So I was talking to some M friends today about the fact that “queer” musicology is pretty much the most well known branch of musicology out there.

(Disclaimer: I don’t like the term “queer” musicology, but it’s what the crew is using nowadays. I’ve ranted long and hard against it…but I’m a lowly grad student. I suppose I could call it gay/lesbian/gender/sexual studies musicology. Doesn’t have the same ring, though.)

In any case, last week’s episode of Greek actually referenced “queer” musicology in passing, as part of a joke about obscure academia. It floored me. Musicology doesn’t get much popular press. I felt…like someone knew we existed. Or something.

You know you’ve made a mark in the world when someone makes fun of you.

Well, I’m watching this week’s Greek right now, and one of the frat houses on the show used music to “torture” their pledges. This is a) a bad thing to do. Music can actually be VERY harmful to the psyche if played loudly and for a long time. (Unfortunately, it has been used against POWs recently.) And b) is relevant to this conversation because the musicological world has recently made a big stink against using music for torture (yay, musicology!). It’s a little bit humorous that two references to controversial musicological topics have occured on this show…which has nothing to do with musicology.

I wonder if one of the writers is married to a musicologist or something….