Mr. TFC 2018
“Everybody give it up for Travis and his puke bucket.”
“What’s your favorite thing about TFC?”
“The Earl Hall bathroom.”
“If you’re feeling spiritually attacked, feel free to use this exercise routine.”
These are just a few remarks you would have heard had you attended Mr. TFC last Thursday night. The night was filled with uproarious laughter, heartfelt moments, and triumphs. Hard work and dedication from SGA, extravagant efforts from the contestants, and enthusiastic participation from the audience helped to make this year’s Mr. TFC a night to remember.
The night was hosted by SGA committee members Hannah Steele and Katherine Clair. Their energy together was infectious. They introduced this year’s judges: current SGA president and former Mr. TFC winner, Seth Vanhorn, former Mr. TFC contestant, Wes Lavrinc, former Mr. TFC contestant and future SGA president, Tristan Bowen, and former Mr. TFC contestant, David Ramirez. Once the panel was established,
Junior Andrew Cowart
the contestants were introduced: Freshman Josh Bray, Sophomore Drew Rinehart, Junior Andrew Cowart, and Senior Will Enloe.
The first event, “Awkward Silence,” required the contestants to interpret a dance to a song that they could not hear, due to the white noise playing in their own ears. While songs such as “My Heart Will Go On” played for the audience to hear, the contestants leapt and bopped across the stage. Junior representative Cowart presented ballet postures, Rinehart leapt and leaned at the edge of the stage, and Bray slid across the floor. The second event asked the boys to demonstrate their flexibility by accomplishing yoga poses, including couple yoga poses. Most of the boys fell over trying to form the couple’s box, but they succeeded with the sweetheart pose.
The third event required participation from the audience, and was called “Finders Keepers.” The hosts read items from a list, and audience members had to bring those items to the representative of their class. The first representative to receive the items won. Items included two pairs of Chacos, a flip phone, a water bottle, pocket change, fruit, earrings, and chewed gum to name a few. Andrew Cowart was seen putting a piece of the chewed gum into his own mouth. Sophomores excelled at the challenge, while the Seniors struggled to keep up. The Seniors scored a few victories, but the Sophomores walked away with the win.
The fourth challenge, “Don’t Hate, Motivate,” gave each of the contestants a key word to incorporate into a motivational speech. The Freshman representative, Bray, was given the word “smile,” and derived his speech from Shia LeBeouf’s “Do It” speech, while Rinehart encouraged students to “believe it, achieve it … conceive it?” Junior representative Cowart derived his speech from Braveheart, and Enloe informed the audience that “there are two kinds of people, those who Hocus Pocus, and those that Focus.”
The talent portion of the competition kicked things into high gear. Bray demonstrated his acting abilities by playing a jerk trying to win back the affections of his ex-girlfriend, played by Katie Hall. He showed off some of his dance moves, and finished by taking a splash of water to the face. Rinehart took to the stage to the song “No Air” by Jordan Sparks and demonstrated his hula hooping acrobatics. The crowd went crazy as he perfectly executed a toss n’ jump through the hoop. Cowart teased that he would attempt to jump over four men on a scooter, but ultimately completed a masterful collision with them. Enloe reenacted the dance scene from Napoleon Dynamite.
The bonus challenge asked the boys to eat the meal from the movie Elf, that is, spaghetti topped with candy, jelly beans, chocolate syrup, and other sweets. All four boys participated. The hosts asked Rinehart how the meal tasted, to which he replied “delicious.” Cowart said “I might throw up,” and Enloe simply murmured. In the end, no one threw up, and the Sophomores walked away with another win, while Seniors came in second.
While the judges deliberated, the hosts kept the audience laughing to pass the time. When the hosts asked, “Is there anything you would like to tell your adoring fans?” Rinehart replied, “I have spaghetti on my feet.” Jokes were told, and eve a ballet contest ensued before the judges came back with the tally.
When the results of the night were ready silence filled Grace Chapel. Seniors walked away with fourth place, Juniors with third, and Freshman took second. Drew Rinehart representing TFC Sophomores won the title of Mr. TFC 2018 and the Golden Plunger. Overall, everyone had a howling good time and left in anticipation for next year’s event.