You know you’ve done something right on So You Think You Can Dance if Mary Murphy is shrieking about your tickets for the Hot Tamale Train. One episode in to Season 5, Max and Kayla have already been invited to board the train, thanks to their smoking samba.
While it seems like Mary has been screaming about hot tamales since day one, the term was only coined in Season 3 of So You Think You Can Dance. The dance we can squarely place the tamale train blame on? A jive by Anya Garnis and Danny Tidwell’s. Thanks guys.
It was love at first scream for Mary, because the Hot Tamale Train has become somewhat of a mantra for Mary Murphy and her scream is highly sought after by dancers. Even Mary Murphy’s official twitter is named after her signature statement – twitter.com/HOTtamaleTrain. (And if you thought she said “hot tamale train” on the show a lot — just take a peek at her twitter — my oh my!) Apparently, the first hot tamale train of the season went to the robotic crash test dog, not Kayla and Max! Also earning a hot tamale train ticket this week? The Hangover. Which earned a first class ticket, nonetheless.
The Urban Dictionary defines the hot tamale train as: “A metaphorical term used by the judges on the Fox reality TV show So You Think You Can Dance, which suggest a dancer that performs at a high level and exhibits an element of ‘hot and sexiness’ in their routine should be riding this imaginary vehicle.” While the Urban Dictionary makes it sound like a mythic beast of some sort, I do agree that the original intention of a hot tamale ticket was to congratulate a couple on an especially hot and sexy performance. Seeing that Mary is now using the term to describe blockbuster comedies, it would seem the term has expanded beyond the realm of dance to describe anything especially pleasing to Mary Murphy.
I’m not the only contemplating the origin and meaning of the Hot Tamale Train. Fox’s official YouTube just posted a video with Cat Deeley, Nigel Lythgoe, Mia Michaels and the train conductor herself talking about the Hot Tamale Train. It’s pretty hilarious and Mia Michaels explanation is as kooky as expected. As most things Mary Murphy related, we recommend you turn the volume down a smidge as there is some screaming going on. And as Cat Deeley points out, ” When Mary screams, she is louder than a small jet engine.”
Be sure to tune in to So You Think You Can Dance this Wednesday at 8pm, to see who earns a ticket on the Hot Tamale Train.
–Abbey Simmons, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image and Video Courtesy of FOX)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
