure they will be discussed in detail in our NYU Journalism classrooms this coming semester.”

Conover did not specify whether NYU Journalism professors were encouraged to address the ethical aspects of Roiphe’s article inside their classrooms. However, Conover said that he has replied to each email that he has received regarding Roiphe.

“My main thought is that everyone should wait to read professor Roiphe’s piece before forming an opinion about it,” Conover said. “I have shared the gist of the [email] comments with many of my colleagues in journalism and no doubt will share more at our next faculty meeting.”

Additional reporting by Sarah Jackson.

Email Caroline Haskins at chaskins@nyunews.com.

NYU Researchers Make Breakthrough in Russian Bot Detection

By MACK DEGEURIN News Editor

Bots, trolls, misinformation. These terms have recently slipped their way into the lexicon of nearly all political reporting. Just six days into the start of 2017 — and 14 days before President Donald Trump’s inauguration, a 25-page unclassified report by the Director of National Intelligence accused the Russian government of engaging in a sustained misinformation campaign aimed at influencing the 2016 United Staes presidential elections.

Officials from the French, British and German governments have since presented their own accounts of Russian interference. The DNI report, which cited investigations by the CIA, FBI and National Security Agency, claims that Russian actors used state sponsored media outlets, paid human trolls and weaponized swarms of automated bots to disseminate misinformation and pro-Kremlin propaganda. The report concludes with, “high confidence,” that the objective of this campaign was to aid Trump on his path to the White House.

Recently, a team of NYU professors and graduate students at the Social Media and Political Participation Lab released a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Big Data. The paper provided commentators and policy makers with breakthrough insights into how governments use bots — a software application used to automate tasks online —to alter narratives and ultimately weaken political opposition online. Though the team began looking at bots years before the 2017 findings by U.S. intelligence agencies, the findings are relevant. The discoveries required the recruitment of

over 50 Russian undergraduate coders who spent 15 weeks analyzing political posts written in Russian on Twitter between 2014 and 2015. Their assessment found that on any given day, over 50 percent of political tweets written in Russian were produced by bots.

According to co-author and a doctoral candidate in NYU’s Wilf Family Department of Politics, Denis Stukal, this number on some days was as high as 80 percent.

The NYU team, led by Professor of Politics Joshua Tucker, began analyzing Twitter posts written in Russian in 2015. Co-author and Wilf Family Department of politics Ph.D student Sergey Sanovich said that social scientists in the past largely saw the social media site as a liberating technology. “[In 2014] social media was thought of mainly as a ‘liberation technology,’” Stukal said in an interview with WSN. “[It was] a tool to liberalize and democratize societies.”

Indeed, the ability and ease, with

VIA NYU.EDU

Joshua Tucker, professor of sychology and affiliated professor of Russian and Slavic studies and Data Science at NYU.

which social media sites like Twitter allow for activists and protesters to mobilize and export their stories across the world, played a critical role in the 2011 Egyptian revolution. Hundreds of thousands of protesters in Tunisia and Yemen followed suit, utilizing hashtags and Facebook events to spark the the explosive Arab Spring.

Since then, however, autocratic regimes have learned to utilize these technologies for their own benefit. Tucker, Sanovich and Stukal are preparing to release a follow up paper in the journal Comparative Politics and are interested in how autocratic regimes like Russia use these technologies to target dissent.

“We were interested in a larger project of how authoritarian regimes respond to online opposition,” Tucker said.

While the scope of the NYU team’s research was restricted to Russian-speaking Twitter, instances of alleged Russian interference have occured on an international stage.

The effect of this targeted misinformation could be felt close to NYU. Immediately following the 2016 election, over 16,000 people, including some NYU students, registered for a Facebook event titled, “Not My President.” Protesters attending the event marched through lower Manhattan, expressing their displeasure with the election results. According to a report

by Motherboard, however, the groups organizer, BlackMattersUS, was actually run by manipulators with ties to the Russian government. The group has since been banned on Facebook.

These anti-Trump protesters had been made pawns in a Russian political interference campaign.

While several similar real world events have occurred throughout the

VIA FACEBOOK.COM

A Facebook event at Union Square in 2017 was part of a Russian misinformation campaign.

country since, the true frontier of misinformation, according to this report, lies online through bots and trolls.

For the average Twitter user, Stukal pointed to four key characteristics that may help identify a bot. (1) Unlike human accounts, many rudimentary bots may have a long sequence of numbers where a name should be. (2) An account that follows many people but does not have many followers may be a bot. (3) If a user tweets very often this may be the indication of a bot. (4) While humans mostly tweet from mobile devices, bots usually tweet from other third-party software programs like TweetDeck.

Though the bots analyzed in this case study were restricted to strictly the Russian Twitter sphere, the finding illuminates an issue with social media worldwide. In the U.S., internet-based based media companies and aspiring online celebrities, have began purchasing their own computer followers. This

bot-supported economy of clicks presents some dangers.

According to Stukal and Sanovich, the solutions for this current bombardment of online bots may need to begin with Twitter. Though Twitter already uses its own algorithm to detect and ban bots, an alarming amount have fallen through the cracks.

Though Sanovich agreed that Twitter could be doing more to detect bots, he also conceded that abuse of the technology in some form is inevitable. He suggested that complex algorithms alone may not be enough. In the case of Twitter and Facebook, Sanovich said that these firms should employ more people with an understanding of the local language and country.

“You need people who understand the context,” Sanovich said.

Email Mack DeGeurin at mdegeurin@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Monday, January 29, 2018

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ARTS

Edited by Ryan Mikel arts@nyunews.com

The Haunting Inception of ‘Not Clown’

COURTESY OF GABRIEL FRYE-BEHAR

An actor from “Not Clown” by the Pigeonholed Theater Company.

The show ran last weekend at the Robert Moss Theater in SoHo.

By EMILY FAGEL Theater and Books Editor

Tisch alumni Justin Cimino and Sasha Lazare wanted to find uncommon ways to tell relevant stories and inspire conversation.

Their New York City-based nonprofit theater company, Pigeonholed Theater Company, did just that with its recent haunting production of “Not Clown.”

The show, which combines the slapstick antics of a clown with the conflicts of a dystopian world fraught with persecution, challenges all perceptions of normalcy with its zany storyline while providing a unique experience for its audience members.

Written by Steve Moore and Carlos Treviño of Physical Plant Theater, “Not Clown” is a show

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within a show. Years after escaping violent persecution in the United States, a troupe of clowns returns from their refuge in Latvia to visit a young girl named Linda, who writes and produces a play about the bitter world she and her old friends once inhabited.

Linda’s show chronicles her meeting of the clown troupe, her uneasiness as a bystander witnessing its arbitrary persecution and torture by the government and her eventual desire to escape with the troupe to freedom. Despite the fact that her father was a violent clown oppressor himself, Linda wanted to flee to Latvia alongside the former circus performers. However, she was ultimately too afraid to leave.

The conflict in her show’s production arises from the fact that the clowns are playing themselves.

The performers’ reenactment of their own violent persecution and torture is incredibly traumatic for them, even years after the fact. In an especially tense moment, one of the clowns walks out of Linda’s production, and Linda and the rest of the clowns scramble to continue their performance without him.

With the clowns playing both themselves and their persecutors, tension builds. The clowns ultimately toss aside Linda’s script, tie her to a chair and dance around her gleefully. In an act of revenge for never truly standing up for them, they rebel, and “Not Clown” concludes.

The show’s strange cessation left audience members in the Robert Moss Theater confused about whether or not to gather their things and leave the theater.

Directed by Daniel Adams, a second-year MFA candidate at Columbia University, Pigeonholed’s

production of “Not Clown” was executed artfully. Theater company co-founder Sasha Lazare portrayed Linda as irritatingly eager.

Linda’s naivety in assuming that her adult friends would be willing to emulate a torturous time in their lives for the sake of her playwriting pursuit was characterized well.

Lazare depicted Linda as clearly unaware of her privilege and of the fact that she and the clowns’ adventures resulted in her ultimate cowardliness.

Linda’s anxiety — that of a small girl grappling with large societal issues — felt frighteningly familiar. She knows what is the right thing for her to do, but she is also aware that in an oppressive world, doing the right thing requires enormous bravery.

“Not Clown” provided an exceptional framework for showcasing the duality of the other eight actors’ talents. At the start of Linda’s show, the persecuted artists’ former clown selves are showcased.

This production’s actors nailed the physical comedy and immature tomfoolery required of that portion. For the rest of the show, the same actors masterfully depicted a group of people experiencing intense trauma as they relive losing their friends to a violent and oppressive state.

Pigeonholed Theater Company’s production of “Not Clown” presented a combination of high jinks and hardship that encouraged reflection in its audience members.

It achieved the difficult task of inspiring laughs and also triggering the uneasiness typically felt with a dystopian piece.

Email Emily Fagel at efagel@nyunews.com.

‘Broken April’: From Page to Stage

By MARISA LOPEZ Contributing Writer

Strict ancient code, family honor and vengeance are combined in the live adaption production “Broken April,” based on the novel of the same name by Albanian author Ismail Kadare.

The live adaptation production –– created by two Columbia graduate students, director Arthur Makaryan and playwright Ned Moore –– follows Gjorg (Matt Ryan), a young man entangled in his family’s over 70-year-old feud against another family.

Gjorg can’t escape this dispute as a result of a strict ancient code that emphasizes the importance of vengeance and family honor.

After the death of his brother, Gjorg stands at the crossroads of ignoring the feud, which would bring insurmountable shame to his family, and avenging his brother’s death along with accepting his fate and consequences. Given that he cannot go against the ancient code, Gjorg chooses the latter and suddenly finds himself with one month to live, which was determined by the opposing family.

During his last month to live, Gjorg encounters a large range of individuals, including young newlywed Diana (Layla Wolfgang).

He soon finds himself infatuated with Diana and begins to reflect on his life and the feud that ended it.

Faced with impending death, Gjorg questions how one lives a life –– by code or heart? Considering Gjorg spent his life following an ancient code centered around bloodshed and gun violence, this

revelation leaves the audience also asking themselves if they are living the life they want to lead or simply following a preordained path.

“Broken April” addresses the theme of regret by drawing parallels between Gjorg and Diana’s feelings of helplessness.

Diana, too, feels trapped –– in her marriage.

The cast’s powerful performances heavily reinforced them to the audience. Unaided by mics, the actors’ voices rippled through the theater with intensity. The minimalist set only emphasized the show’s notion of strength and intensity.

“Broken April” does more than provide a brief visual entertainment to its audience. It gives audience members something to pick apart, something to turn inward toward and reflect on long after they leave.

Email Marisa Lopez at arts@nyunews.com.

VIA FACEBOOK.COM

The novel “Broken April” by Ismail Kadare was a live adaptation production by Columbia graduate students Arthur Makaryan and Ned Moore.

Tisch Alumnus Pays Tribute to National Lampoon

COURTESY OF JOHN P. FLEENOR

A scene from Tisch alumus David Wain’s new comedy, “A Futile and Stupid Gesture.” The new Netflix film is about the National Lampoon’s success in the ’60s and ’70s.

By JILLIAN HARRINGTON Staff Writer

Films like “Animal House” and “Caddyshack” defined a genre and a generation — they were raucous, loud and, above all, hilarious. Mentioning the birth of

modern comedy in the ’70s and ’80s without crediting National Lampoon co-creator Doug Kenney would be a disservice. Tisch alumnus David Wain sought out to tell the story of the birth of modern comedy in his new Netflix original film, “A Futile

and Stupid Gesture,” which depicts Kenney’s rise and fall in glory and truth.

The film, based on Josh Karp’s 2006 book of the same name, begins with the creation of the satirical comedy magazine “National Lampoon” in 1970 by Harvard University student Kenney (Will Forte) and friend Henry Beard (Domhnall Gleeson), who modeled it after Harvard’s own satire magazine. Thus begins the rapid actualization of Kenney’s dream of becoming an icon, from articles to radio to eventual movies, with unprecedented suspense.

“A Futile and Stupid Gesture” is a demystifying testament of the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll ethos of the 1970s. As the film progresses, Kenney struggles to stay afloat amid his success, experiencing breakdowns through the mediums of broken relationships and addiction.

“A Futile And Stupid Gesture,” while lighthearted in spirit and funny throughout, is a bitingly honest depiction of the man who changed comedy forever, giving to his revolutionary comedic inventions center stage.

Wain, known best for “Wet Hot American Summer” and “Role Models,” emulates Kenney’s boisterous humor by celebrating one-liners and chaotic energy.

Thus for narrative’s sake, his ode to comedy is unabashedly biographical and fictional, addressing changes through the fourth wall. Suiting Kenney’s journey, “A Futile and Stupid Gesture” is as funny and light as it is dark and impactful. Through its cast, featuring the likes Joel McHale, Emmy Rossum and Ed Helms, the film humanizes certain comedy legends — the greats of “Saturday Night Live” and “National Lampoon” — who forever changed

the game, giving credit to the man who made them.

“A Futile and Stupid Gesture” argues that Kenney’s name fits right alongside legends like Bill Murray, John Belushi, Chevy Chase Gilda Radner and more.

The film pays tribute to Kenney through food fights and nostalgia, over-the-top antics and sincerity.

Because of this raucousness, the film is difficult to follow at points, and communicates authentic moments in strangely comedic ways.

“A Futile and Stupid Gesture” achieves its unique poignance through light and darkness and pays tribute to one of comedy’s oft-forgotten founding fathers.

“A Futile And Stupid Gesture” premiered Jan. 24 at Sundance Film Festival. It was released Friday, Jan. 26 on Netflix.

Email Jillian Harrington at f ilm@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Monday, January 29, 2018

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The Storyteller Behind Jesediah | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Prior to his admission to NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music, Sgambati took a gap year in Syracuse to spend time with family. In an effort to make the most of his time in suburbia, Sgambati pursued his long-time interest in fashion and enhanced his image through a local theater ’s costume department.

Currently studying both production and songwriting, Sgambati considers himself more of a writer than a producer.

Both of his singles, “Lonzo” and “G.O.A.T.,” released under his stage name Jesediah, were written by him but produced externally. “[I feel] that it is easy to become overly dependent on the hypeness of a beat,” Sgambati said. “So much that all other characteristics of a song can lack substance.”

Despite some critiques about

the way music is produced, Sgambati praises the constant evolution of today’s musical landscape. He loves how music, including his own, is constantly changing The genesis of his work de-

bati puts the beat into Logic Pro — a digital audio workstation for Apple’s macOS — and freestyles over it to format the flow and melody. He then works on the diction.

His integration of story plays

“

[I feel] that it is easy to become overly dependent on the hypeness of a beat, so much that all other characteristics of a song can lack substance.

JESSE SGAMBATI

” rives from structure rather than spontaneity. After hearing something he likes, Sgam-

a crucial role in defining the line between wit and accessibility in his music. One of his

NYU’s Pom Pom Squad and Been Stellar Stun in Queens

By CONNOR GATESMAN Music Editor

With hazy technicolor lights sweeping across the stage at Trans-Pecos in Queens, three NYU bands took center stage on Saturday night.

The first group, a North Jersey ensemble called Malibu, served up a mix of blues rock revival. The group showed potential, but lacked creative prowess and technical proficiency. Despite the great energy, there wasn’t that much to differentiate Malibu from the myriad of netblues rock groups that have entered the mainstream as of late. Specifically glaring, was the group’s cover of Neon Trees’ “Everybody Talks.” The vocals and the instruments were out of tune. Although there was great chemistry on stage, the talent simply wasn’t there.

Things immediately took a turn for the better however, once Pom Pom Squad took to the stage. The first song launched with driving momentum. The singer and frontwoman, Mia Barren, commanded the stage with a definite presence, mix-

ing dry humor with candid confessions.

Her singing wasn’t technically perfect, but that’s what made it appealing. Her voice exuded a kind of emotional nuance combined with punk aggression that was powerful and infectious. One tune, “Hate it Here,” was particularly memorable.

The group bombarded the audience with a wall of sound, with Barren’s raw, torn voice soaring atop the cacophony of emotional vibrancy.

The live rendition of “You/Him (maybe),” was more subtle than other songs, but just as honest and enjoyable.

Barren let loose a flurry of unique lyrics, like “you’re a big city trapped in a small town.” The guitar interlude in the second half of the song was fitting. The piercing notes matched the tortured vibe of the song perfectly. Track after track, Pom Pom Squad delivered a potent combination of creative gusto and emotional conviction.

Next up was the final act. Before Been Stellar played its own work, it was joined on stage by fellow NYU musician, Nando Dale. Dale played and sang his

own work, while Been Stellar backed him up with additional instrumentation.

Dale and crew jumped in with a great opening, abound with energy. The second song juxtaposed well with the opener.

It was a dark and brooding track that bounced back and forth between melancholy and rage. Like traveling through the singer’s synapses, the song was a real lo-fi trip through the peaks and valleys of a musician’s mentality.

Dale left the stage and headliner Been Stellar quickly got to work. The group’s opening song was extremely well executed, with a lot of momentum. Throughout the set, Sam Slocum, the lead singer, employed an effortlessly natural build in energy with his voice, sometimes rising to a point of almost screaming. The vocals were raw and aggressive. They mixed well with the driving guitar riffs and thick bass line.

One of the best songs was easily “Sells Out.” The tune was rife with idiosyncratic lyrics like “yeah my hair is shaved but I always wear a hat,” sung with a signature croon and backing instrumentals reminiscent of Jay Reatard and similar garage rockers of yesteryear. The track is gritty and unfiltered. This tune is dripping with angst and rage in all the right ways.

The group’s last track was a cover of the Stroke’s “Hard to Explain.” While the rendition wasn’t as impressive as Been Stellar’s original works, it was still awesome to see its version of a bonafide classic by a fellow New York City band. It was definitely a fitting end to a fantastic show.

STAFF PHOTO BY CONNOR GATESMAN

Been Stellar headlined for the one-night concert in Queens.

Email Connor Gatesman at cgatesman@nyunews.com.

many artistic goals is to make music that lives on beyond the past trends of a specific era. He wants his music to remove the common fleetingness of mainstream hip-hop.

Popular hip-hop artist Young Thug is a huge influence on Jesediah. Sgambati admires his risky artistic progression and his breaking of the Black masculinity mold.

Regarding technicality, Young Thug taught Sgambati the beauty in differentiating flow and rhythmic surprises.

Sgambati also looks up to lyrically intricate bands such as Mumford & Sons and The Head and the Heart.

His dream is to make music his life. This is a dream that he feels hasn’t always been received with wholehearted support within the Clive program at NYU. Nonetheless, he pointed out that there are faculty who have aided and supported him with his interest in

pursuing hip-hop.

As far as making it goes, Sgambati stressed the importance of taking the incentive to find connections outside of school. He views everything in his sight as an opportunity.

While NYU offers copious resources, there are flyers, events and word-of-mouth kickbacks around the city that provide budding musicians the exposure and experience they need.

In addition to being proactive in the pursuit of success, Sgambati said it is important to be resilient and comfortable with being told ‘no.’

“You will be discouraged a majority of the time in the industry,” Sgambati said. “But it is necessary to remain humble and relaxed.”

Listen to Jesediah on Spotify or Apple Music.

Email Avani Jurakhan at music@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Monday, January 29, 2018

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FEATURES

Edited by Yasmin Gulec features@nyunews.com

The Luxury of Logomania

By ANINA HOFFMAN Contributing Writer

STAFF ILLUSTRATION BY ECHO CHEN

Everything You Think You Know About Spain Is Wrong

By SIERRA JACKSON Staff Writer

When NYU notified me that I had been accepted to the NYU Madrid study abroad site, my first thought was that I would finally get to see a bullfight. This dream of mine was the manifestation of years worth of vivid tales about Spain and its bull-centric festivals. In my high school Spanish class, we read articles about young matadors clad in colorful trajes de luces and monteros who danced with rearing bulls and toyed with death. Friends and family who visited the Iberian country shared their own stories about watching and participating in corrida de toros — the running of the bulls — in the northern city of Pamplona.

Movies like Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar’s “Hable Con Ella,” which features a female matador who is fatally injured during a bullfight, have perpetuated this portrayal of Spanish culture.

You can imagine my surprise when during our second day of orientation at the NYU Madrid campus, professor Armando Figerao announced that bullfights are decreasing in popularity.

Bullfights, Figerao explained, are in no way emblematic of Spanish culture.

This professor was one of many NYU Madrid staff members to introduce the idea that tourists project their own imaginations onto the countries they visit. Like many tourists, I initially adhered to the trend of comparing my own assumptions inspired by films and books to Spain’s actual culture. I fantasized about eating seafood and riceladen paella, the dish I once believed was a typical Spanish meal, while wandering Madrid’s alleyways. I pictured myself entering a bar on a weekday night to watch flamenco dancers. And

I was absolutely sure I would squeeze my way through throngs of people to watch a bullfight.

If I were to rely on my expectations alone, the real Spain would have fallen short of what I had imagined prior to arriving. In Madrid, very few restaurants serve paella. You can only find flamenco shows in the most tourist-populated neighborhoods in Madrid. Despite the number of bullfighting rings in Spain, several communities and cities — among them Galicia, Catalonia and the Canary Islands — have banned the practice.

Although paella, flamenco and bullfights don’t represent the Spain that madrileños — the residents of Madrid — know it, these concepts are still important to the regions from which they originated. Paella, for example, has its roots in the southeastern autonomous community of Valencia. Flamenco music and dance, on the other hand, derive from folkloric traditions in Andalucia, Extremadura and Murcia.

The truth is that Spain is a cultural mosaic of converging and conflicting cultures, comprised of 17 autonomous communities, two autonomous cities and five official languages. Every locality has its own traditions and history.

As I listened to professors lecture about Spain’s complex cultural and linguistic history, I realized that the key to understanding this country was admitting my own ignorance.

Everything I knew about Spain was based on stereotypes and a tourist’s bias. I only began to appreciate this Mediterranean nation in its true form when I freed myself from all wrongful expectations.

Email Sierra Jackson at abroad@nyunews.com.

There is no better place to observe fashion than from a bench in Washington Square Park. The simultaneous smells of cash and the collegiate need for individuality make the park an ideal canvas for the self expression fashion seeks to achieve. Today, the outfits visible from that park bench seems far more likely to include Supreme logos than Che Guevara T-shirts. Though modern conversations about fashion revolve around expressing identity regardless of circumstance, the recent trend of large and flashy logos makes it difficult not to wonder whether fashion and status are inextricable.

For centuries, fashion and beauty have been used as vehicles to communicate status. Wealthy ancient Egyptians adorned their bodies with gold while upper class ancient Romans wore expensive dyed fabrics. Even before companies like Supreme and Kith made their logos the center point of their brands, names like Gucci and Hermes held monopolies on portraying wealth and status. Perhaps the growth in popularity of logos is simply the latest manifestation of the age-old relationship between fashion and class.

What makes this moment in fashion culture unique is that the craftsmanship and beauty of a piece are now of equal or lesser

value to its brand. The Wall Street Journal recently ran a piece about Balenciaga sneakers titled, “Yes, These Sneakers Are Ugly. That’s The Point,” highlighting the new trend in high fashion of traditionally ugly sneakers. Similarly, brands like Gucci and Chanel have been releasing fanny packs — a formerly unsightly accessory. People don’t want these items for their aesthetic beauty; their value lies in the brand name they carry, that is, their ability to portray wealth.

“

Sure, fashion is for everyone — everyone who can afford it.

” Given the fashion industry’s new narrative of diversity and accessibility, the increased importance of logos and brand names is sheer hypocrisy. As a growing number of companies have made efforts to include models of varying size, color and age into their campaigns, they are trying to send a message: fashion is for everyone. But a Gucci fanny pack costs upwards of $1,000. Balenciaga’s ugly sneakers costs $850.

Sure, fashion is for everyone — everyone who can afford it.

NYU students do not seem oblivious to the relationship between logos, fashion and status.

CAS freshman Vanessa Makovic actually prefers clothing without logos or brand names, for fear of judgement.

“I prefer stuff that doesn’t have a well known logo ... because then people can’t judge you as easily,” she said. “Even with this [Canada Goose] jacket I get so many comments on it.”

Youssef Abdelzaher, another CAS freshman, rejects the idea that brand names are an important part of fashion and instead believes they are an obvious attempt to show status.

“I think, speaking from the New York City public high school perspective ... people might find [a Chanel fanny pack] a little tacky,” Abdelzaher said.

“It’s trying too hard to show off.”

There’s nothing wrong with following trends and wearing brand names. However, it is hypocritical for an industry that is trying to embrace diversity to consistently promote products that are inaccessible to the majority of the public. Fashion and status may have a relationship, but personal identity is not synonymous with the ability to consume.

Email Anina Hoffman at bstyle@nyunews.com.

STAFF PHOTO BY SAM CHENG

Sporting flashy logo-emblazoned accessories like the Gucci Double ‘G’ Buckle Leather Belt has become an increasingly popular fashion trend.

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Haircare For All — Hijabis Too

VIA TWITTER.COM

U.K.-based beauty blogger Amena Khan recently became the first hijab-wearing woman to be given a major hair campaign.

By THOMAS CHOU Beauty & Style Editor

When imagining a typical shampoo advertisement on television, it’s almost impossible not to think about hair — glossy, flowing, bouncy hair, at that. These acts always depict a woman flipping her luscious locks and twirling around strands of hair to show off the shine. Shampoo advertisements have followed this repetitive recipe for decades, which has continually perpetuated the belief that longer hair is the ideal.

But L’Oreal, a hallmark brand for varied beauty price points, shook up the hair care advertorial scene with a recent announcement: hijab-wearing model and influencer, Amena Khan, was supposed to be featured in the company’s newest shampoo campaign, joining the ranks of white celebrities like Karlie Kloss and Winona Ryder. Khan has since decided to step away from the

project due to controversial tweets that she wrote in 2014. Nonetheless, Khan’s original casting in this shampoo campaign is groundbreaking, as she was slated to become the first haircare model to not show her hair in an advertisement.

In an interview with Vogue, Khan expressed her thoughts on how hair holds significance for everyone, regardless of whether or not they choose to show their hair in public.

“You have to wonder — why is it presumed that women that don’t show their hair don’t look after it?” Khan asked in the interview.

“The opposite of that would be that everyone that does show their hair only looks after it for the sake of showing it to others. And that mindset strips us of our autonomy and our sense of independence.

Hair is a big part of self-care.”

With L’Oreal and other large brands in the beauty industry suddenly adopting an inclusive stance,

it begs the question — is diversity the newest trend when it comes to beauty marketing tactics? Or rather, does this push towards mass inclusivity signal a positive step forward for the traditionally Western-centric industry?

“I think its necessary for brands to take the extra step to be more inclusive, especially when it comes to makeup — we definitely need more exposure for people of color,” Steinhardt sophomore Emily Lam said. “We see a lot of brands cheaply use ‘inclusivity,’ such as when brands have 50 shades of beige and two shades for darker skin tones. The more exposure we give to people of color, the more that other brands will take inclusivity seriously.”

LS sophomore Ericka Barroso echoed Lam’s stance.

“It doesn’t matter if inclusivity is being used a tactic as long as it helps the movement go forward,” Barroso said. “Even if inclusivity is only a marketing tactic to the beauty industry, it helps spread awareness and a positive attitude towards diversity that can impact others to genuinely make a change.”

While it still might be too soon to definitively decide whether or not inclusivity and diversity are being exploited by the beauty industry in the name of capitalism, this issue is certainly one to watch in the upcoming year. As our discussions of complex, social issues such as racism and gender politics continue to evolve and grow, there is certainly hope that the beauty industry will gradually come to reflect those changes as well.

Email Thomas Chou at tchou@nyunews.com.

Now Presenting: Food

By NATALIE CHINN Deputy Features Editor

Aesthetically pleasing food has taken over social media. From food Instagram accounts to Buzzfeed’s Tasty videos, the internet is a sucker for beautiful food.

A meal’s presentation is incredibly important to every food experience. If something looks delicious, it sets up the expectation that it will taste that way too. Chefs have taken advantage of society’s obsession with food, reeling in customers with photos of artfully presented food.

Stern sophomore Jessica Xu appreciates the effort that is put into presenting food nowadays.

“I love when my food looks like art,” Xu said. “When it looks pretty, you know the experience matters more than just filling yourself up.”

When food looks like a work of art, it makes for great social media material. Posting pictures of visually appealing food online has become increasingly popular among young people. Tisch sophomore Emily Feng is one of many students with Instagram accounts dedicated to food.

PHOTO BY EMILY FENG

Although these macarons were cute in presentation, they didn’t live up to Feng’s culinary expectations.

Feng is constantly on the hunt for new photos to add to her feed and often looks to other accounts for ideas. Recently, she found a bakery that decorated macarons with cute faces of animals and cartoon characters. However, despite the hype around these macarons, Feng was disappointed by how low the quality was.

“They didn’t have the slight crunch of other macarons I’ve had, and the filling was too sweet and dense,” Feng said.

While the taste of the treats did not match their initial charm, Feng understands that Insta-worthy food items aren’t always as delicious as they are beautiful. “I was let down, but I didn’t really expect that much out of [the macarons] because I feel like sometimes the aesthetic compromises the quality,” she said.

Unlike Feng, Steinhardt sophomore Olesia Gritsyk is not as concerned with how her meals look. Taste is the most important part of any dish, according to Gritsyk, who seldom tries foods out of her comfort zone, no matter how pretty it is.

“For me, it depends more on the ingredients and what the dish is,” Gritsyk said. “If I wasn’t a picky eater, I would probably be more likely to try something that is presented well to me.”

Although beautiful food has blessed our social media feeds, it often comes at an expensive price and in small portions. LS sophomore Georgia Wright doesn’t believe good presentation warrants an increase in price.

“It’s dumb,” Wright said. “It’s a way to charge [more] money for less food.”

Email Natalie Chinn at nchinn@nyunews.com.

Tide Pod Challenge Just the Latest Fad

By JENDAYI OMOWALE Staff Writer

In recent weeks, memes declaring Tide Pods as an appetizing food have dominated the internet.

The idea of eating Tide Pods has shipped from the meme world into the real one — spawning challenges in which people are actually ingesting Tide Pods and consequently being hospitalized.

The allure of eating Tide Pods is expressed by many, like CAS junior Mathania Toussaint.

“It started off when people were like, ‘Tide Pods look like candy,’” Toussaint said. “There’s things where they photoshop Tide Pods into other fruit.”

Tisch freshman Jayce Lewis said the origins of the Tide Pod challenge were rather innocent.

“It was a generalized meme of ‘forbidden fruit,’ and it was things like Tide Pods, the dice from Dungeons and Dragons ... and then people started photoshopping it into

pictures of Adam and Eve as a joke,” Lewis said. “They just latched onto Tide Pods for some reason ... they started making it into an eating Tide Pods meme instead of a forbidden fruit meme.”

Toussaint and Lewis, like many others, were taken by surprise when people took the meme seriously and started eating Tide Pods.

CAS freshman Carolina Rios believes social media led people to take the meme to a whole new level.

“There’s the whole internet culture, especially YouTube internet culture, of dares and then proving your coolness points, by eating poisonous Tide Pods,” Rios said.

“I saw somebody pour liquid detergent on the pod and put it in their mouth and then drink the liquid detergent afterwards like as water,” CAS junior Deirdre Harkins said.

In a press release, The American Association of Poison Control Centers said that there had been 86 cases of teenagers purposely ingesting single-load laundry packets since the

beginning of 2018.

“Since our first alert to this life-threatening activity, the trend of intentionally ingesting single-load laundry packets has increased in its popularity despite repeated warnings,” CEO and Executive Director of AAPCC Stephen Kaminski said.

According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, consuming liquid laundry detergent packets may result in loss of consciousness, excessive vomiting, drowsiness, throat swelling and difficulty breathing.

Tide and its parent company, Proctor and Gamble, are publicly speaking out against the Tide Pod challenge.

On its Twitter account, Tide posted a video with Rob Gronkowski, of the New England Patriots, discouraging people from participating in the Tide Pod challenge. Proctor and Gamble reported that it was collaborating with social media platforms to remove videos glorifying the Tide Pod challenge

STAFF PHOTO BY JULIA MOSES

The eating Tide Pods meme has escalated into a viral health concern as people ingest the product for a challenge on social media platforms like YouTube.

in a press release.

The Tide Pod memes that sparked this controversy show no sign of stopping, as they are still popular on social media platforms. However, Tisch freshman Michael Oluokun believes that the trend will eventually dissipate.

“It’s the latest fad, like the cinnamon challenge or drinking bleach,” Oluokun said. “People just want to do it for the attention.”

Email Jendayi Omowale at features@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Monday, January 29, 22, 2018

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OPINION

Edited by Tyler Crews opinion@nyunews.com

POLITICS

Schumer Shutdown Reveals Democrats Have Been Shut Down for Years

By HUNTER MCLAREN Contributing Writer

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer went belly-up less than 70 hours into the shutdown for a deal whose real results were just promises: a new continuing resolution, a promise from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to hold a floor debate on immigration and — not to be minimized — Children’s Health Insurance Program funding for six years. Recently for the Democratic Party, such sad performances are the norm. Looking at the Democrats’ past two years reveals not just a lack of long-term strategy, but a resistance to the very concept of a far-reaching plan. Instead, they split their time reacting to crises and pushing back on any criticism as

needlessly divisive. After the shutdown, it is time for hard questions.

What is most baffling about the left’s two-year losing streak is that the Grand Old Party has never been a more vulnerable target. Major planks in their platform, like dismantling Obamacare and denying climate change, are opposed by the majority of Americans. Both dysfunctional houses of Congress are running interference for the least popular president in history. The stage is set for a dynamic opposition to show America how a successful government should work, but the Democratic Party has yet to capitalize on this opportunity.

After a devastating election in 2016, democrats could do little except play defense in congress. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)

and Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) have brilliantly demonstrated what an opposition party should act like in the Capitol. But in the streets, hearts and minds of America, Democrats are absent.

Once Donald Trump proved himself to be as embarrassing as Candidate Trump, the sigh of relief from Democratic Leadership was deafening. The “I’m With Her” party seamlessly transitioned into the “We’re Not Him” party, abandoning

any inkling of substantive change.

Democrats are so comfortable in their status-quo resistance that they unironically floated the new slogan: “I Mean, Have You Seen The Other Guys?”

Some democrats are doing the work.

Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) was appointed chair of the Outreach Committee, thanks to his massive popularity with a younger, diverse and growing crowd of voters. He has held several primetime debates, with his recent Medicare-for-All town hall drawing one million viewers. He shows up at protests — both big and small — to show support for workers, women and immigrants. Say this to Democratic leadership, though, and you’ll hear their eyes roll.

The new continuing resolution passed by Congress to put an end to

the government shutdown includes no Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals fix, no funding for community health centers and no hurricane relief for Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida. Too few Democratic leaders are thinking long-term, even after two years of defeat.

There has been no reckoning, no huddle, not even a moment of reflection for the Democratic Party, even after two years of significant losses.

Schumer’s appeasement has once again shown the poor, the sick and the non-white that Democrats never stand with them; they will only stand by.

With the midterm elections only nine months away, such a lack of courage and strategic thinking spells disaster.

Email Hunter McLaren at opinion@nyunews.com.

CITY

De Blasio’s Columbus Conundrum

By ALISON ZIMMERMAN Deputy Opinions Editor

Over time, Columbus Day has become more opposed than celebrated, especially among the predominantly leftist student body at NYU. Columbus Day, though established as a celebration of American heritage, can no longer be approached with the same patriotism. Recently, the holiday and its namesake’s legacy have been met with backlash. Why should we honor a man who killed millions of indigenous people and laid the foundation for the transatlantic slave trade? When New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio called a committee last October to determine the fate of the Christopher Columbus monument in Central Park, I admit I was a bit disturbed by his decision to allow the statue to stand. But, as I have learned, the

controversy surrounding the statue and Columbus Day itself is far more nuanced than I once believed. De Blasio’s ruling on the Columbus monument is logical and reflects the desires of an ideologically diverse New York constituency.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt first put Columbus Day on the federal calendar in 1937, following intense pressure from the Italian American lobbyist group, the Knights of Columbus. Across the country, Italian Americans considered Columbus’ exploration to be a source of cultural pride — a celebration of an Italian man and his achievements, which were aided by Spanish Romanian Catholic leadership. Still, for some of the three million Italian Americans comprising 14 percent of New York City’s population, Columbus remains an icon of cultural significance. Even the monument itself

was erected not to directly fame Columbus but to make Italian Americans feel welcome in New York after persecution in the 19th and 20th centuries. De Blasio, had he chosen to remove the monument, would have risked his actions being interpreted as a direct assault to many New Yorkers, especially voters.

However, in allowing the monument to stand, De Blasio highlights rather than mutes the grim reality of Columbus’ notorious voyage. To subdue the sentiments

from the indigenous community, De Blasio attempted to extend an olive branch to meet the overdue solidarity. In addition to the proposal to erect a new statue on Columbus Circle honoring indigenous people, De Blasio’s committee suggested adding Indigenous Peoples’ Day to New York City’s calendar. Currently, 55 other cities across the country observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday in October. De Blasio took a much needed step in moving New York onto that list.

This is not a total congratulations of De Blasio’s ruling — his decision to leave a plaque honoring Marshal Philippe Pétain, a French Nazi collaborator, teeters on unacceptable. Some statues, such as the Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, deserve a place in history books alone. However, when it comes to

Columbus, De Blasio was tactful in addressing the inevitable friction between history and the present. While Columbus certainly shouldn’t be regarded as a benevolent historical figure, he was integral in the formation of the world as we know it, and, for some, an important cultural icon. The United States is laden with monuments that reveal pieces of our nation’s imperfect history. But for figures like Columbus, whose influence on American history continues to be significant and complicated, a long-standing monument — accompanied by a indigenous peoples’ monument — could serve as a source of national reflection.

Email Alison Zimmerman at azimmerman@nyunews.com.

CULTURE

Ansari Heard ‘Yes’ When She Didn’t Say ‘No’

By VICTOR PORCELLI Contributing Writer

Recently, the #MeToo movement hit a snag after sexual assault accusations against NYU alumnus Aziz Ansari sparked controversy.

If you are not informed on the encounter, read the whole report on Babe.net beforehand. Traditional left-leaning news sources, such as The New York Times and The Atlantic, published opinion articles defending Ansari. Previously, these publications have often been on the side of the victims, so what makes this time different? The answer lies in consent.

To many, the encounter described

by Grace (the accuser’s pseudonym)

was one that did not scream sexual assault. Grace was not physically forced to do anything and did not initially leave although she had the opportunity to. On the other hand, Ansari acted in a predatory manner.

He was unable to read verbal and nonverbal cues — that Grace claims were evident — and did not attempt to clarify during the encounter. Ansari assumed that she wasn’t saying ‘no.’ However, not saying ‘no’ is very different than saying ‘yes.’

Sexual assault is defined by NYU as sexual contact without affirmative consent. While Ansari never heard Grace say ‘no,’ she never expressed affirmative consent: this case is one of sexual assault.

Many articles have come out listing things Grace could have done to

prevent this situation, but few point to what Ansari could have done. In the New York Times’ “Aziz Ansari Is Guilty. Of Not Being a Mind Reader,” Bari Weiss suggests that Ansari cannot be held responsible because of the nonverbal cues Grace had sent — moving away from Ansari, pulling her hand away from his penis —were unreadable.

My answer to this is that if Ansari cannot read minds, he should initi-

ate his own verbal cues. As a prominent and self-identified feminist, it is surprising that Ansari was so unable to empathize with Grace and seemed unaware of the idea of verbal consent. It shows that in our patriarchal society, even men who consider themselves progressive feel entitled to sex.

Like the two articles mentioned previously, which did not even mention the idea of verbal consent, many people dismiss seeking verbal consent before each sexual encounter as unnecessary and awkward, thinking they can tell when someone wants to have sex with them. However, these same people will claim that Ansari should not be held responsible for realizing Grace did not want to have sex with him.

These views conflict because in the former, one states that nonverbal cues are a viable way of getting consent, while the other states that nonverbal cues are unreadable.

This case provides an opportunity for NYU to redefine what is acceptable. Relying on an ability, or lack thereof, to read nonverbal cues for consent can lead people to commit the same inexcusable behavior as Ansari. Let us be better than that.

At NYU, we should strive to set a standard of asking for verbal consent each and every time anyone has a sexual encounter because this simple task is a step forward in eliminating a huge problem.

Email Victor Porcelli at opinion@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Monday, January 29, 2018

nyunews.com

Page 9

OPINION

Edited by Tyler Crews opinion@nyunews.com

TECHNOLOGY

Amazon Should Call Our City Home

By WAYNE CHEN Staff Writer

As a New York resident, I have a love-hate relationship with Amazon. com. On one hand, it threatens to push out independent stores we love — like bodegas, independent bookstores and electronic stores — every day by offering competitive prices.

It’s gotten to the point when even the most pro-small business citizens sometimes give in. On the other hand, Amazon is convenient. As a chronic Amazon shopper, I find myself trapped in this dilemma, and things got even more complicated when, last September, Amazon announced that it was beginning its search for a second home. With all the human resources, infrastructural advantage and established commerce New York City has to offer, the truth is that no other city can top the advantages we’d give to Amazon.

As a city that celebrates cutting-edge technology, New York could easily embrace Amazon’s presence. No other company showcases the expansion and dominance of Internet quite like Amazon. In the past 20 years, the e-commerce giant went

from a garage office that sold books, to the monstrously big company today that specializes not just in retail, but also in artificial i ntelligence, video streaming, cloud computing and parcel delivery.

Amazon is clearly excelling as a company, and will bring job opportunities to whichever city it ultimately chooses for its second headquarters. Amazon estimates it will bring in 50,000 jobs and $5 billion of investment to its chosen city, which will presumably help stimulate the local economy. As a city on the rise in the technology sector, Amazon could help cement New York as a leader in the industry while providing jobs and commerce.

“New York City has shown the ability to attract the best talent — a younger generational workforce,” said Jeff Fronek, director of investments for Rubenstein Partners. In fact, no other city on Amazon’s list can boast a population of more than eight million people

while hosting some of the best educational institutions in the United States.

New York’s public transportation system makes it easy to get around, which is not only advantageous, but also one of several criteria outlined by Amazon.

Despite its aging and rising number of problems, New York’s subway is one of the most comprehensive public transportation systems in the U.S., offering Amazon’s staff members more mobility.

Here at NYU, both students and faculty understand the New York advantage full and well. NYU Stern Professor Scott Galloway included Amazon as part of the ultimate quaternity of the tech world — along with Apple, Facebook and Google, in his bestselling book “The Four.” Currently, Google is the only one of the four companies with a significant presence in New York City, with its east coast office hiring about 7,000 people. Should Amazon decide to expand in New York, the results will be symbioti — Amazon would benefit from the rich resources only New York offers, and New York would enjoy another boom in the tech sector to establish itself as a city of multiple successful industries.

Email Wayne Chen at opinion@nyunews.com.

TECHNOLOGY

New York Should Not House New Amazon HQ

By MERT ERENEL Staff Writer

Amazon’s search for a new headquarters has been narrowed down to 20 cities; one of which is New York City. Many of the nominated cities are currently trapped in a bidding war, throwing their tax dollars at Amazon in a desperate attempt to beg for their business. While many hope that Amazon will choose to settle down in New York, there will be various detrimental effects to allowing this corporation to plant itself in our home.

The best indicator of the problematic potential of this venture is Amazon’s stance that nominated cities should not disclose any financial dealings within the selection process. Right now, cities are in a battle worth billions of public tax dollars to subsidize Amazon for its new headquarters and the jobs that come with it. An Amazon spokesperson claimed in September 2017 that aspects of the dealings are confidential and proprietary. While it is in every right for a company to be discrete in its private matters, Amazon is not dealing in the

SUBMITTING TO

private sector. These negotiations will impact the public, while utilizing public money. Therefore, the public has the right to know about it.

New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, who has surprisingly never ordered anything from Amazon before, claims that he will not offer Amazon new tax subsidies; however, it will be able to take advantage of those existing. De Blasio also stated, “We have a lot to offer them. We’re going to work very hard at it. I expect to meet with Amazon leadership. We’ve already started to set that up. We’re going to make a strong proposal.” In having a strong proposal and what De Blasio claims is a lot to offer, it is not a leap to assume that De Blasio is utilizing existing tax subsidies as a form of bribery. However, we can’t truly know due to the afore-

mentioned lack of transparency within these dealings.

These potential corporate subsidies mark a loss of opportunity cost; the money could be spent elsewhere. Cities are trying to bid more and more of taxpayer money to provide greater incentive for Amazon to come to their respective cities, so it must be questioned whether city officials are increasing their bids with caution. The more money that officials divert from the public and offer to Amazon, which will profit billions regardless, the greater decline we face in opportunities for local governments to spend money on housing, health care and education. It is understandable that with Amazon coming in, jobs and the surrounding economy will grow drastically, but the cost that the city puts into the partnership must also weigh into this decision. More importantly, taxpayers should be able to see where their tax dollars are going, and if Amazon believes differently, it should not have a place in our city.

Email Mert Erenel at opinion@nyunews.com.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Bias Response Line Unresponsive

The Bias Response Line appears on every syllabus and student ID. It was drilled into our heads during the widely attended Reality Show; however, it has proven to be an unreliable student resource.

The BRL is an NYU accommodation that allows students to report instances of discrimination and bias, whether they be from peers or faculty members. Its intention is to ensure that all members of our community have an outlet to report incidents of bias. While initially the BRL appeared to be a positive tool for NYU, the program has not taken any meaningful action. Additionally, NYU has failed to produce a report regarding the results of the BRL since its creation in 2016, despite promises to disclose data on the program. Without serious reformation and clarification of the consequences for bigoted behavior, the program will continue to serve solely as a symbol of inclusivity without the ability to carry out its intended mission.

Last semester, a transgender Steinhart junior August Enzer reported psychology professor Edgar Coons for alleged transphobia.

According to Enzer, Coons did not refer to his transgender students with their preferred pronouns and taught false information that’s offensive to the transgender and intersex communities during his lecture on gender and sexuality. Coons has denied all allegations against him, stating, “Whatever gender someone feels to be should be how they are recognized.” The BRL relayed the case to CAS human resources and Gene Jarrett, Seryl Kushner Dean of the College of Arts and Science, but the BRL has not been transparent about the outcome of the case. The lack of transparency by the BRL makes it impossible to hold NYU and its constituents accountable.

Moreover, BRL and President Andrew Hamilton promised in 2016 that they would provide a breakdown of the organization’s reports by the end of 2017. The BRL has still not released a public report.

The line claims its goal is to make NYU an equitable and inclusive community, but its lack of clarity and communication in handling reports impedes the organization from achieving its mission. The line should be more transparent about its investigations. The BRL should prioritize addressing individual cases and communicating case outcomes clearly.

The BRL was neglectful in its handling of its investigation of Coons — the NYU community does not know how Coons was disciplined, if he was at all. Without clearly outlining punishments for transgressions of racism, transphobia and other bigoted behavior, NYU is failing to hold itself to account. NYU’s administration only helped to reiterate the untrustworthiness of the BRL by failing to produce public data. NYU is an institution that publically prides itself on its diversity and inclusivity, yet the investigation into Coons shows that in some cases, the university fails to deliver on its word. We believe that BRL must be held accountable because NYU students deserve a greater degree of transparency and a deeper a commitment to eliminating intolerance on campus.

Email the WSN Editorial Board at opinion@nyunews.com EDITORIAL BOARD: Tyler Crews (Chair), Paola Nagovitch (Co-chair), Alison Zimmerman (Co-chair) STAFF PHOTO BY ANNA LETSON

Send mail to: 75 Third Ave. #SB07, New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title. WSN does

not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.

Washington Square News | Monday, January 29, 22, 2018

Page 10

nyunews.com

SPORTS Keeping up with the

Edited by Maddie Howard sports@nyunews.com

BOBCATS

Wrestling Jan. 31

Basketball Feb. 2

Men’s Volleyball Feb. 8

vs. Stevens Institute of Technology

vs. Carnegie Mellon University

vs. Baruch College

NYU Students Excited

By Sports — For Once

By MADDIE HOWARD and BETH SATTUR Sports Editor Contributing Writer

The 2018 Winter Olympics have yet to begin but are already causing a significant level of buzz around the world, and within the NYU community. With Russia being banned for anti-doping violations and gay athlete Adam Rippon speaking out against Vice President Mike Pence leading the United States’ procession, it seems like an interesting Olympics season is on the horizon.

Many NYU students, while not traditionally known for their enthusiasm about sports culture, consider the Olympics a time of importance for the nation.

Some take this opportunity to reminisce on past memories of watching the games during their childhood.

CAS sophomore Ashlyn Krygowski remembers what the winter Olympics meant to her as a figure skater in her youth.

“I remember when I used to figure skate and I used to love watching the figure skaters in the Winter Olympics,” Krygowski said. “When I was younger the first woman I ever watched skate was Michelle Kwan.”

Stern sophomore Nikki Tucci is a former basketball player and has a personal connection to sports played in the winter season.

“While I love basketball, during the Winter Olympics I like to watch sports like ski-jumping and ice hockey,” Tucci said. “It takes me back to my New Hampshire roots where I loved to be outside and in the snow.”

Other students think that this Olympic games signifies more than just an opportunity for the best of each country to display athletic prowess.

Dan Sanchez, CAS junior, believes the Olympics can serve as a way to make up for America’s current lackluster on the international stage.

“I think it’s a great moment to show what the American people can do, despite the sh-tty leadership,” Sanchez said.

Win or Lose, the Patriots Are Still on Top

ishment, though — Russian athletes who have been found innocent of anti-doping violations will be allowed to independently compete as Olympic athletes from Russia. Russia as a nation will not receive any accolades.

CAS junior Maddy Schier believes that the cleared athletes should be al-

“

I support that many Russian athletes who have been cleared can still compete, but I don’t think it’s fair to punish the entire country and the athletes who are cleared by not letting them officially represent Russia and compete for their country.

MADDY SCHIER, CAS sophomore

”

Sanchez isn’t the only one who thinks that these Olympic games could be particularly impactful for the U.S. Russia, one of the U.S.’s biggest competitors, has been banned in lieu of numerous doping violations.

CAS senior Neil Saddler is a member of the NYU Track and Field team and said he looks forward to Russia’s Olympic absence.

“I’m on board with Russia’s exclusion from the Olympic games,” Saddler said. “I think they should be banned for cheating and I am glad it will help the United State’s medal chances.”

There is a caveat to the Russian pun-

VIA INSTAGRAM.COM

Adam Rippon at the 2018 Prudential Figure Skating Championships.

lowed to officially represent Russia.

“I completely understand how serious doping is and that athletes who do that should face consequences,” Schier said. “I support that many Russian athletes who have been cleared can still compete, but I don’t think it’s fair to punish the entire country and the athletes who are cleared by not letting them officially represent Russia and compete for their country.”

Aside from the Russian controversy, the top five countries expected to win medals this year are Germany, Norway, U.S., France and Canada. Not only are these countries expected to win the most medals this year, but no other country of the 90 or so competing is expected to win more than 20 medals.

The United States and Canada are predicted to win 28 and 31 total medals, respectively, with 11 and seven of them being gold. South Korea itself is also predicted to win a total of 10 medals — seven of these gold — which is one more than its previous best record.

North Korea will also be sending its athletes to compete in the games in South Korea despite the outstanding tension between the two countries.

The games, which start on Friday, Feb. 9 and will continue through Sunday, Feb. 25, should see some interesting changes with plenty of countries and athletes to contend for the medals that Russia had to leave behind.

Email Maddie Howard and Beth Sattur at sports@nyunews.com.

VIA FLICKR.COM

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick speaking at the podium during 2015 Super Bowl media day.

By BRENDAN DUGGAN Contributing Writer

Just a few weeks after ESPN senior writer Seth Wickersham posted an article suggesting an internal power struggle between Tom Brady, head coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft, the New England Patriots found its way back to its eighth Super Bowl since 2000. In 16 seasons, Brady has played in eight Super Bowls, reaching the final game exactly 50 percent of the time. Brady and his 5-2 record in the Super Bowl may just give the Patriots the upper hand against the Philadelphia Eagles. Brady will be matched up against Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, who started this season as a backup and has yet to play in a Super Bowl.

However in the Super Bowl — which currently stands as the most-watched TV broadcast in history — anything can happen.

After quarterback Carson Wentz tore his anterior cruciate ligament, Foles carried the Philadelphia Eagles to its first Super Bowl appearance since 2005, when the Patriots defeated Donovan McNabb’s Eagles 24-21.

At 40 years old, Brady is the oldest National Footbal League quarterback to play in a Super Bowl, and his relentless pursuit of

excellence puts him in a position to win his sixth championship ring. No other quarterback has won more than four Super Bowls; Brady currently holds the record with five Super Bowl wins.

Despite the rumors and the offthe-field drama surrounding the Patriots this year, the New England squad epitomizes sports excellence in today’s world.

Trailing the Jacksonville Jaguars 20-10 to start the fourth quarter of last weekend’s American Football Conference Championship Game, the Patriots were in jeopardy untill its wide receiver Danny Amendola scored two touchdowns, setting the team en route to a 24-20 comeback victory. NFL fans have seen this before, when Patriots trailed the Falcons 28-3 in last year’s Super Bowl and was down 24-14 entering the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in 2015 before storming back to win.

Love or hate the Patriots, one must recognize its successful system, ability to overcome adversity and ruthless drive to win.

Win or lose, the New England Patriots continue to make a strong case as the most successful sports franchise of the 21st century.

Email Brendan Duggan at sports@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Monday, January 29, 2018

nyunews.com

Page 11

SPORTS

Edited by Maddie Howard sports@nyunews.com

NYU REACTS

2018 Super Bowl Predictions

By MADDIE HOWARD Sports Editor

The 2018 Super Bowl will take place on Sunday, Feb. 4 for a matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots. This is a big moment for many Philadelphia fans, as the Eagles have yet to win a coveted Super Bowl title. This year’s event is even more iconic because the last time the Eagles made it to the final game in 2004, the team suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Patriots. New England supporters will be looking to its biggest players like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski to bring them back yet another championship victory.

NYU students were asked about their take on Super Bowl 2018.

Email Maddie Howard at mhoward@nyunews.com.

“Jacksonville Jaguars. Just kidding, Patriots.”

CALLIE DELANEY, Tandon sophomore

“It’s Eagles and who? The other team is that irrelevant.”

MARQUEL LOVE, CAS senior

“Sadly I think the Patriots will win, but I’d love to see the Eagles win. Brady is too clutch, and it’s just hard to bet against them in the Super Bowl, especially after last year. However, praying for the birds.”

EVAN LINDLEY, CAS sophomore

“The Patriots will win because they’ll find a way to cheat.”

FORD LADD, Stern sophomore

Fencing Standout: Bobby Cottingham

By NALANI OGAWA Staff Writer

CAS freshman Bobby Cottingham advanced his skills throughout his stellar first season on NYU’s only Division I sports team — fencing. He served as one of the team’s saber this season.

Cottingham said he mainly focuses on what he can do every day in training to improve his game.

Initially, one of his goals this season was to qualify for regionals, which he did.

He then decided to focus on resting up by taking the proper steps, such as eating right, icing and stretching, to ensure that his body would be ready to go for the next competition.

Many students aren’t aware of the reputation of NYU’s fencing team, the school’s only Division I sport and the reason Cottingham decided to attend NYU. Cottingham traveled a short distance from his hometown of Orange, New Jersey and felt drawn to NYU’s immersive city culture and because a number of the most competitive fencing clubs are located in the city.

“It is very hard to build a career after the National Collegiate Athletic Association if you don’t remain in the city,” Cottingham said.

His goal is to continue fencing in national and international competitions. As the son of Bob Cottingham Sr., the 1985 Junior Olympic champion and 1988 Seoul Olympic Fencing team member, Cottingham was introduced to fencing at a young age.

However, Cottingham hasn’t been left in his father’s shadows.

Although he’s only been fencing for the past five years, he has both

natural talent and work ethic. After his third year in fencing, Cottingham took second place with his high school team at the National Junior Olympics in 2015.

Like most successful athletes, Cottingham likes to get in the right state of mind prior to competition. One of his typical pre-duel traditions includes listening to a playlist, which features hype artists such as Eminem, Kanye West and Meek Mill.

The Fencing team, like many of NYU’s other sports teams, is full of driven individuals who feed off of helping each other. The team itself to thrive. Cottingham has nothing but praise for the dynamics of the NYU Fencing squad, especially the team’s senior members. “[The] upperclassmen are all really supportive and talented, and training with them has developed my skills to a higher degree,” Cottingham said.

Aside from fencing, Cottingham has been able to explore a variety of different subjects through the Liberal Studies program and plans to eventually double major in Politics and Economics Recently, Cottingham competed with the Violets at the North America Cup. Just weeks before the NAC Cup, Cottingham stood out for his two wins against Pennsylvania State University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Cottingham and the rest of the NYU team have their next competition on Saturday, Feb. 3, against Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Contact Nalani Ogawa at sports@nyunews.com.

“Pats by a million because although the Eagles blew out the Vikings and are having a strong season, we have the best quarterback in the league and Belichick. Facing that competition and a five time Super Bowl champ is going to get in the Eagles’ heads. The Patriots always rally for the Super Bowl. Gronk is better and Brady’s hand is healed. Plus, there is a big last legacy challenge with Brady nearing the end of his career. Our defense has become one of the strongest in the league since the beginning of the season. I really don’t think the Eagles can end the streak.”

LILA KELTZ, Tisch freshman

VIA GONYUATHLETICS.COM

CAS freshman Bobby Cottingham has excelled as one of this year’s fencing team sabers.

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About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published in print on Mondays and throughout the week online during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods.

Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact the managing editors at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302

MONDAY, JAN. 29

On-Campus Employment Workshop FREE 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Kimmel Center for University Life 60 Washington Square S. How do I find a job on-campus?

What are the documents you need to work on campus as an F-1 or J-1 student? What about Social Security cards?

TUESDAY, JAN. 30

Flu Shots FREE 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Kimmel Center for University Life 60 Washington Square S. Stop by the Center for Student Life for a FREE flu shot provided by the NYU Student Health Center. Open to NYU students.

TUESDAY, JAN. 30

Red Roses, Green Gold FREE WITH NYU ID

7:30 p.m.

Minetta Lane Theatre 18 Minetta Ln. “Red Roses, Green Gold” brings the songs of Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter to the stage. Order tickets online through NYU Home.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 31

Circus In the Park FREE 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Near Washington Square Fountain

Washington Square News

Come on out to Violet Circus Arts’ weekly circus meet up! Get some free lessons in juggling and much, much more.

THURSDAY, FEB. 1

Sister Act

$5 FOR NYU STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF, ALUMNI

8 p.m.

Frederick Loewe Theatre 35 West 4th St.

@nyunews

Also see the Steinhardt play on: Friday, Feb. 2 at 8 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 4 at 3 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEB. 1

The Empty Space As Performance $5 FOR NYU STUDENTS 8 p.m.

Pless Hall Black Box Theatre 82 Washington Square East

@nyunews

NYU Steinhardt Program in Drama Therapy presents “The Empty Space As Performance.”

NEXT WEEK

the

Money feature Online Feb. 5