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Roasted turkey, pumpkin pie, green bean casserole and steaming rolls—Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and with the holiday comes the anticipation of traditional foods.
“I don’t have a main course that I like,” Bayli Sosa, an education major said. Sosa said she would rather skip to the end of the traditional holiday meal. “I do love the desserts we have at our family Thanksgiving. Apple pie is my favorite food to eat, and that is the only pie I like because my mom makes it from scratch. It is so good.”
Sosa’s instructor, Rochelle Fouts, agreed about the importance of desserts. “I do have a favorite food on Thanksgiving and it is pecan pie. I prefer that pie more than pumpkin pie,” Fouts said.
As for the main course, Fouts has an unusual favorite. “When it comes to our family’s Thanksgiving, I don’t like eating turkey with traditional dressing,” she said. “I like
to eat the Stove Top stuffing from the box.”
Turkey may take the central spot on the Thanksgiving table, but some students feel more passion for the sides. Justin Campos, a business major, said, “My favorite food on Thanksgiving would have to be green bean casserole because my grandma makes it every year and it’s the best thing ever.”
Like his fellow students,
Campos also has a sweet spot for holiday desserts. “I would also have to say the apple pie is the second best food on Thanksgiving for me. It’s like the cherry on top for Thanksgiving day.”
Olivia Jackson, a nursing major, said her favorite parts of holiday meals are stuffing, vegetables and her mother’s bourbon banana pudding.
Jackson also said she believes no one should limit
themselves, especially during the holidays. “Food is good, and we all need food to live and holiday food is also delicious,” she said.
Blake Haley, an education major, seconds that opinion. “Holidays are a time nobody should worry about calories. Nobody should worry about how much they eat. These times are about eating, and having leftovers to eat again. Nobody should overanalyze the correct way to eat during the holidays,” Haley said.
Special meals and homemade treats are part of many people’s Thanksgiving plans, but sometimes hectic lifestyles make holiday traditions difficulty to achieve.
Britten Hull, an animal science major, pointed out that work and school commitments often get in the way of plans for homemade meals and healthy eating. Hull said people shouldn’t worry about that. “These are the days that families have time to work around their busy schedules and spend time together. Food brings people together.”
majority of Texas vot ers,
Illustration by KAMDEN SLOUGH | The Ranger
Photo Illustration by KAMDEN SLOUGH | The Ranger
“The Army taught me 'you’re an adult, so act like one.' It’s pretty simple problems that happen to me are my fault. I take charge of me.”
Leandra Melgoza Nursing Major
“I spend 30 minutes a day reviewing each class, and I follow up with 2 hours per class on Saturdays to wrap my studies and classes for the week. I feel so much better when I stay on top of my classes daily.”
Silas Miranda Motion Picture Production Major
“Understanding my dreams, how badly I want to achieve my goals and knowing how hard I have to work for it right now. How hard I work now makes my dreams happen faster.”
Gaslighting. We hear the term often. Gaslighting refers to a form of abuse where the abuser causes their victim to question their reality and doubt themselves. This can be done by dismissing a person’s feelings, trivializing their reactions and denying that anything is wrong. It can happen in any personal relationship, and lately there are plenty of people sharing stories of a potentially deadly variant: medical gaslighting.
Have you ever had abdominal pain dismissed as your period? Have you been told to lose weight to address an issue unrelated to your size? Maybe you’ve been told, “Oh, it’s just because you’re getting older.” These experiences are instances of medical gaslighting.
Women and people of color are affected most by medical gaslighting, but anybody can experience it, especially if you are overweight, have a mental illness or an invisible disability. Medical gaslighting can delay obtaining a correct diagnosis, force a patient to undergo unnecessary procedures and deal with ineffective treatment. It also impacts a victim’s mental health and
can make them feel crazy or like they’re overreacting.
Although I doubt the majority of doctors who dismiss symptoms or label someone hysteric are doing it intentionally, there is an unbalanced power dynamic between doctors and patients.
There is also the cost to consider, as healthcare in America isn't cheap. There’s nothing like spending your $75 copay for the privilege of being told to try a low-carb diet for chronic pain.
To try to mitigate medical gaslighting, experts recommend several strategies. First, keep a detailed record of not only your medications, diagnoses and lab results, but also your symptoms: when they occur, if anything triggers them, the area affected and degree of pain. Prepare a list of questions beforehand and bring it with you to avoid forgetting something important. Bring a trusted advocate like a family member or friend who can speak on your behalf if you get overwhelmed. Although it may seem intimidating, don’t be afraid to walk away from a doctor who won’t listen to you and seek a second opinion.
Remember: you are the expert on your own body. You know when something doesn’t feel right. Don’t let anybody dismiss your pain.
The transition from high school to college is a bewildering one. Teachers no longer babysit you through your time in school. They give out a syllabus with all the important information on it, and they expect you to read it and follow it. Your education is in your hands.
Most tests are given out over the course of a week, must be done on your own time and in a testing center. They expect you to complete course material in and out of the classroom, especially if it's an eight week course.
To make the most out of a college education, which can run from completely free with grants and scholarships to ruinously expensive, you must take responsibility for yourself and your actions.
If you want free college, work hard to keep your grades up and actively apply for scholarships. If you want your own money to go to good use, don't blow off your work thinking you can make it up.
Personal responsibility is one of the greatest lessons a student will learn while attending college. College really can seem like a trial by fire, and for many this is a lesson that will take time to set in. No one is responsible
for your success more than you. No one can make you succeed.
Students are constantly told they must go to college to be successful, and while that is true for some, others take different roads. Certifications take time and money as well, and require just as much dedication. There really isn't an "easy road" to take to success.
We’re regaled with stories of professors not putting up with anything. Yet, some students forget they’re adults now, and continue to act out and disrupt class, not only ruining their own ability to learn but everyone around them too. These students won’t forget who ruined their class, which they pay for, when it comes to joining the workforce. They’ll remember how they disrupted class, so why wouldn’t they disrupt the office? Pass.
To succeed in college, students must learn to manage themselves and their time better. Unlike high school, it’s almost impossible to just set the cruise control and slide on by. Most professors don't take late work, won't remind you about your assignments and expect you to do plenty of learning outside of class too. You can’t rely on others to motivate you to
work and learn. As a college student, you have more freedoms than ever. That means that instead of just waiting for things to happen, you have to make them happen. Instead of just chasing a good grade, college must be about actually absorbing the information you learn and applying it.
Here at Amarillo College, the school even has classes specifically tailored toward teaching freshmen how to study, use a syllabus and other importants lessons for being successful in collge. Those who don't take it seriously always seem to be the same ones who complain about not knowing how to keep up in their classes.
Academic integrity is a huge part of this. Getting caught cheating in college doesn’t just mean failing your classes, it now means expulsion and it goes on your academic record. Plus, you are cheating yourself out of an education, so you only hurt yourself.
The bottom line: take responsibility for yourself and for your education. What you get out of college will depend on what you are willing to put in.
As I lie in bed in the Mexican heat in Ojinaga, Chihuahua, the day drifts by. My thoughts are fleeting and few, drifting as a daydream, everything all at once and none at all. It feels like an eternity, but only a few hours have passed. My body aches, the fatigue eats up at me and the most unbearable headaches are killing me. This was my experience just one day after catching the COVID-19 Omicron variant.
With COVID becoming endemic, the world is slowly turning back to normal. With lax COVID protocols in public, less social distancing and less enforcement of face masks, it seems like everything is back to normal, but is that enough? With recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the U.S. has an average of 40,000 daily infections reported. Only 68% of the population is
OPINION
vaccinated. With a little over half of the population having some vaccination from the virus, this data looks good. The death and recovery rates have been good and the data has been flat for a while. But it’s too early in this battle to relax and let our guard down. With autumn and winter coming up, not only do we have to worry about COVID but the flu season right now.
Although the data may show lower infection rates, that doesn’t mean that the virus is gone for good. It’s here to stay so I believe that we can be doing better to keep people safe. COVID is here to stay, just like the flu it's going to keep evolving. With many different variants that can appear, we can prevent the virus from getting worse.
The Omicron variant is not a fun experience. Even though I am fully vaccinated and boosted, the virus still affected me. This virus affected me in a harsh way.
Constant fatigue, body aches and a little short of breath–its
effects still linger with me. Ask anyone who has experienced COVID, long COVID is no figment of the imagination. The brain fog, short of breath and fatigue have become long term conditions for millions.
We need to encourage each other to get vaccinated and to mask up with large gatherings to minimize the spread. You may think that you’re not going to get it or you’ll be fine, but I had it before and this second case hit extremely hard. This virus is not just a one-time deal. Think of your family, friends and peers. We know people that are fighting other conditions, and the virus can prove fatal for them. We all need to vaccinate and mask up to stop this virus from mutating and evolving. Many of us have forgotten about COVID. I had until I caught it again this semester, spent a week in agony and am still fighting residual effects. We can all do more to help each other. Do your part.
How do you hold yourself accountable as a student?Illustration by KAMDEN SLOUGH | The Ranger aaap aaap OPINION aaap EDITORIAL
By MAGDA AGUIRRE and MERCEDES PACHECO Student Reporters
The most wonderful time of the year is upon us, with that comes the stress of holiday shopping and wondering what to get everyone on a list that seems to grow and grow each day. There are a few tips to consider before letting panic sink in and overspending. First and foremost, set a budget and consider ways to cut costs with homemade gifts.
“I make sure to develop a plan that best fits my needs and my family’s needs,” Hanna Homfeld, an Amarillo
College librarian, said. “As a child, saving my allowance to spend on my family helped me and taught me about budgeting, paying attention to the interests and needs of others and being thankful for family.”
Try narrowing down your list. There is no need to feel obligated to buy everyone you know a gift. Try narrowing down to a spouse or partner and close family members. Another thing to do would be compare prices. If you’re set on a specific gift idea for your special loved ones, try doing some research as to where to find a better deal. Look up multiple places where this
Many changes are underway at Amarillo College as construction projects revitalize and change the campuses. One thing that has not changed is the cleanliness of the campuses. Behind that is a team of custodial staff members who are dedicated to keeping the campuses clean for students and faculty.
Suzette Overstreet has worked nights as an AC cus todian for 22 years. She is now the assistant custodial superintendent.
“The typical night for the custodians would be to come into work, then the team leader will instruct them what buildings to do for the night,” Overstreet said. “Most of the time they work alone, but sometimes as a team. In the buildings they will empty the trash, clean chalkboards and whiteboards, wipe off desks, push in chairs, sweep, mop floors, vacuum carpets, clean, disinfect and sanitize restrooms, check/ refill paper towels, tissue, hand soap and clean mirrors and entry glass doors.”
Overstreet said they have two trash runs per night. “A trash run is when two custodians use an AC custodial pickup truck to pick up the trash in designated areas of the college that the custodians have put outside after collecting the trash from in-
side the buildings.”
Sandra Ramirez is a custodial foreman at AC and works on West Campus.
“A typical night starts at 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and ends at 7a.m.” On Fridays, night custodians work from 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
“We gather all our supplies and start taking all the trash first from the offices, restrooms, classrooms, open areas, lobbies. When we collect all the trash, we take it outside of our buildings. We have two trash runs, one at 1:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. Winter is the hardest due to cold weather. We clean all the restrooms, which includes mirrors, sinks, toilets and replace and fill paper towels, toilet paper, sweep and mop the floors,” said Ramirez.
At times, she even has a few unexpected visitors.
“Working at night, I sometimes have visitors like snakes, bats, foxes, deer, lizards and frogs.”
Overall, Amarillo College custodial staff members take pride in what they do for the students and faculty. “We’re dedicated AC night custodians--we show up, we do the job, we go home,” said Overstreet.
“I love my job and I love working for Amarillo College. It is a safe place to work and it’s my second family,” said Ramirez.
item is found, do research and compare those prices.
Perhaps the idea of making a more personal gift would help with the budget. Something more heartfelt instead of it coming from a retail store. If you’re one of many stressed shoppers, homemade gifts might just be your saving grace.
Rummage through your house or search the internet for ideas. Craft stores saw increased interest in DIY (do-it-yourself) projects when COVID hit and the trend has continued. “People were bored and coming in for everything,” said Lisa Lopez, a Hobby Lobby as -
sociate, “There were men even learning to sew and women looking into refurbishing furniture.”
While some may think of only craft stores, other retail stores such as Home Depot and Lowes also get customers searching for materials to help put their DIY plans into action. One of the more popular items is lumber to make custom signs.
“We get all kinds of requests for different sizes of boards,” said Ken Wilhelm, a Lowe’s associate. “I’m amazed at the pictures these kids and adults show me of their finished products.”
Door signs for all seasons
are one of the more popular gifts for crafters. They take different lengths of lumber, sand them down, paint custom words or messages, then decorate them to make their homes stand out. It’s a process that can be started with upcycled materials or purchasing new, the decision lies with the crafter. Even better is seeing the excitement on the recipient’s face.
These are just a few things to do to ease the stress of holiday shopping. Finally, when you have figured out a shopping plan, stick with it. Do not give in to the temptation. Let the ‘most wonderful time of the year’ stay that way.
While most students attend classes to learn skills and gain knowledge, some Amarillo College students are going to class to learn how to help their classmates learn. They are training to be peer mentors for the First Year Seminar class—a course that prepares new students to succeed in college.
“The peer mentors are a group of Amarillo College students who function as leaders within the First Year Seminar,” Amy Pifer, the First Year Experience director, said. “These are students who are hand selected by each faculty member and provide the insider’s view to life at the college.”
Pifer said that the peer mentors challenge students with new ideas, and encourage them to move beyond the things that are most comfortable. Most peer mentors are picked for their sensibility, confidence, social skills and reliability.
“These peer mentors participate as active members of each course, bridging the gap be-
tween student and faculty members and providing useful information, guidance, and support to our newest students,” said Pifer.
“Mentoring at-risk college students is essentially to improve academic achievement, improve interpersonal skills and for personal development.”
Madison Shows is training to become a peer mentor. She said peer mentoring involves a reciprocal relationship of mutual benefits to both the student and mentor to help first-time college students experience a smooth transition to college and empower at risk students.
“These last two weeks of mentoring have been going very smoothly for me, and I feel as if my peer mentoring gears are finally revving up as I’m starting to understand how to be successful,” Shows said. “One of the advantages of having a peer mentor is to fully utilize the best traits in students in order to reach the underlying goal most efficiently. To allow someone else to do something you’re weak in doesn’t make you inferior, it makes you smart for re-
alizing the goal would be better obtained that way. Being a peer mentor allowed me to be a leader in many situations, while also giving me a sense of what it’s like to work as a unit and help others.”
Pifer said that peer mentoring has been shown to positively influence college student’s achievement and increase student retention at institutions, particularly among at-risk college students.
Dalton Peoples, another First Year Seminar peer mentor in training, said the mentoring relationship helps the new students, the mentors and the instructors. “In particular, peer mentoring provides a strong system of support as teachers seek to implement new strategies, examine practices, transfer skills and put in-service learning in action,” Peoples said. “Peer mentoring promotes the teacher’s growth and development. Moreover, it leverages face to face interaction, thus, promoting relationship building and strong collegiality towards collective improvement and institutional effectiveness.”
A 2022 Gallup Poll found that K-12 educators were the most burned-out segment of the US labor force and a study by the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 44% of public schools reported teaching vacancies. In Amarillo, teachers are dealing with similar teacher shortages and feeling frustration and stress.
Karen Schrader, a newly retired English teacher from Tascosa High School said both teachers and students are suffering due to the shortage. “Teachers are expected to pick up the slack and fill in where they are needed. It wears on
their souls, and the students are getting exhausted or teachers who are unskilled and unprepared to teach,” she said. “I think the burnout rate is at an all-time high. Teachers are tired and feel unappreciated. Most give their all, only to be told it isn’t enough.”
Many teachers say that the COVID-19 pandemic has been the main cause of the shortage. “All of these students took a setback from being gone,” Jena Hutton, the audio, video and photography teacher at Tascosa High School, said. “Students came back super behind and also lacked a lot of motivation to work hard. Many of the students don’t care about school, their grades or about literally anything. They are proba-
bly burned out too, and teachers see that, but it makes it so difficult for a teacher to want to come to work if they come here every day and it feels like they’re talking to a wall all day without any effort in return.” Hutton also said the emphasis on testing and scores is an issue. “Even in my own hallway of teachers at my school - there are several of us who are really burned out, lacking motivation, just tired of it and have considered leaving the education field.”
Other teachers point to the current political climate and the lack of respect given to teachers. “With heightened politics and political figures, the American people became more opinionated and outspoken, and there are self-pro-
claimed experts on just about any topic including the education system,” Michelle Switzer, a medical teacher at AmTech, said. “It was exhausting to work through a trial and error pandemic-stricken school year and then to lose credibility to students and parents who know we have to give them ‘grace.’”
Pearl Martin, a former teacher for Amarillo ISD, San Jacinto Christian Academy and Amarillo Collegiate Academy, agreed that the culmination of society’s negative attitude toward public education drives the teacher shortage.
Parent dissatisfaction with curriculum, outrageous expectations of teachers, low pay and violence feed into that attitude, Martin said. She also
pointed out teachers are losing their leeway with creative teaching due to strict teacher evaluation standards. “Teachers have a positive effect on student’s performance when they are allowed to teach in creative ways through repetition and are not limited in their resources.”
One thing several teachers said could boost retention would be higher pay. Schrader said she believes teacher pay is fair in most places, and, although more money would be welcomed, that’s not the only answer. “Throwing money at teachers won’t fix anything. We have to fix the culture so that education is valued,” she said.
Amarillo College student media won 14 awards at the Texas Community College Journalism convention held Nov. 11 at the University of North Texas. The annual convention brought - student journalists together for a day of workshops and an awards ceremony.
The contest recognized work published during the Fall 2021 and Spring 2022 semesters and included work by former editor-in-chief of “The Ranger,” Raygan Lopez, as well as Daniel Antillon, Jo Early, Shawn McCrea and others. Among the prizes were Overall Excellence in Magazine and first place wins in audio news and video news.
“The convention was another great learning experience,” Rylee Moore, a mass media major and co-editor of “The Ranger,” said. “We got to meet fellow student journalists, network, and connect with professionals in different fields of journalism and hear some great advice.”
Students who went on the trip include Jo Early, Kylee Smith, Jordan Nuner, Rylee Moore and Phoebe Terry. They were accompanied by Jill Gibson and Maddisun Fowler, student media advisers and mass media instructors.
“Our Matney Mass Media
students consistently produce high-quality and it’s exciting for them to be recognized for their hard work by the industry professionals who judge the contest,” Fowler said.
Students also had the opportunity to learn directly from industry professionals working in and around the Dallas metropolitan area.
One of the workshops was led by Amarillo College alum and Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Brad Loper.
Loper worked as a staff photographer and photo editor for the Dallas Morning news for over 18 years and has taught at the University of Texas at Arlington for the past 8 years.
“Attending journalism conventions like TCCJA allows students to learn from experts, network with fellow students and future employers and explore transfer opportunities,” Gibson said. “It is an invaluable benefit of participating in AC Student Media.”
This year’s conference was the first one held since before the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Fowler, who is also the president of TCCJA, next year’s convention will take place at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas.
In ddition to the awards won at TCCJA, “The Current” has also won honorable mention for two-year feature magazines at the National College Media convention.
“Wendell & Wild” is an interesting watch. It came out recently on Netflix and is a stop-motion animated film about an orphaned girl who, after losing her parents, experiences bullying.
She ends up hurting, or possibly killing, a fellow student and, five years later, is paroled to a religious school.
At this school, she discovers that she is a hellmaiden and can summon a couple of demons that have the power to bring her parents back from the dead. With her new friend Raul, as her witness, she sets out under a full moon bringing
the required tools to summon the demons.
This movie is dark, a perfect watch for the spooky season, and the animation is pretty good. The character designs are unique and the characters feel like they belong in the world they are in.
The issue I have with this movie is the story.
It isn’t bad, but I feel that there is something missing. There are a few plot holes or missing details and the world isn’t explained well. There is no explanation of why the main character is a hellmaiden or what makes a person a hellmaiden. Other things related to that are also confusing.
The overarching story is
well done. The main character’s desire to bring her parents back is believable. Her feelings of guilt over being the only survivor and possible cause of the crash are clearly painted and relateable.
“Wendell & Wild is definitely something I recommend watching, but just know that it isn’t perfect. It is, however, entertaining and fun to watch. The music is great and well-chosen. I wouldn’t recommend this to younger kids as this is rated PG-13 and can get really dark, but is great for fans of stop-motion creepy comedies. It is a family movie so it’s best watched with others, though I myself watched it alone.
By CHASE COOKE Student Reporter
Cannupa Hanska Luger’s “Reunion” exhibit is a solo exhibition featuring art from many of Luger’s collections, all on the theme of interconnectivity or reunion. It is now on display at the Amarillo Museum of Art on the Amarillo College Washington Street Campus.
I am not a huge art or museum person, but I have always been fascinated by Native American art. Luger’s work is truly amazing. It instantly catches your eye when you walk into the room. One of the first things you see is this huge upside-down tipi. It is honestly one of the coolest things I’ve seen. It is three stories tall, and it really shows off the structure of a tipi. You can look at it from a top view or go down for the first floor and look up and it. My favorite is looking up into it.
In the next room there are seven mixed media wearable regalia. Those are some of the coolest things I have ever seen. Next to all the regalia is a video playing of the artist wearing them and dancing.
The final room has this giant piece of fabric with black footprints fading into dirt all the way across it, with
a buffalo skull made of glass. On the wall behind it is a statement by the artist: “With great and continuous effort separation is possible. Every conflict that has ever occurred has been the consequence of maintaining separation. The language of dominance is filled and filed by category. A place for everything and everything in its place. However, the world we live in and life itself is constantly finding equilibrium.The edges blur at every border and the transition of one thing to another becomes transient. Nature is in flux and the form one thing takes is defined by its relationships to everything it touches. Union is the natural order. Reunion is inevitable. This is but one of the many stories of reunion. Told through a singular lens but experienced through a great and complex universe.”
As a person who doesn’t spend a lot of time going to museums, I thought this exhibit was amazing. You can see all the hard work and detail he put into each piece of art. With the audio playing, it is just an awesome experience that I highly recommend.
The exhibit will remain on display until Dec. 31.
Mullet mania is a part of the past–and it should stay that way. Over the last few years the world has seen a comeback of sorts on heads across the nation. The traditional mullet has transformed into a modern version of itself with less hairspray and more perm. Due to its lack of functionality day to day, tedious upkeep and outdatedness, the hairstyle should be laid to rest.
Waking up in the morning should be comfortable and should not take more than an hour for most. The added step of styling a mullet to look correct can take upward of fifteen minutes by which point most would give up and put on a hat. Low-maintenance hair after a long morning is ideal, especially if all it takes is wetting it a few times and running a comb through it.
Periodic trips to see a hairdresser can be anxiety-inducing enough as it is without the added stress of remembering what style of mullet you had that one time. Wolf cut? Middle part, short in the front, but party in the back with a fade?
The possibilities are endless and there is always a chance it will turn out different every time unless you have a hairdresser appointment booked a few times a month. These days most Americans can agree that the first
thought that comes to their heads when they think of a mullet is the 80s. The good days when 11-year-olds could pick up cigarettes for their moms on the walk back from school and the color palette of choice was various shades of brown. The hairstyle is simply outdated and should be left behind as a part of 20th century history. Besides, remakes are never as good as the original in any capacity.
The minimalist aesthetics of the 2020s does not require anyone to do too much. Less is always more nowadays and hair is not an exception. In a few years, the mullet mania will die out along with skinny jeans, chevron and any other fad.
Please, I beg of you, stop clinging to the past. No one wants to attend that party in the back–it’s a pathetic admission that you are either stuck in the past or desperately trying to grab onto the latest trend. We are not laughing with you, we are laughing at you… and at your mullet.
By LANCE HOOPER ColumnistHoly Christmas came too early Batman, the mullet is back again or did it really ever leave? The ole Mississippi Mudflap might have been in a mini hibernation, but the mullet is back with more business in the front and lots more party in the back. Just in case you have been hiding under a rock, the mullet is one of the more versatile hairstyles, and when it comes back, it does it with style.
Throughout the years, the mullet has made many iconic fashion statements, but it got its name and start from French fashion icon Henri Mollet in the early 70s. Apart from the French underground dance scene, the hairstyle didn’t gain any traction until Ric Ocasek, David Bowie and Rod Stewert made it their own, and by that time it was resurrected as the mullet.
The hairstyle has been recorded as far back as the 6th century B.C.E. on Greek statues, which proves mullets were at the inception of western culture. It was known to the Greeks as the
“Theseus cut.” Ancient Roman chariot racers rocked the mullet as well. The mullet may have a long history, but it has a tenacious nature because it continues to resurface to this day. The funniest thing about this hairstyle, it comes in more than 31 flavors. It has many layers to its appeal along with many nicknames. Some of the funny and ironic nicknames for the mullet are the Kentucky Waterfall, the Cameo Cut, the Beaver Paddle (no beavers involved), the Ape Drape, the Redneck Warmer, the Mississippi Mudflap, the Skullet and the Canadian Passport.
The mullet has had many resurrections, but no one can talk about mullets without referencing probably the most iconic mullet of all time, “The Billy Ray,” made famous by Billy Ray Cyrus with his debut hit single “Achy Breaky Heart.” Not only was the song very popular, it spotlighted the mullet more than ever. You might know Billy Ray’s daughter Miley Cyrus, but before Miley, her dad made it big with his hit song and his mullet. He went full Rocky Top Tennessee with a short slicked back front, that went full Mississippi River in the back with 18 inches of length that hit his waist. It slung from side to side, like all the Bic lighters being held up at his concerts, swaying as he sang “Don’t break my heart, my achy breaky heart.” The mullet soon hibernated after that, but how do you top good ole Rocky Top Tennessee and Billy Ray Cyrus?
Sports icons and rock stars seem to be drawn to the hairstyle because it has a presence. It makes a statement: “I drink tiger blood and I’m here to win.” David Beckham gave us the soccer mohawk mullet. Hockey players have rocked the Canadian Passport since the first puck hit the Ice. It is a hockey right of passage. Toronto Maple Leafs, Mikail Grabovski, and Patrick Kane serve up some serious mullet realness. Ric Ocasek from the 80s rock band The Cars gave the hairstyle his own grunge rock emo vibe.
Blake Shelton gave it a go for a while and won a couple of Country Music Awards while rocking the look. The best baseball mullet goes to Charlie Blackmon for his inspiration to little league teams across America. Elton John even royally rocked the locks in the 90s, sporting a red North Beach Leather ensemble. The mullet will never die because it comes in so many flavors. Just when you think it can’t be outdone, the mullet peels back another layer, history is made once again, and a red carpet is taken over. An album cover is blessed. A fashion settlement has been reached, and we the people get to keep the mullet. One thing is for sure with the mullet, you see the business coming, but the party is the reason to stick around. There just isn’t a more iconic hairstyle that continues to resurface better and better every time.