By Ethan Shea

Image: The Natural Environment Research Council

You may have heard of the saying “jump the shark.” The phrase is used to describe a form of entertainment that starts incorporating gimmicky and ridiculous events, indicating a decline in quality.

This idiom was coined in 1985 as a response to Fonzie, in a 1977 episode of Happy Days, jumping over a shark while on water-skis. A far-fetched event that indicated a drop in the show’s quality.

This sort of pop culture generated phrase only seems to come around every once in a while, but they’re still being coined today. One of my favorites is the phenomenon of “McBoatfacing.”

McBoatfacing is defined as making the mistake of letting the internet or general public decide something. This phrase derived from a 2016 online contest the British government hosted to name a research boat.

The name received 124,109 votes, handily winning the competition. It was described as a homage to Hooty McOwlface, an owl named through similar circumstances in 2012 which became a popular internet meme.

Image: NASCAR

Similar naming contests have been McBoatfaced since, such as the naming of a horse in Sydney, Australia (Horsey McHorseface), a Busch Beer sponsored NASCAR race (2021 Buschy McBusch Race 400), and a SpaceX satellite terminal (Dishy McFlatface).

Unfortunately, despite winning the vote, the research vessel was not named Boaty McBoatface. Rather, the boat is now known as the RRS Sir David Attenborough. To appease the masses, one of the boat’s deployable submersibles was named Boaty McBoatface.

Here at Falvey, we love hearing about the ways in which language continues to evolve during the age of the internet. Who knows what the next big turn of phrase will be?

If you’re looking to spice up your vocabulary, check out our collection of thesauruses in the stacks!

Ethan Shea is a second-year graduate student in the English Department and Graduate Assistant at Falvey Library.

By Olivia Dunn

With Christmastime approaching, it’s time to start listening and appreciating the season before it passes you by. Rather than opting for the classics such as “Jingle Bells” or “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” at every chance you get (although there’s nothing wrong with that), consider checking out the multitude of pop music various stars have offered over the years with the convenient broken-down guide provided below. Happy Holidays!

Classics:

These pop hits have stood the test of time and are just as likely to be heard on the radio as any other Christmas carol. Out of all the classics, these three are the best of the best.

“All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey – Say what you want about this song, as it has gained a reputation for being overhyped, but it’s simply not Christmas without at least a few (or hundreds of) listens.

“Last Christmas” by Wham! – This song is the perfect choice for those who could do without the same cheery tone of most Christmas songs.

“Mistletoe” by Justin Bieber – Upon its release in 2011, this song easily became a staple for both middle school girls and non-Justin Bieber listeners alike.

Sleepers:

While these songs often get overshadowed by their more-famous counterparts, they are just as deserving of multiple listens throughout the holiday season.

“Cold December Night” by Michael Bublé – While Michael Bublé has become known for other famous tracks off his beloved holiday album simply entitled Christmas, “Cold December Night” deserves fame in its own right.

“Christmas Eve” by Justin Bieber – One of the more soulful tracks off of Justin Bieber’s Christmas album, “Christmas Eve” makes for the perfect listen during your family’s Christmas commute.

“Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson – Once you hear this song for the first time, you’ll never be able to get it out of your head, and you’ll enjoy every minute of it. 

Worthy Covers:

With a limited amount of Christmas carols in existence, it can be difficult to decipher which covers are the best. Over the years, these three have remained tried and true staples.

“It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” by Michael Bublé – While it was hard to choose just one cover from Michael Bublé, this song sums up the simultaneous anticipation and nostalgia associated with Christmas perfectly. 

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Sam Smith – This slowed-down take of a classic Christmas song is a match made in Christmas heaven with Sam Smith’s vocals.

“Winter Wonderland/Don’t Worry Darling” by Pentatonix – Pentatonix gives a fun and unique spin of “Winter Wonderland” by pairing it with Bob Marley’s fan favorite hit, “Don’t Worry Darling.”

View my full holiday playlist below. From all of us at Falvey, we hope you give these picks a listen and have a happy and healthy Holiday season! 

Olivia Dunn is a senior at Villanova University. She works in Falvey Library as a Communications and Marketing Assistant and majors in Communication with specializations in both Journalism and Public Relations.

By Kelly McMahon

This week, I was struck by this 1990 Black History Month article from The Villanovan. In the article, then entertainment editor Stephen Powers offers us a brief history of black television, from the “golden years” of the 1950s, to the radical changes in the 1980s with the creation of The Cosby Show and Family Matters.

While he writes that progress has been made since the 1950s when it comes to diverse representation on major sitcoms and soap operas, Powers concludes his article by acknowledging that despite these advances, “there is still some progress to be made,” citing what was then top television shows with casts that were illogically all white, like Cheers and Murphy Brown. He also critiques Saturday Night Live, which in 1990 featured an entirely white cast.

In the 1990 article, Powers writes that he believes progress will be made in the next decade. Now, three decades later, progress has indeed been made. Major sitcoms like Blackish, Mixed-Ish, Good Trouble, and Grownish prioritize diversity of all kinds, from race to sexuality, gender identity, and ability. Since 1990, Saturday Night Live has grown to be incredibly diverse, too.

However, now, just like 1990 when Powers was writing, more progress can still be made. Despite the presence of diverse television shows, sitcoms with (almost) all white casts like The Office and Friends still gather large followings and huge viewerships. The 2017 reboot of Dynasty (a show Powers mentions) is almost as white as it was in earlier iterations. Large cable programs like The Bachelor and Bachelorette rarely (and sometimes never) feature people of color.

 

Would Powers be satisfied with the progress that has been made? Does this article feel strangely topical despite being thirty years old? Let us know your thoughts via Instagram (@villanovalibrary) or Twitter (@FalveyLibrary).

Kelly McMahon CLAS ’22 is a student assistant in the Communication and Marketing office at Falvey Memorial Library.

By Daniella Snyder

I’m Daniella Snyder, a graduate student at Villanova University, and your ‘Cat in Falvey Library’s Stacks. I’ll be posting about academics– from research to study habits and everything in between– and how the Falvey Library can play a large role in your success here on campus!

Hey Wildcats! Happy midterms!

Okay, I know midterms isn’t a happy time. In reality, it’s only stressful..long nights in Falvey, countless cups of coffee, and little sleep…I know how it goes.

Usually, I offer advice during this week. I tell you ways to reduce stress, how to increase productivity, where to study, etc.

However, I’m getting through midterms by thinking ahead: spring break is right around the corner! Instead of sinking into the stress, I’m leaning into the upcoming excitement that comes with a week off! What am I going to read for fun? What am I going to binge watch? I’ve been making a list, and I’m looking forward to resting, relaxing, and recharging for the final half of the semester.

So, that’s my advice this week! Make a list of the things you’re looking forward to! Here’s a list of some of the shows on my “To Watch Over Break” list.

Emma. 

First on my watch list is Emma., which just hit theaters this past week. Autumn de Wilde directed the newest adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic 1815 novel of the same title. According to TIME Magazine, Emma. “feels both modern and authentic in the best way.”

“Rendered in sugar-almond tones of blush pink, daffodil yellow and ice blue by cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt, production designer Kave Quinn, and costume designer Alexandra Byrne, Emma. is as confident and gorgeous to look at as a tower of exquisitely rendered petit fours” (TIME).

If you’re interested in learning how the new movie departs from the novel, check out this article from Slate. If you want to check out a copy of the book to take home, check out our collection.

The Good Lord Bird

Based on the 2013 novel by James McBride, The Good Lord Bird can be streamed on Showtime starting this week. McBride’s novel won the National Book Award for Fiction in 2013.

The novel follows the found memoirs of slave Henry Shackleford writing about his union with abolitionist John Brown. Brown, mistaking Shackleford for a woman, gives him a dress to wear, and the two join together. Shackleford narrates his encounters with Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, as well as Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry.

High Fidelity

The new Hulu television show starring Zoë Kravitz is based off the 1995 novel of the same title by Nick Hornby. This isn’t the first adaptation of the novel, however; the novel was adapted into a feature film in 2000 and a Broadway musical in 2006.

The novel follows Rob Fleming, a London record store owner whose girlfriend Laura has just left him. After recalling his five most memorable breakups, Rob gets in touch with those former girlfriends. In the new (and in my opinion, more interesting) Hulu adaptation, we follow Kravitz, who plays the heartbroken record shop owner Rob, as she tracks down her exes, both men and women.

What are you looking forward to reading and/or watching during spring break? Tell us on Instagram (@villanovalibrary) or Twitter (@FalveyLibrary)!

Daniella Snyder is a graduate assistant in the Communication and Marketing office at Falvey, and a graduate student in the English department.