I recently discovered that I love roller derby. It came about suddenly, completely in response actually to watching Rollergirls. It was a 13 episode doc series on A&E (now on DVD) about the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls. I picked it up as a lark from the library once I saw that the show was based in Austin. It's interesting because the whole time I lived in Chicago I never did see any roller derby, even after the Chi*Town Sirens volunteered for Intonation and I spoke with the manager multiple times, I still assumed that it wouldn't be my kind of thing.
As Zach and I plowed through the season on Saturday I decided to check out the TXRD website and was delighted to find out that there was a bout on Sunday!
Now I'm not sure exactly what it is I love about this game (and I am keeping in mind what I'm temporarily calling the "frenzy effect"--that I tend to get very excited about something and then approximately a week after said excitement my enthusiasm peters out...since it has only been three days, I'm tentative about calling this my new love), but I do know a couple things that are drawing me in.
1- Names. These girls have fabulous super hero names. Punky Bruiser, Miss Conduct, Holly Peno, Heine Dancer, and Venis Envy are all monikers worth noting. I found it hard not to start trying to develop a name of my own. I like Miss Fit, but I find it a little derivative.
2- The Rollergirls show really emphasizes the sisterhood aspect. These are badass girls and they all seem to unite in the fact that they a)don't identify with girly girls and b)are unsatisfied with working a regular job and just going home afterwords to be regular.
3- The spectacle. Now I've never liked professional wrestling, but I'm willing to acknowledge there are similar dramatic elements between that and roller derby. There is fighting and screaming but for some reason, I guess because it's in pursuit of an unfixed victory, I see it as a necessary element.
Last night Zach and I went to the Convention center, bought some $5 beers and settled in to watch the Rhinestone Cowgirls take on the Putas Del Fuego. The Cowgirls came out in cowboy hats, shooting toy guns and the Putas came out in sombreros, many shaking maracas. When penalties were issued, a wheel was spun to decide if the offender and the victim had to arm wrestle, tug of war, race, or pillow fight. Prior to, and during half-time there's live music. Oh and one of the helpful things is that there were two announcers helping the audience keep track of the points and penalties. They are a very necessary component because the action is roller skate fast. The Putas (the team Zach and I were rooting for) lost miserably but they had so much spirit (read: readiness to fight) that they were crazy entertaining.
So if the "frenzy effect" doesn't wear off and I keep track of my calendar, I may be going again in July to see the Hellcats take on the Holy Rollers.
