‘tailgate warriors’: exploring constructions of masculinity, food, and football
DESCRIPTION
Presentation for the Kinesiology Research Group at CSU East BayTRANSCRIPT
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‘TAILGATE WARRIORS’: Exploring Constructions of
Masculinity, Food, and Football
Maria J. Veri, Ph.D.San Francisco State University
Rita Liberti, Ph.D.Cal State East Bay
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Taking Food Seriously• What drew us into ‘Tailgate Warriors’?• What can studying mediated
representations of men and cooking tell us about constructions of masculinity?
• Does ‘Tailgate Warriors’ maintain, reinforce, or destabilize the traditional gender binary?
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Themes
• “Battle on the Blacktop”• “Nothing Says Love Like Bacon”
• “We don’t just do brats and burgers, we can bring it”
• “that fennel sausage says Chicago to me”
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Competitive Spectacle:“Battle on the Blacktop”
“These competitive contests place cooking firmly in the public sphere and promote a version of
masculinity tied to hierarchy, success, power, speed, and stamina”
(Swenson, 2009, p.49)
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Competitive Spectacle: “Battle on the Blacktop”
Fieri: “Each team jumps into action with a confident game plan”
Fieri: “I see some audibles, I see some people changing positions. I’ve got running backs catching passes”
Andy (GB): “You’ve got to change it as it goes, let the
play develop and take the open lane.”
Fieri: “But just as confidence is peaking Flaherty fumbles one of their pork and beef sliders”
Tanya (SEA): “We make a really great team and we have each other’s back”
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MEAT:“Nothing Says Love Like Bacon”
- “Bacon Dude”
• Food – culturally typed by gender?
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MEAT: “Nothing Says Love Like Bacon”
• “She’s [the pig] been going since 8:30 last night. We slept in the parking lot to keep an eye on her.”’
- Oakland Coliseum tailgate
participant
• “Without the elk the entry is shot.”
– Guy Fieri (Tailgate Warriors)
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MEAT: “Nothing Says Love Like Bacon”
Meat and the construction of difference
“Chris is spending too much valuable time on the side dish”
- Guy Fieri (Tailgate Warriors)
“I don’t know exactly how to eat this” - ‘Dr. BBQ’ (Tailgate Warriors) on
Green Bay’s appetizer - the “Lambeau Leap” Tostadas
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Complexity: “We don’t just do brats and burgers, we can bring it”
• Special tools and meals make cooking an acceptable masculine activity (Adler, 1981; Swenson, 2009)“And our entrée is an elk tenderloin with fresh goat cheese, Door County cherry chutney and Wisconsin cured Pancetta”
- GB team member,describing entrée to TW judges
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Complexity: “We don’t just do brats and burgers, we can bring it”
• Cooking equipment / toolsMen “see in the technology of cookerya system which proclaims theirinterests to include much more thanthe edible product” (Adler, 1981, p.48)
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Food, Football, and Place• “That fennel sausage says Chicago
to me.” – Dr. BBQ
• If you’re a San Francisco 49er you know the refined ways of life. I’ve been to a bunch of 49er games [tailgating] and I’ve seen people bustin’ out sushi and chardonnay.”
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Wilma Rudolph as text…how has she been represented and remembered.
• 1960 Homecoming Parade• In relation to other athletes• Autobiography• Made-for-TV movie• Children’s books• Stamp• Statue• Street signs