Ryan Moore '25
Law Weekly Historian
No one truly knows when this happens, but at some point during the school year, the University of Virginia sends their best and brightest law students to an elite comedy and musical performance camp. I presume the students work 14-hour days perfecting comedy writing, practicing musical composition, and learning the finer points of acting. Last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, these insanely talented law students returned to Grounds and put on the 116th Libel Show.
Pictured: Libel's 3Ls take a bow.
Photo Credit: The Sandu Family
The Libel Show is a UVA Law tradition, like softball or exorbitant parking fees. Legend goes that the show started as a hazing ritual, where 2Ls and 3Ls would force 1Ls to perform skits on the steps of the Main Grounds Rotunda. The 2 and 3Ls would throw rocks and shoot bottle rockets at them, which is a practice I think we should bring back.[1] The practice suffered two false starts. First, allegedly the President of UVA was hit by a stray bottle rocket. Second, and better sourced, is that in the 1900s the Libel Show lampooned a mortgage professor so hard he had the show shut down for five years. In all honesty, he probably deserved it, as he failed an entire class of Mortgage Law students.
In its current iteration, the show lampoons life at the Law School through a variety of impersonations, song parodies, and skits. Despite being put on by a gaggle of law students, who ostensibly have hours of readings to do each night, the quality of performance and musicality is surprisingly high. The ultimate goal of the Libel Show is to give every law student one to three evenings of outrageous comedy. Lord knows we all need it.
Writing a review of the Libel Show is a difficult task for any reporter, let alone one as sub-par as me. Key to enjoyment of the Libel Show is knowing all the inside jokes—not just of the law but of law school itself. Try explaining offensive non-mutual collateral estoppel, or why Dean Dugas is a funny punchline, to someone who’s brain hasn’t been broken by 1L year.[2] I looked through past reviews of the Libel Show and honestly have a better understanding of the Rule Against Perpetuities than what the 1976 Libel Show was about.
Therefore, I have decided to completely embrace the ephemeral nature of topical comedy and have created a list that will shoehorn in as many Libel Show in-jokes and reviews as possible.[3] You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll enjoy some BBQ that will make you slap your dang mama.
Pictured: James Hornesby '24 as Swiper the Parking Police Officer
Photo Credit: UVA Law on X
1. By far the biggest crowd pleaser was Study On My Own, a parody of Dancing On My Own by Robyn. If four UVA Law students were ever to drop out and form a boy band, it would be these guys. Gentlemen, there is still time.
2. I loved how the Libel Show Troika invited Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to perform some skits. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Robert F. Kennedy, who also participated in the Libel Show during his time at UVA. Now, my editor tells me that this was not the real RFK Jr., but a talented impersonator. I remain skeptical of the official story and will await the final report from the Warren Commission.
3. George Santos.
4. Little known fact, but the Charlottesville Historical Society recently unearthed a lighthouse on the grounds of Monticello. The Libel Show was lucky enough to secure an exclusive interview with Bartholomew, the current lighthouse keeper, who is offering discounted accommodations for UVA Law students. Have your carrier pigeons on standby.
5. The only lowlight of the night came from the trumpet player on Darden Guys. This player, who shall remain nameless,[4] made a mistake starting at measure 76. The notes he was supposed to play were D#, G#, G#, B, B, then a C#. Instead, after the second B note, he dropped down to an A natural. A rookie mistake, unbecoming of his level of skill and abilities, but most likely a result of the open bar.
That just about sums up the 116th Libel Show. Every year I am shocked at how talented my fellow law students are, and how much we accomplish in just a few group rehearsals. Special shoutout to my bandmates. Playing music with you all the last two years has been one of my most cherished experiences, and I will dearly miss you, and our 2:00am runs to Cookout.
Pictured: The Founding of UVA
Photo Credit: UVA Law on X
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