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It’s safe to say that that most people have an idea of what the Inaugural Ball would be. Jaw-droppingly star-studded, elegance to the max in addition to hospitality of the highest caliber might just be three characteristics one would come to expect from an invitation-only (or, in some cases, tickets by the thousands) event. After doing a little bit of research and asking around, I’ve come to the not-so-shocking realization that expectations greatly differ from reality. Perhaps people were too awestruck or humbled by the experience to record their unfiltered opinions, but the truth is out there and a McLean media consultant shared her Ball experience with me.
“30,000 people were invited. We arrived early a few blocks away (dropped off by a car) only to encounter road block after road block surrounding the convention center. So along with thousands of ball dressed folks — many wearing high-heels and light wraps — we walked up to New York Avenue and around for at least a half dozen block[s]. Thank God I was wearing flats and a heavy coat.
“Finally looped back around and stood in line for security, went inside to encounter more long lines for coat check-ins ($5 each) then back down to the lower ballrooms.”
Needless to say, she wasn’t the only guest irritated by the coat check lines judging from this tweet:
“I missed the president and first lady dance by 8 minutes cuz I was in the coat check line.”
While breaking down the rest of her evening, the media consultant admitted the discrepancy between what she had hoped the Inaugural Ball would be and what it actually was:
“Okay, maybe I was expecting a glittering Cinderella experience — not a concrete convention space and a jammed stage, or a lone DJ playing some music between acts. Maybe I was actually expecting food (bowls of pretzels?) Or drinks (stand in a half-hour line to get a ticket for $9 glass of wine, then go over to another line at the bartender). Or maybe I thought there would be a sea of dancers — not a concert-style jam (no seats or tables) near the stage. Maybe I thought I’d see the Obamas– not a crowd of cellphone cameras raised above our heads to capture a three-minute dance on stage. No words and they were off.”
“Cinderella” was used more than once to create a fairy-tale-like expectation — both by the guest who shared their Ball experience with me and by someone who tweeted that she wishes she had gone:
Shante Simone Green @itsatrip2012
“Depressed because former co-workers were able to go to the inaugural ball last night. Now I know how Cinderella’s next door neighbor feels..”
Despite a lackluster experience, the media consultant I spoke with has no regrets:
“Am I sorry we went? Hell, no. But I’ll try to sprinkle some magic on the experience and think about what I half-dreamed it would be. The high point was when the Obamas walked out on the stage looking so spectacular, as Jennifer Hudson sang. For those of us who worked so hard to get him reelected, we felt the magic of the moment. Everything stopped, the room turned and for four minutes we celebrated. They represent everything good ahead of us — the battle was over. We lifted glasses of champagne and toasted him. Then we headed off to the traffic jam.”