"What are you going to be for Halloween this year?" I asked a friend of friend last week.
"I'm gonna be a 'ho," she replied matter of factly.
"That should be easy," I answered, not even thinking.
Later, our mutual pal pointed out just how bitchy my reply sounded.
But I hadn't meant it as an insult. Rather, I was just pointing out what little effort it takes for a fairly attractive female to slut it up. A short skirt, fishnets, and a low cut top... even moderately conservative gals have these items or some semblence of them in their closets.
I have a few of each (but I swear, I never wear 'em all together).
As for Halloween costumes, I've done all the typical girlie getups: the devil, the angel, the princess, the fairy, the (sexy) witch... anything that did not require me to be ugly or too scary.
Is that vain? Probably. But Halloween is all about fantasy and who fantasizes about being an ogre?
Still, some people take it too far. This past weekend I saw my share of pasties and panties, and while I'm no prude, some of these get-ups just had no imagination. It was just a bunch of attention whores pretending to be something more.
Even when me and my girlfriends did the whole Pimp n' Ho thing (10 years ago), we had a sense of humor about it; we decked our "pimp" out in authentic 70s garb, not the cheesy stuff they sell on Hollywood Blvd these days. We wore real vintage sequined hot pants and platforms, along with bad wigs, bright blue eyeshadow, big spidery false eyelashes and sticky bubblegum pink lipgloss. We wanted to look like we walked out of a time machine.
This year I was way too busy to put that much effort into the whole Halloween thing. I pulled out two quickie getups: a cave girl and a lady bug. Both were easy enough to put together with stuff I already own. I tied my hair up in a plastic bone and threw on a leopard dress and prestro chango... I was Pepples.
And while guys will always take advantage of the opportunity to be creepy and many girls will do the same to be foxy, others use Halloween as an excuse to shock. Post-acquital, Wacko Jacko's still popular. This dude actually had a doll tied to his lower portion (yes, he's BAD). Below, two other tasteless costumes that caused quite a stir on Saturday night.
Yup, it's Matthew Shepard and Jon Benet Ramsey. Totally offensive yes... But is it any worse than going as a serial killer like Jeffrey Dammer or John Wayne Gacy?
Bad costumes aside, Halloween's a weird holiday isn't it? All our lives we're told not to take candy from strangers and one night a year, parents dress up their tots and take them to strange homes to do just that-- and in murderous costumes to boot (like that ghost mask from the Scream movies...I had a kid who couldn't have been more than 4 years old in one of 'em at my door this year).
Still, there's something about the mystery of it all. A room full of revelers all in disguises and masks. It's no wonder Halloween has become the ultimate eve of debauchery and mischief. Whether it's due to clever marketing by costume manufacterers or simply our own desires for escapism, this holiday's tricks and treats stopped being merely kid's stuff a long time ago. For more Halloween-themed mayhem see Nightranger in this week's paper.
Posted by Lina Lecaro
What's the equivolent of "bah-humbug" for Halloween (boo-humbug?)? Your take is kinda cynical don'tcha think? If people want to spend one day a year being a little slutty... so be it. I applaud the Shepard/Ramsey costume wear-ers of the world. Do your worst!
Posted by: Ghost of Halloween | November 03, 2005 at 03:26 PM
you are a big jerk!
Posted by: Matthew Shepard | April 29, 2006 at 08:33 PM
You know what? you are a fucking asshole. matthew shepherd's death was not funny. and you are just as bad as the people at colorado state who rode on a float which mocked him while he was dying in the hospital. its fuckers like you that make the world such a terrible place to live. and i think you need to grow up and learn to accept people. and that people dying is not a joke. being brutally murdered for who you are is not something to laugh about. its not mature... and not funny. and i hope you get what is coming to you. because you're a lousy homophobic prick.
Posted by: you say DYKE like it's a bad thing. | August 10, 2006 at 06:24 PM
Americans are fucking RETARDED! FOR REAL!
There´s offensive and there´s offensive. Those costumes where probably worn by people with a very protected life, so protected that they have become totaly numb.
"But is it any worse than going as a serial killer like Jeffrey Dammer or John Wayne Gacy?"
Think again you lousy worthless peace of shit. Yes you have succeeded in offending me. Now ask yourself - what´s the purpose?
For fun? Getting reactions? Showing you have a heart of stone?
Could any of this have been achieved in any other way? I don´t hate you maaan, you seem to do that well enough already.
Posted by: Swede | October 11, 2006 at 06:32 AM
Yup, it's Matthew Shepard and Jon Benet Ramsey. Totally offensive yes... But is it any worse than going as a serial killer like Jeffrey Dammer or John Wayne Gacy-- yup, like if I raped your daughter and left her for dead, and portrayed her for halloween with a slit throat, or if I was just the nighstalker.. there is a difference. Called victim you fuck
Posted by: sicknessinside | September 24, 2009 at 10:09 PM
What the F how dare you go as Matthew Sherperd
Posted by: Mike Plum | November 19, 2009 at 06:43 AM
WOW! Matthew Shepard? Jon Benet? You'd be better off going as the serial killers! That is just not right. :/
Posted by: John | December 02, 2009 at 05:54 PM
this is disgusting! after all shepard and jon endured with their murders, and people go as them on holloween? as a joke? i find it to be immature and wrong, and, it is NOT funny, AT ALL! how could people be so ignorant? its just not right....
Posted by: kourtney | February 08, 2010 at 07:13 PM
Guys, calm down. Yes, it's a terrible thing that happened, but the guy writing this is not defending their choice in costumes either. In fact, he says it's just as bad as dressing up like a serial killer, so why do you hate him?
Please, if you want the hate around this issue to stop, you first have to learn not to hate others.
Posted by: UnDaunted | April 22, 2010 at 05:06 PM
Dressinq up like Matthew Shepard is NOT fUNNY ! I hope you get what u deserve u iqnorant person
Posted by: Angelica | May 15, 2010 at 04:54 PM
I really dont agree at all about the pictures that were posted and it is disturbing and rude. However calling people names that did this is not the way to go about it, in order to fix whats going on in the world we have to stop with ourselves and hopefully people will follow our lead. I didn`t know Matt but im sure he wouldn't want everyone meeting those other people at their level. We are so much better then that! Do something that stands up for Matt in a positive way!
Posted by: Kelly Lee | June 15, 2010 at 06:35 PM
Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! U guys r assholes. i'd love for u guys too see ur death display lik tht ! u wuld lov for some one to be u n mock ur death right?! i guess so. its a free country but have respect for the dead come on.
Posted by: Lena | September 27, 2010 at 11:07 PM
Hopefully if you ever brutally die a slow slow death no one will be you for Halloween. Your insensitivity will not get you far in life.
Posted by: kait | October 17, 2010 at 04:57 PM
How about don't go as a serial killer or helpless victims? If you can sleep at night, you have no shame and therefore shouldn't be allowed to post evil crap like this. Have fun with their unhappy lives, douche bags. If I believed in Hell, I'd tell you you were going to burn.
Posted by: Fuck you guys | October 20, 2010 at 12:43 AM
What kind of sick bullshit is this? Matthew Shepard's death is not fucking funny, you retard. How fucking dare you defile his memory with this filth? I hope you fall under a garbage truck.
Posted by: Katie | October 21, 2010 at 06:03 PM
The Matthew Shepard and Jon Bonet is the BEST. So fuck all of you biter homos cause I think its fucking hilarious... and so does my bf
Posted by: Judas | October 29, 2010 at 10:12 AM
This would be a concern for gun owners and reloaders if we were to take Mr. Obama at his word. However, during the campaign we saw Mr. Obama say one thing to one group and contradict himself to another.
Posted by: Supra Shoes | November 02, 2010 at 12:25 AM
I agree with Kelly Lee. Stop the hate! Name-calling = unproductive.
And to the people wearing costumes that mock the brutally murdered: Think about how you might feel running into the loved ones of the deceased dressed like that. Shameful. That's how you should feel now.
Posted by: Have a Conscience | November 11, 2010 at 02:46 PM
That's effing disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself, it's not funny at ALL to go as Matthew Shepard. I've never seen one person go as a serial killer. That's just making fun of what happened to that boy. That photo makes me sick to my stomach. Hope you're proud of yourself, jackass.
Posted by: PissedTheFuckOff | December 03, 2010 at 03:12 PM
Oh, and KATIE. What are you, 11? You and your "bf" can shove your opinions up your asses. Maybe one day you can be tied to a fucking fence and have the shit beat out of you. Left there for eighteen hours in that much goddamned pain? I wouldn't wish that on you, or ANYONE. Love thy neighbor, bitch.
Posted by: IfYouGotAProblemWriteBack | December 03, 2010 at 03:19 PM
Not Katie, soooooo freakin sorry.I agree with you, it is sick. That was meant for JUDAS..
Posted by: Whoops.. | December 03, 2010 at 03:28 PM
What the hell is WRONG with you? Do you know what HAPPENED to Matthew Shepard, besides being beaten and died to a post? What do you think led up to his sexuality decision and his death?
I was reading the other comments, and I'm not mad at the person who posted this; I'm mad at the people in the costume. I certainly hope they visit this page often.
Posted by: Whatdoesitmatter? | January 08, 2011 at 07:42 PM
The person who wrote this AND the people who wore those costumes should be ashamed and disgusted with themselves. It makes me sick to my stomach and I wish I had never come across this post. Are people really this stupid?
Posted by: Katherine | February 23, 2011 at 08:18 PM
The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways - I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows.
Posted by: Air Jordan | March 02, 2011 at 05:22 PM
I don't think we need to worry so much about the guy in the Matthew Shepard costume... he'll get what he deserves, eventually. It's called Karma! And it's a bitch!! Who knows.. maybe he's already been punished somehow for his actions, we don't even know who he is.
On another note, John Bobbitt is not DEAD (as one poster stated), he got his weiner cut off (by his wife Lorena) and then reattached.. and has been in porn films since. John Bobbitt is a wife beater, and he got what he deserved (i.m.o.) He has since been charged with beating wives since Lorena... so he doesn't deserve our sympathy.
Posted by: Stefanie | March 14, 2011 at 07:28 AM