Tag Archives: The Ampersand

FEATURED
Happy Birthday, Michael S. Roth ’78!

In celebrating President Roth’s birthday, we are sharing a timeline of his illustrious life.

Springtime is in the air and Foss Hill is alive with cheer on this glorious April day, a day full of historic occasions, none of them so grandiose as the 56th birthday of everyone’s favorite part-time university administrator and full-time historian of the history of psychological thought, Michael S. Roth ’78. While Wesleying is not privy to the full week of gala celebrations probably kicking off tonight with a Freud-themed costume party at the presidential residence, we do want to share in the cheer by looking back on President Roth’s illustrious life and career. Courtesy of Wesleyan Ampersand historians Piers Gelly ’13 and Benjamin Soloway ’13, here is a rough timeline of Michael S. Roth, interspersed with visual tributes that some of our readers and fans have sent in. (Some of the images are also via The Ampersand.) We have also changed our banner for the occasion.

Want to wish President Roth a happy birthday yourself? You can do so on Facebook, where he is, like, 92% guaranteed to accept your friend request. You can also do him the favor of fixing a “Citation needed!” alert for his date of birth on Wikipedia, which bans citing Facebook in articles. You can also follow him on Twitter or hit up his blog or read this Bomb Magazine interview or watch a video of him hanging out with Judith Butler.

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Ampersand Seeks Social Media Intern

Fluent in French, Spanish, and North American Friendster? Have more friends than Tom on MySpace? The Ampersand is seeking one ambitious social media intern to help manage its online accounts, including its website. More from Piers “Piers” Gelly ’13:

Do you know your way around social media? Are you of the humorous persuasion?

The Ampersand is currently looking for an enterprising individual who will take the reins of the hotheaded stallion that is our online presence. This is a position that will allow you to rapidly climb the editorial ranks of the Ampersand: past social media interns of the Ampersand include both campus personality Daniel Nass ’13 and Piers Gelly ’13, editor emeritus, gentleman, and scholar.

This internship is currently unpaid, but you will become a member of the Ampersand family, a privilege that no amount of any valid currency can buy.

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Prefrosh Blind Dating (&!&!&!&!)

Local Alan Rickman understudy Piers Gelly ’13 sends word about a titillating event happening in Espwesso the Usdan Multiporpoise Room tomorrow for the benefit of you and your love-hungry prefrosh, courtesy of the Wesleyan Ampersand and the WSA:

Picture this. You’ve signed up to host a prefrosh, which seemed like a great idea at the time, but there’s only so many times you can say “All the people here are really into whatever they’re doing, you know?” It’s Saturday afternoon. Your prefrosh is done pretending to be too cool for the mid-day activities, and there are still a few hours until the real shit starts at 8. Fortunately, the Wesleyan Ampersand is hosting prefrosh blind dating!

Your prefrosh can meet other prefrosh in an intimate setting, complete with food and friendly Ampersand staff! This is great because they can really talk to each other, instead of just rattling off the whole Whereareyoufromiswesleyanyourfirstchoicewhereelseareyoulookingdoyouknowwhatyouwanttomajorin thing. BRING YOUR PREFROSH TO AMPERSAND AND WSA PREFROSH BLIND DATING AT TIME IN PLACE.

Date: Tomorrow, April 14
Time: 5:45 – 7:30 pm
Place: Usdan Multiporpoise Room
Cost: ain’t no cost for love, brah

My Dinner With Michael: Roth Chills Hard With HIMYM’s Bays, Thomas ’97

During my freshman year, it took Argus writers Jessica Jordan ’13 and Jiovani Robles ’13 approximately eight months to score an interview with revered How I Met Your Mother co-creators Carter Bays ’97 and Craig Thomas ’97. We would know, too: they maintained a prolific diary–turned–Argus–column recording their desperate efforts to contact the duo. They dug up old yearbook photos and Ampersand pieces, invented imaginary awards, even wrote a one-act play based on their quest. (For more of Bays’ bizarre Ampersand material, check this apology to the Wesleyan community and editorial farewell.) When they finally published an interview, they were no longer freshmen.

Supreme leader Michael Roth ’78, on the other hand, seems to have gotten lucky on his first try.

Above, via Wesconnect, check out clips from a conversation between MRoth and the Bays/Thomas duo at a nifty-looking alumni get-together at the Paley Center for Media in L.A.

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EVENT
J&IN TH& &MP&RS&ND

From Eli Meixler ’13:

The Wesleyan Ampersand, the humor component of the Wesleyan Argus, is recruiting new writers, digital designers, filmmakers, Photoshop experts, knock-knock joke correspondents, and generally good-humored individuals. Want to size up members of the New England Small College Athletic Conference? Enjoy deconstructing the creative lineage of Post-Linus critical theory? Care to write the dirtiest jokes this side of 1996 while eating cheese with Matt Timons ’15? Still can’t tell the difference between Michael Roth and Michael Sloth?  Want to expose Michael Roth’s nipples and liven up your sex life? Is your name Rebecca? Want to make funny videos like this one?

The Ampersand is dying to meet you and your mother. Come to our recruitment meeting tomorrow, January 29, at 3:00 PM in the basement of Allbritton (right next to Espwesso). Email new editors Amy Block ’13 (ablock@wes) or Keelin Ryan ’14 (kryan@wes) if you can’t make it! Freshmen especially welcome.

And never forget the Four Humors: black bile (melankholia), yellow bile (cholera), phlegm (phlegma), and blood (sanguis).

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Tryptophantasm: &n &mpers&nd Pr&ducti&n


Exciting news on the Amperfront: after decades of offending the student body in print only, members of the Ampersand staff will now be producing an Ampersand Humor Video Component (AHVC—pronounced “AHVC“) as well, which is both humorous and a video. Amperchief Piers Gelly ’13 explains the new project with characteristic clarity and righteousness:

Let the internet tremble at these first rumbles of what is to be the Ampersand‘s tidal and tectonic change of everything: the Ampersand Humor Video Component. Never forget the four humors: black bile (melankholia), yellow bile (cholera), phlegm (phlegma), and blood (sanguis).

Directed by Daniel Nass ’13 and Danny Witkin ’13 and starring Sam Korda ’13, with supporting roles by Solomon Billinkoff ’14, Eliza Forman ’13, and Stephan Stansfield ’13, this week’s video, entitled Tryptophantasm, offers a safe, doctor-approved way to liven up your Thanksgiving festivities. It’s based on an Ampersand piece by Solomon Billinkoff ’14, and may or may not feature a shot of said author frantically rubbing green Tryptophantasm substance over his torso. You’ll have to click here or here (or, you know, just watch the video embedded above) to find out. While you’re at it, check out the Amper-Blog, now featuring an article banned from the print edition (no, really).

Let the internet tremble.