5 Reasons Why THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW Changed My Life
The first time I went to The Rocky Horror Picture Show, I went in costume. I had no idea what I was getting into, but my friends convinced me to go in “floor show” dress, which is not nearly enough clothing to be out in public. I hid in my coat the whole time.
But I had SO MUCH FUN!!!
For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a cult-classic movie (released in 1975, starring Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon), but it lives on in theatres worldwide. The show happens late at night, with actors performing on stage as the movie plays behind. There’s tons of audience participation, and it’s such a wacky story you either love it or you hate it.
Without further ado, here are 5 Reasons Why RHPS Changed My Life:
1) Introduction to the LGBT+ community. Going to Rocky exposed me to a world of people expressing themselves in ways I hadn’t yet experienced in my sheltered, suburban life. I met people of different gender-identities, and became a huge fan of the LGBT+ community. There was one gay guy who I adored, and if I’m honest, I’ll admit that at least half the reason I went to Rocky was to hang out with him and his flamboyant friends.
2) It gave me somewhere to go late at night when I was still underage. This was huge. I could’ve gotten into so much more trouble in my rebel teenage days, when I was old enough to figure out how to break the rules but still so young and naïve. I was hanging out with a rough crowd when I started going. The guys made fun of me for being a virgin—not a RHPS virgin, mind you, they made fun of me because I was young and unexperienced and hadn't given it up to any of them. I was 15. Nice, ‘eh? Anyway, the late-night-theatre community actually helped me get away from that crowd.
3) Audience participation. This is one of the main reasons RHPS is so much fun and became a cult classic. If you’ve been, then you’ve sang the songs, shouted “Great Scott!” and thrown rolls of toilet paper into the air. So. Much. Fun. Which brings me to number 4...
4) The Time Warp. This song has choreography, plus extra bits for the audience to yell. I LOVED getting into the aisle to dance. Here’s the song in all its wacky wonderfulness:
5) It gave me permission to be weird. As a young woman trying to figure out who I wanted to be, going to RHPS helped me break out of my shell. It helped me take myself less seriously—something I’m still working on. LOL!
It wasn’t really the movie that changed my life, but the community I found by going to the show. It was a major part of my life for several years, and I think I’m a better person for having been brave enough to venture into a movie theatre underdressed but ready to have fun, with an open mind.
There are so many life-changing events that happen, and some of them seem trivial, but they can contribute to the ways we become unique individuals. I hadn’t thought about RHPS in years, honestly. Writing this post gave me a huge grin. I hope it made you smile, as well.
What about you? What unusual things helped you become who you are today?
(Note: Though I don’t identify as LGBT, I am 100% here to support the community.)
PEACE!
(gifs via giphy.com)
even though you are all grown up now ;), you have been recommended to be resteemed by @randomwanderings... so I went to of course check out the comment because today is my #newbieresteemday (hint: its day #1)... Of course I love the content because it is coming from a pro, so you have been resteemed my friend.
ps.. make sure to thank @randomwanderings he has your back
pps... I invite you to join our effort and become a founding member (you'll have fun, make friends, and even better help some people grow)... Here is a link to my post describing the initiative: https://steemit.com/newbieresteemday/@davemccoy/its-here-its-launched-come-join-us-newbie-resteem-initiative
ppps... contact @mudcat36 and signup if you are ready to be even awesome-er than you are already ;)
Thank you so much!!! What an honour and a kindness. Hugely appreciated. :)
Wonderful real-life experience, and a peek into who you are! That is the best kind of post there is! Thanks for sharing and letting us get to know you a bit better! So nice to see you in PYPT on Steemit Ramble, and in TGP, too! 😊
Aw, thank you so much! I agree, the best posts are the ones that reveal a bit of the writer, while invoking an experience between subject and reader. Thanks for the warm welcome on the groups! I'm having so much fun making new friends. :)
OMG I love Rocky Horror! What helped me to become who I am, was discovering Wicca 30ish years ago. It set me on a spiritual journey that was without dogma or restrictions, although the path has led me in many different directions since then. I made some amazing friends during my life, as a direct result of this and the latest stop along this journey of self discovery, has been Steemit. Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you for sharing! Wicca and other nature-based philosophies have been essential for helping me navigate my place in the world. And I'm stoked on Steemit, too! So glad to find you here! :)
You too. Embrace the weirdness. At 53 I've had plenty of time to degenerate into a total loon, and plan to go out disgracefully in my old age having gotten a whole new level of bat sh#t crazy.😉
lol! That's awesome. :)
I'm not stalking my friends @keeperofthewoods and @looksfarwoman but I can't help but run into you when you hand out in such good circles (include @katrina-ariel)... Please see my post to her below so that you both sign up too... I promise you can contribute and will love the idea when you understand it.
But today is #newbieresteemday so I must go yonder and find some newbies to help (I hope to see you both there, and with @katrina-ariel, that makes 3 of my favorite 4 friends on this site... (shsss don't tell anyone though, because I always have to leave on spot open so that nobody wonders just how many "favorite" friends I have ;) )
It is a great movie and experience. Where I grew up in New Jersey there was a theater about 30 minutes from our house. Coincidentally there was also a White Castle about 5 minutes from the theater, so the two usually happened at the same time in the same trip.
It never happened when I was there, but legend had it that Meat Loaf who lived relatively nearby would occasionally show up at the show and join right in. (This was during the 80s).
I have heard stories similar to yours quite a few times over the years. It is great how a movie can have such an lasting result on so many. And that it can still live on decades later.
Great post!
Ha! Yes, I can see the White Castle being the pre/post show hangout. Denny's was our late-night/early-morning venue of choice. And OMG what fun it would be to even have the legend of Meat Loaf showing up. lol! Thanks so much for sharing. Another RHPS friend made. :)
My first experience with RHPS was freshman year in college (so, a thousand years ago - LOL)! Unfortunately my friends dragged me to the ten o'clock "tame" showing (I had no clue there was a difference)- as we left, we were swarmed by tons of people in costume and I remember being wicked disappointed that we couldn't follow them in (that showing, needless to say, was sold out).
A few years later when I met my hubby-to-be, I told him one of the main reasons I agreed to date him is because he had a bootleg video of the movie - LOL!
My kids now "complain" that we ruined them by letting them watch it when they were in their midteens (no need to skip parts - they self-censored by shutting their eyes and blocking their ears - LMAO). However, nothing like Timewarping as a family (okay they still won't agree to do that, but some day... #goals).
Since my own teen years, I'd suspected I was bisexual, but didn't feel comfortable acknowledging it until many, many years later. I think knowing this culture existed (way back in the prehistoric times before the interwebz) helped me feel less alone.
And yes, wicked huge grin on my face now! Thanks so much for sharing this, and inspiring me to write a novel for a reply - LOL!
lol! Thanks for sharing so much! RHPS continues its magical ability to bond new friends. :) So glad to meet you here!
You're welcome, and I'm glad as well!
YES! Great show, and great post. Somehow, no one comes away from RHPS without a gigantic smile on their face.
Exactly! Big smiles. Thanks for stopping by. :)
I don't know anything about this. So don't know what to say.
@seyiodus.
LOVE that movie and did pretty much the same exact thing you did...was like another world opened up and it was liberating
YES! Exactly. So liberating.
Great post. Two of my best friends are huge fans of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I never really got into it, but the last time I saw it, I was a teenager, and would probably appreciate it better now. I like #5. We all need excuses to embrace our weirder sides. Sometimes that's the only time that I'm comfortable.
Thank you! Yes, the things that encourage us to be joyfully expressive (even in silly or weird ways) are so important. You do you! :)
I'm not stalking my friends @keeperofthewoods and @looksfarwoman but I can't help but run into you when you hand out in such good circles (include @katrina-ariel)... Please see my post to her below so that you both sign up too... I promise you can contribute and will love the idea when you understand it.
But today is #newbieresteemday so I must go yonder and find some newbies to help (I hope to see you both there, and with @katrina-ariel, that makes 3 of my favorite 4 friends on this site... (shsss don't tell anyone though, because I always have to leave on spot open so that nobody wonders just how many "favorite" friends I have ;) )
You have been resteemed as part of #newbieresteemday ... I made today my #newbieresteemday, and invite you and others to do the same. To learn more: Come Join Us!!! (Newbie Resteem Initiative)
Thank you for all you do, Dave! You contribute such positive strength to this community. #gratitude