Why doesn’t anyone do Baywatch anymore?

There was a time when Exeter students could go to the Lemmy on a Saturday, Timepiece on a Wednesday, and Rococo’s on a Thursday (RIP), and know what to expect.

They could take some comfort in knowing that at some point towards the end of the night, the legendary theme song to Baywatch would play, and know what would happen when it did.

A classic student night at Rococo’s, where the magic would happen

They knew that many of the club-goers would ignore the voice in their heads, which when sober would warn them against taking their tops off in public, and do just that.

There would be some shirt whipping from the particularly drunk amongst the crowd.

Then the song would finish, students would put their shirts back on, and the night would carry on as usual.

Times have changed.

Some good clean fun at the Lemmy

Despite having a long run, 2013-2014 saw a slight decline in the playing of the song in clubs, yet a very steep decline in nakedness in reaction to it.

Things only got worse, to the point last year in which students stopped taking their clothes off altogether.

So what happened?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuYrRebvFHc

Perhaps it took the departure of a certain group of students that led to the demise of the practice, or perhaps we all just grew out of it.

Either way, it’s certainly the end of an era.

The Lemmy hasn’t seen any shirt-whipping for a while now

But is it for the best?

Does it suggest that as a student population we are maturing and no longer amused by frivolities such as taking our clothes off in nightclubs?

Or is it a tradition that mysteriously tragically slipped away from our student community such as F*** ME I’M FRESH at Rococo’s?

There were sometimes surprises when Baywatch came on

Some nostalgic students mourn this loss.

Bertie, a third year Historian said “I fondly remember when the Baywatch song was a regular fixture at Arena.

“Whipping my top off and swinging it around my head was a welcome relief from the stress of uni life, and I’m devastated that it’s no longer a part of our nights out.”

Decide for yourselves. Should we re-embrace the Exeter Baywatch tradition?