How to Get Famous & Influence People
Hello,
I’ve binged a few episodes of the new DCC doc on netflix and perhaps it’s unfeminist of me but I’m obsessed. The glitz of it all, the big hair, the familiar shots of north texas highways, I fear I’ve discovered a new comfort watch!
While there are certainly some dark elements hiding behind the pristine white Lucchese boots, I can’t help but dream of being in this elite group. I think it would be amazing to be surrounded by beautiful and kind women who are absolutely excellent at their craft. The level of dedication would be beyond motivating and to be part of a group of women like that would be absolutely life affirming (sort of like being a VTY girl - nothing beats the negative self-talk like knowing you wonderful women call me friend).
Julianne, in our quest to bring hot people back to the media, I’m afraid we must force you to begin training to join the DCC. And overall I think we must not waste our summers being too deep in intellectual pursuits - we’re young! We’re hot! Farewell Gregor girl hours hello to our STAR eras. Should we become famous?
To you the reader, let us know if you can think of any wild stunts the VTY girls could do to propel us to fame. One thought is that we could create a barbieland coworking space where all the fun cool educated girlies can come hang, swap lipgloss recs, and of course discuss the lasting impacts of Kafka on our 17 year old brains.
Open to anything really!
Much love and slightly manic,
Sydney
Dear Sydney,
I accept your mission to begin training. If you don’t know, the sole desire of my heart between the ages of 16 and 21 was to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader. I think I can do it – I may not have danced in 3 years, but that’s nothing a little icy hot won’t fix after I get started.
As I grew up dancing, taught by just about every former DCC you could name, I can attest that there’s something very special about the people you spend 40+ hours a week with. I saw my dance teachers more than I saw my own parents, and often they were more like a big sister than just an instructor. Looking back, there was also something deeply special about being a part of a unit. I always wanted to be a star, but my favorite kind of choreography to watch isn’t a solo (even though it was my favorite to perform), it’s the big group pieces where everyone knows each other so well they move like one. It makes me sad that as an adult, there are less opportunities for that kind of bond and friendship (short of becoming one of America’s Sweethearts). Maybe the VTY club is the solution?? Can we call it the post office to stick true to our letter writing theme? Or does that infringe on the United States Government? (not that I really care) Dear readers, drop a comment below and let us know what you think.
I’m over the Gregor hours – not doing that anymore. There’s too much life to live!!!
Always very truly yours!!!
Julianne
Hello,
I am on a different wavelength, currently. I have begun to recede and the spider living on my bedroom wall has begun to feel like a welcome friend.
The past few months I have been thinking about myself so much that it’s exhausting. I want to feel small, so that I can feel the world around me. That’s been difficult, lately.
I also watched the first few episodes of America’s Sweethearts and am disappointed. I think I expected the perfect veneer to be penetrated by the filmmakers and girls alike, but instead I found that it was maintained. DCC is cutthroat, competitive and personal—girls get cut because of their talent, yes, but also their weight, face, height, and personality. Don’t worry though, they take it in stride. Southern femininity.
I wanted to see what’s under the surface and received everything but. The producers employed the nasty tactic where they reveal a girl’s trauma in lieu of her personality so that you pity her more when she’s cut at the end of the episode. One girl’s father died and she showed up at the game the next day an became an example of strength, perseverance and dedication to the team; another’s eating disorder (developed after repeated criticism of her weight from DCC judges) is repeatedly alluded to and then uncomfortably skirted around during personal interviews; the cheerleaders are paid a fast food worker’s wages but it’s okay because they’re just happy to be there. Their hardships serve to bolster their virtue—they need to be sexy and sex-less. The mechanism is boring and sad and we end up knowing nothing about who they actually are and instead feel bad for them.
I enjoy the dances, appreciate the talent and understand the desire to be a part of a group that grants legitimacy and immunity to one’s status as a desirable woman. I tyrannize myself with the desire to be desired. I want it to stop but I also am afraid to let go of that desire, because what will become of me when I do?
I want to be a star, too. Do you see my dilemma? Is there a way to avoid betrayal?
Julianne, I support your endeavor to join DCC. I would do the same if I had your talent.
Sincerely,
Mackenzie
Dear girls,
(Ew haha why did I write that?? Just what I typed lol) Anyway, girls, I too want to be famous but I also don’t want to be perceived and I feel too self absorbed lately.
I’m trying to release music soon but I’m struggling because I don’t feel sexy or cool or talented enough to try to do anything most days but then some days I feel like the hottest shit to ever drop. I know that’s like, normal, I guess?? But I think I’m only going to get through this on the wings of delusion!!
Anyways yeah music coming soon finally. Worried it’s gonna suck but whatever. I’m trying not to stress about it because no matter what happens at least I’m doing stuff and fighting my corporate mundanity (at the risk of my sanity.) Regardless of if y’all enjoy it just pre-save it is all I ask haha.
I am mostly just feeling overwhelmed at all that I have to do for it now!! Photos, bios. Tiktok?? Playing a live show??? 😭 like I can’t even. But I guess that’s the burden I will have to grow up and bear to try and get people I don’t personally know to listen. Any advice for how to be good at tiktok?? I have no idea where to start!!
I can’t DCC cheerlead and I feel generally stunted so I’m gonna need someone to whip me into shape!
Besties,
Avery
Dear VTY,
Kenzie, I relate to the idea of “what will become of me?” I went through a phase earlier this year where I became terrified of becoming older and less desirable. Being desirable has been a defining quality of mine since I was a little girl—something that made me different and simultaneously evil to all the women around me.
When I was younger, I used to pray that God would either take away my thoughts so I could be less aware of what people thought of me and live blissfully ignorant of the anxieties I had that no other little girl seemed to endure or to be reborn with a different face so that people would treat me like an average person instead of an object to be admired and envied. It was very Daisy Buchanan of me to think that way.
As I got older, the comments changed from suggesting I was a promiscuous little girl who would break hearts to someone who would only amount to an MRS. degree and to prove them right, I had to clarify what an MRS. degree was.
But now that I am engaged, it seems I don’t really think about stuff like that at all! I know that I am already committed to a man who loves me, and that seems to be enough to consume my brain, as there is no more winning approval, there is no time to think about anyone else as someone already takes up so much of my time.
Maybe I will try out for DCC too. IJBOL
Very Truly Yours,
Grace McCraw
ps. Sorry for the trauma dumping, haven't been to my therapist since I started working so you caught me at a pensive sad moment?? ;0
