Princeton Professor Paul Muldoon Creates (un) Secret Society
The Princeton Tory – these days involved in excessive rumor-mongering, even by our lax standards – is throwing a round a bit of the Juice about Princeton Professor Paul Muldoon, the nicest man / poet / rock star in the world:
From this month’s issue:
Rumors are circulating that Professor Paul Muldoon, head of the Center for the Creative and Performing Arts has given support and his stamp of approval to a group called ‘Taft’s Tub’, an exclusionary society dedicated to the arts. His involvement raises questions of fairness, as students try to discern if this is a secret society or just the newest student group. The facts are fuzzy, but what is least clear is why this group’s formation has occurred in the shadows. If it really is exclusionary, Muldoon should disassociate himself and apologize to the students he serves. We’ll see if and how he extricates himself from this basin.”
A bizarre charge, no? Especially from a group that prides itself on its close, secretive ties with Spawn of Satan / Francisco Nava bff Professor Robert George.
After the jump: Muldoon’s response.
I’m not aware of Taft’s Club being an exclusionary society. So far as I know they’re just getting off the ground and are applying for status as a society with the USG. That may explain why they seem to be ‘ín the shadows.’ What a loaded phrase that is! It is certainly the case that I support what I understand Taft’s Tub to be attempting to do — to offer student reviews and commentary on a range of creative and performing arts. That’s as much as I can say just now, except that Taft’s Tub would be just one of many student groups which the Lewis Center for the Arts has, and will, support. There are many groups that we’ll be helping to take out of the shadows — to borrow that phrase — where they’ve often been ignored.”
I still have no idea what this “Taft’s Club” is, but I don’t understand the Tory’s rage at all. I mean, Princeton is an institution that prides itself on its exclusionary fraternities and eating clubs. This little arts society seems harmless by any measure.
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March 7th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Yeah, I don’t know much of a secret society Taft’s Tub is. It seems anyone can come to their parties, and from what I hear, membership requires a paper application.
March 7th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
how about you do some reporting, Savage, and tell me how I can join this thing?
it’s weird for you to be writing about arts secret societies at all given you intimacy with the hall.
March 8th, 2008 at 2:03 am
yeah harmless to someone who hasn’t seen their self-obsessed parties. as an event it is entirely unimportant but incredibly ridiculous that this is university sanctioned. this is a drug-driven ego-tripping group of sophomores who decided it was funny to have a WAKE at their party: with a coffin and bearers and all. and then proceeded to dance on it and all make out with each other because they think they are hot shit. is there any reason for that kind of performative nonsense in a university sponsored “art” group. they are just a bunch of aesthetically challenged terrace-trash hipsters. the university should be giving that huge grant to actual venues for the arts on campus so pup doesn’t have to sell hershey’s bars during their intermissions and the video classes have cameras for everyone. god it just makes me want to vomit.
March 8th, 2008 at 2:21 am
While I agree that many of the members are Terrace trash, most of them are engaged in different facets of the arts on campus. A lot of them write for the Nass or are in art classes. I think they could have an interesting thing going for them, (a collective arts group), if they don’t mess it up with the weird social aspect.
And yeah, that party with the coffin was just weird. But their other parties have been pretty good.
March 9th, 2008 at 10:45 am
Jacob Savage was in st a’s and the IVY club. SNAP!
March 9th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Where did the term “Terrace trash” come from? Is this related to the “gays and garbage” Juicy Ivy phenomenon?
Also, i heard that party was really fun. Is Anscombe spamming this blog again? Funeral is the new 80s as far as themes go. Finally, what party outside of Sierra Club potlucks isn’t self-obsessed? Especially at Princeton? Especially a funeral themed party? Isn’t that the point? This whole discussion is absurd.
To conclude, I think it’s hilarious that whoever posted to vomit post assumed the University was somehow paying for that party. THAT would be the day. It’s just some kids who want a less lame version of res college bus trips to the city.