At our Potluck Social on 24th January, we will be having an Extreme Woo-Woo Contest. What’s that? Here are the details:
Extreme Woo-Woo Contest
Woo-woo (or just plain woo) refers to ideas considered irrational or based on extremely flimsy evidence or that appeal to mysterious occult forces or powers. (Skeptics’ dictionary)
Here’s a dictionary definition of woo-woo:
adj. concerned with emotions, mysticism, or spiritualism; other than rational or scientific; mysterious; new agey. Also n., a person who has mystical or new age beliefs.
Ex·treme: reaching a high or the highest degree; very great; furthest from the centre or a given point; outermost.
Are you in the know of the most extreme woo-woo?
Do you know of a real life irrational and extreme belief system with bona fide followers?
Well, we want to know about it!
Are you prepared to win over the skeptical judges and the curious audience with your choice of the most extreme woo-woo out there? Can you present it, sing it, or act it?
Are you up to the challenge?
Enter your body and fill the hall with your spirit, challenge the others and perhaps you will win Kelowna’s first ever Extreme Woo-woo Contest! Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.
Main Hall, Parkinson Activity Centre (seniors’ centre next to Recreation Centre)
Saturday, January 24th Potluck Dinner 5:30pm, Contest 7:00pm
Conditions for Presentation:
1. Original content describing a woo-woo belief via a speech, song, poem, rap or acting. Presentations can be done solo or as a group skit (parents and children are welcome to present).
2. The particular woo-woo being presented has to be a belief system that has current followers. The presentation should include how the woo-woo works to attract followers, how it started and how it keeps going.
3. Content is a minimum of 2 minutes and up to 5 minutes (participants will be timed – under and over time will result in disqualification). Remember this is a Family Friendly event , so please moderate content.
4. Props can be brought to the podium by the participant (pictures, costumes, balloons, instruments of the belief system). No projectors or digital media.
5. Must pre-register to Nina George – rnmr2011@gmail.com by January 21.
Participants will be judged by the following criteria:
- Woo-woo has to have current followers.
- Should include one or more: how the woo-woo works to attract followers, how it started, how it keeps going and what are the damages of the belief system.
- Analytical quality – was the presentation clear and focused.
- Presentation and delivery – facial and body gestures, voice volume and audience reception.
- Originality of presentation- remember woo-woo itself is very creative, so creativity in the presentation is an added bonus.
- Effectiveness of purpose and intent – did the presentation communicate an extreme belief system?
Possible Examples of Presentations
Be the Woo-Woo Master Deep Pockets Chopra and explain how to prove infinite connectedness.
Slam a poem about wearing a tinfoil hat and what it repels.
Sing about the Rapture and how the souls get to heaven.
Calmly explain or preach about wearing magical underwear.
Be a very tired Big Foot and tell us how hiding from the TV show works.
Channel a spirit and explain how much money you put in the bank.
Bring back Sylvia Brown, she must be communicating to someone.
You can check out http://www.woowooscale.com/ for more ideas.
The point of the event is to have fun and be creative.
Please register presentation to Nina by January 21 or earlier, only 7 participants allowed with no overlapping woo-woo systems. Questions, comments, speech support and registration – rnmr2011@gmail.com. Contact Nina even if you are thinking about entering the contest.
Whether you’re presenting or not, invite your family and friends, bring a potluck dish to share, and enjoy the fun!