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Every Little Thing

Behind the Pompoms: Cheerleading’s Checkered Past

Every Little Thing

Gimlet

Comedy, Education, Science

4.64.6K Ratings

🗓️ 6 July 2020

⏱️ 38 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Flora is away this week at a flamingo fanciers convention, so we’re revisiting one of our favorite shows — a two-part, deep dive into cheerleading. It’s not all smiles and ponytails. Guests: cheerleading researcher and professor at the University of Alabama Natalie Adams; Barbara Hazlewood; Sharita Richardson, cheerleading researcher, instructional coach at North Carolina A&T State University, and founder of Black Girls Cheer. Thanks to caller Jessica for the question. Special thanks to Vonciel Baker, one of the original seven Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and to Dee Brock, former manager of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hey listeners I'm away this week. I'm at the annual meeting of UFA, the United

0:05.2

Flingo Fanciers Association. I can't believe it's been a year, it just flew by.

0:09.2

So we're replaying one of our favorite episodes.

0:12.6

It's on the history of cheerleading.

0:14.4

Actually, it's a two-parter because what started out as an episode about

0:18.0

pom-poms and perciness

0:19.7

turned into a much bigger story,

0:22.0

a story about the battle to make cheerleading less white and the

0:25.0

invention of a whole new style of cheer. It has more chance, it's more chance, it has more chance, it has more chance, it's more inspired by gospel music, jazz music.

0:42.8

You have reached the every little thing helpline.

0:48.8

Give me a B. Give me anine. Give me a B.

0:53.1

Give me an E. Give me an E.

0:55.7

Give me a P.

0:56.5

Hey, Flora, it's Jessica.

1:01.5

My husband and I were talking earlier today around 420

1:06.0

and we were wondering how did cheerleading start.

1:11.0

It is a factual emergency. Thanks. Bye.

1:17.0

Hello?

1:21.0

Hey, it's Flora from every little thing. Hello?

1:23.0

Hey, it's Flora from every little thing.

1:25.0

Hey, Flora.

1:26.0

Jessica, it's funny, a lot of listeners call us with questions they thought up around 420.

...

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