DEAR EDITOR:
I am completely incensed and sorrowed at the latest
– and lowest – round of attacks on the character of former
Gilroy High School teacher, Kristen Porter.
DEAR EDITOR:
I am completely incensed and sorrowed at the latest – and lowest – round of attacks on the character of former Gilroy High School teacher, Kristen Porter.
This is not unlike a highly-charged political campaign, where the side that finds itself desperately behind in the polls (like, oh, let’s say the GUSD Administration for example?) decides it needs to dig up some “dirt” on the other guy (like, oh, let’s say Kristen Porter). Well, obviously, these guys had to dig deep – just short of China – to try and find something they could use … anything they could use. This is a whopper, and despicable! It’s nothing but a reckless attempt at character assassination.
“Dirt” is one thing when it’s based on truthful allegations that need to see the light of day in regards to forming an accurate and truthful picture of somebody. “Dirt” when it’s ignorantly gathered, untruthfully spun, and maliciously slung, as in this case, is nothing short of desperate.
The front-page article that appeared in Friday’s Dispatch under the heading, GUSD-focused Web log uncovers teacher, was ill-researched. Clever use of the word “uncovers” in the headline, though. I get it. Cute. And wrong.
The comedy troupe that Kristen was involved with in Santa Cruz is indeed called ScripTease (she quit them over a year ago). Now, please pay very close attention: that’s ScripTease, not striptease – ScripTease is a finely-tuned ensemble of Improv comedy performers. They also happen to have a gimmick that works very well for them in distinguishing themselves from other Imrov groups, in that they set stringent rules – and penalties — on themselves in the course of their skits.
Here’s how their gimmick works: For example, they might be performing a particular “strip scene” (a scene with specific rules) in which the audience has set the rule that they can’t utter the letter “r” in. If a performer violates that – or any other rule that the audience enforces – that performer (if caught by the audience), has to take off an article of clothing. Now, picture this scandalous image: A tennis shoe is kicked off – (gasp!). The scene continues and another flub is made. The audience calls them on it and the performer loses another shoe – (the horror!). It goes on and on during the course of an hour-and-a-half show, yes, but the performers usually have enough extra layers of clothing on them that they look like the Michelin Tire Man. If you’re looking for titillation this isn’t the place for you. If you’re looking for laughs, yes, you’re in the right place! You’d undoubtedly find Ms. Porter wearing less clothing when she’s involved in some of her other scandalous extra-curricular activities such as volleyball or rock-climbing.
Ooops … I might have just given the “dirt” weasels something else to go after.
To paraphrase some comments I recently wrote in response to this mystery “Mike Samuels” person on Rob van Herk educational Web site: “I have a couple of questions for Mr. Mike Samuels: Did you find some kind of Amazing Strip-O-Rama X-Ray glasses on eBay? Did you attend any of the same shows I attended? Or are you just delusional and have an axe to grind?
Your allegations are ludicrous as they refer to Kristen Porter. I have attended dozens of ScripTease’s wonderful and hysterical improv shows over the past couple of years, and you are WAY off base. Their ScripTease gimmick is unique and clever, and not at all what you described.
Additionally, I have been a long-time volunteer member of the Ride-A-Wave Foundation – an amazing organization that Kristen selflessly managed for nearly two years. If you really want to get into tossing around of links that describe who she is, this is much more accurate: www.rideawave.org
Take off your special glasses before you visit the site though, Mr. Samuels. You might mistakenly think you‚re seeing a bunch of naked special-needs children having a life-changing day at the beach.
Before anybody tries to hang a “Scarlet Letter” on Kristen Porter and label her a “stripper,” you’d better have your ducks in a row, and your facts straight (I’ll save you the time and trouble – you won’t!). You just might find a big Scarlet letter “A” hanging around your neck, and I think we all know what that would stand for.
Jeff Byler, Hollister
Submitted Saturday, May 1 to ed****@************ch.com
