*This story appeared in the 2010 Joke Issue.
In an incident echoing Susan Finkelstein’s October sex-for-tickets case, Penn Police arrested two Penn students Monday night for allegedly offering to have sex with a Social Planning and Events Committee member in exchange for two Spring Fling concert wristbands.
SPEC Chairwoman and College senior Dasha Barranik refused to reveal the solicited SPEC member’s identity. But Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush confirmed the victim notified police after two College juniors, with the aliases Trixie Delilah and Crystal Foxx, tried to make a deal with the College junior.
In March, College of Liberal and Professional Studies graduate student Susan Finkelstein was convicted of attempted prostitution in exchange for Phillies World Series tickets.
Like Finkelstein, Delilah and Foxx have been charged with soliciting prostitution, according to a statement from the Division of Public Safety. Both are awaiting arraignment, scheduled for late April.
“This is more outrageous than anything SPEC has ever seen before,” Barranik said, “and in no way represents SPEC’s goals in promoting Fling.”
College senior and SPEC Secretary Eileen McKeown agreed SPEC’s efforts to generate excitement may have gone too far.
“We always want to create a buzz about Fling headliners,” she said, “but clearly it’s out of control if students are offering blowjobs for wristbands.”
According to women’s rights advocates, Snoop Dogg’s lyrics may have encouraged Delilah and Foxx’s behavior. “His songs objectify women and their bodies,” National Coalition for United Women Spokeswoman Sandra Feministi e-mailed via her iPad. “So what kind of a message is that sending? I’m not surprised they reacted this way.”
In light of the arrests, Snoop Dogg said he wished he’d heard about his fans’ devotion earlier. “If these homegirls told me how much they like my jams, I’d have gotten them wristbands myself!” he said.
