African Cultural Hour

Flipping through the channels on a boring, gray Sunday, I came across the 1987 classic "Can't Buy Me Love" and eagerly tuned in.

The story of a young geek (Patrick Dempsey), who pays the head cheerleader (some blonde girl no one remembers) $1,000 to pretend to date him for a month so he'll become popular has been one of my favorites since I saw it in the theatre as a kid. It is one of my favorite 80s teen movies out there, and I do love my 80s teen movies.

I could say a lot about the merits of this film, but I will cut to the chase. This movie has the scene that is, in my opinion, one of the top five scenes of 80s teen movies, and certainly the best high school dance scene of 80s teen movies.

It's the African Anteater Ritual.

Patrick Dempsey's character boasts about his dance moves to his date, and then he realizes that he can't dance at all. Panicking, he turns on "American Bandstand" just before it ends and learns a hot new dance. He hears his little brother coming (a precocious Seth Green in one of his best performances) and runs away, just as the dance on the TV ends and a man in ethnic robes thanks the exchange students who have just performed the African Anteater Ritual on PBS' "African Cultural Hour."

Unfortunately, Patrick Dempsey isn't around to hear that part, so he goes to the dance and starts performing the ritual in front of everyone, thinking he's doing a hip new dance. The other students think it looks strange, but they figure if Patrick Dempsey is doing it, it's cool, so they join in. Soon, all of the students are doing the African Anteater Ritual, and the only people who know what it really is are the nerds, Patrick Dempsey's former friends who he dumped once he became popular.

It is a fine, fine moment in movie history. For nerds, cool people, and probably for African anteaters too.