Thoughtful Preparations: Media Spin Blog

My alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has been ranked the number one party school by the annual Princeton Review survey, and I agree completely. Congratulations Badgers!

Madison is a wonderful town, with excellent public transportation and bike trails. It is also in the middle of a state with many breweries and a Mid Western atmosphere of relaxed friendly fun times, eh?

Proving that you could party and have fun without drinking, Leon Varjian would lead a boom box symphony around the state capitol and down State Street on April Fools Day and Thanksgiving. A local radio station would broadcast John Philip Sousa marching band music, so we could all stay perfectly in tune.

Butch Vig of Garbage and Jim Mallon of Mystery Science Theater 3000 are among the creative talents who hung out in Mad City with Leon in those fun times. Jim and Leon’s Pail and Shovel Party were behind the installation of a Statue of Liberty head on Lake Mendota, and an early surprise attack of pink flamingos on Bascom Hill. In this atmosphere of fun and creativity it is no wonder that Rodney Dangerfield chose UW for a prime location of his Back To School comedy, and The Onion grew out of Mad City’s side streets. Madison also throws a great borderline out of control multi-block outdoor Halloween party (at least they did when I was there). I was glad to get a top notch education there and survive to write about it.