By Alaysha Germaine
Horizon Reporter
A Friday afternoon outside Syre in the courtyard is an excellent place to watch a variety of people do plenty of interesting things. On this particular Friday, a reproduction of a scene from the film “Anchor Man” was occurring, but it was not the original cast.
Darryl Trainor, 23, also known by his stage name, “Chocolate Devotion” and his partner in action Alvin Pugh, 21, aka “Cute” may be familiar names to anyone who stops by the Syre Student Center for a student I.D., a quarterly sticker or just to check out some current activities.
On April 9, Trainor and Pugh began putting together scenes for “Whatcom Life…It Gets Real,” a video podcast the two are creating to draw more attention to the Activities Committee Web-site and to entertain the campus.
In the student center, the men along with the woman behind the camera, student program and leadership coordinator Laura Singletary, throw around ideas minutes before they begin recording. After some serious discussion, they decide upon their entrance, the “Anchor Man” entrance sketch.
Pugh and Trainor have both been working in the student center for a few months now and are both participants on the activities committee. “I really like working with Alvin and Darryl,” said the director for student life, Kristopher Baier, “They’re very fun people and we should be proud to have them on campus.”
With two volunteer students picked up along the way outside to the courtyard, Pugh and Trainor attempt to “walk the walk” for their beginning scene. Trainor carries the head-piece of the Orca mascot, and is wearing all black, while Pugh is in a grey suit and using his cell phone as a prop. After four takes, the group perfects their swagger and has two good shots to work with.
The idea for the podcast came about after a friend and co-worker of the two men moved to New Jersey. “When she moved, we missed her a lot,” said Trainor. They decided to send her a Web message after she left and after a few others saw it, they suggested that Pugh and Trainor put together a podcast. The two took on the project as another chance to entertain.
“I’m big on entertainment, any job I have, I have to entertain in some way,” said Trainor. “We’re always playin’ around and making people laugh, now we’re just recording it, we’re bringing flavor… My flavor’s chocolate.”
“I like dancing to entertain,” said Pugh, “Acting’s not exactly my thing unless I’ve got Darryl on the set, plus I heard you get the ladies if you put on a show.”
After the courtyard scene, Pugh and Trainor move inside to the Laidlaw building where they focus on Pugh’s segment, the weather. In front of the main entrance, the two turn their attention to the map labeled “Welcome to Whatcom.” Trainor hands Pugh a bright orange ruler to aid in pointing at places on the map. “Are you ready?” asked Singletary. “Nope!” Pugh answers while Trainor hopped in to get things started.
“How’s the weather lookin?” asked Trainor, “Pretty good since I’m in it,” replies Pugh with a chuckle. Almost on cue the camera batteries die, giving the men a chance to regroup.
The show is run entirely by Pugh and Trainor although the Activities Committee has input and helps with ideas and interviews.
The guests on the show will typically be faculty and students and although Whatcom will be the main focus, other individuals associated with Whatcom County’s college systems will be free to speak as well.
The goal of the podcast is to inform the students about any activities that may be going on, to get more people to look at the Activities Committee Web-site, and to give students a chance to get more involved.
Baier also had some words about the Activities Committee.
“They give the community a chance to gather and experience some interesting events,” he said, “It’s a great mix of fun and educational activities that help our community feel connected to Whatcom Community College.”
“When is there a time you can relax in school?” said Pugh, “You can’t always be serious and I feel like the committee brings out the time to have fun…If I’m at school all day, I wanna have fun.”
Pugh and Trainor have planned a series of segments involving interviews with the Sodexo staff and other important college personnel as well as a campus music section where the tow will show the musical talents that many Whatcom students’ possess.
“I hope that they would have something broad that everyone can relate with,” said Baier, “They have a good sense of what people like, I haven’t seen it and I can’t wait to see it.”
“We’ve got a lot of ideas,” said Trainor, “We’re gonna make this spring quarter fantastic.”
“Whatcom Life…It Gets Real” will be available to view on the Activities Committee Web-site as well as Facebook and possibly Twitter, depending on the number of viewers.
