Episode 30: Bring it On
On this week's Technicolor Jesus, Matt and Adam welcome Jeff Chu, journalist and author of the book Does Jesus Really Love Me, to talk about the 2000 new cult classic Bring it On. Bring it On is the story of a successful white San Diego cheerleading squad (5x national champs!) who need to rebuild their identity after it comes to light that they have been stealing their routines from the black and latinx squad from East Compton High School. This movie is part of the late 90's / early 2000's run of teen romances but stands out for its treatment of themes of cultural appropriation and privilege. The cheerleading movie is deeper than the subject matter would have you think. In our initial discussion, Jeff leads us through a discussion of insiders and outsider, the white savior complex, and the American history of commodifying the goods of people of color. In our lectionary discussion, we talk about Psalm 90 and the power of perseverance. We also chat about Leviticus 19 and what it might mean to profit from someone else's blood. Finally, in our postludes, Matt loves his new subscription and Adam gets to watch basketball again. So give me your best spirit fingers, it is time for another episode of Technicolor Jesus.
Jeff Chu is a journalist and author whose work can be found in TIME, the New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post, and elsewhere. He is also the author of the book Does Jesus Really Love Me?
Noam Marans, "On Luther and His Lies."
