San Jose Mercury: Makers defend embattled Big Game film

By LISA M. KRIEGER

Whatever the outcome of Saturday's Big Game between Stanford and the University of California-Berkeley, this much can be said for the controversial pregame prank video now circulating around the two campuses: everybody loses.

The people identified as Berkeley students on the video -- engaged in drinking, exhibitionism, simulated sex and even public urination out a second-floor window -- offer an X-rated glimpse of Cal life omitted from the standard alumni tour.

The producers, indignant that anyone would take offense, defend their film. ''The point is that we set out to bring some levity to a campus that tends to be stifled by contrived political correctness,'' they wrote in an e-mail to the Mercury News. They identify themselves only as Walter, Alex and Quyen. ''Obviously, people recognize the universality of the humor and the undercurrent of social commentary,'' wrote Walter and Alex. The film asks, ''Why have we not done well in recent games?'' It's a legitimate point -- Stanford hasn't won a Big Game since 2001. In its search for answers, the video manages to insult women, African-Americans, Asians, Latinos, American Indians, street vendors, even homeless people and their dogs. One freeze-frame features a Latina dancing to the flamenco music of the Gipsy Kings as the Baja Fresh logo flashes on the screen. A superimposed arrow points to her hoop earring, with the words ''Quinceanera Gift!'' ''The video is sophomoric, of questionable taste, insensitive and not very funny, in our opinion,'' said Greg Boardman, Stanford's dean of student affairs. ''It does not accurately represent either Stanford or Cal students. ''That said, we recognize our students' freedom of speech rights, even when we disagree with the form that speech takes. Our initial review suggests that this video does not necessarily rise to the level of requiring university action.'' Berkeley student leaders did not return phone calls. It's a far cry from the pranks of previous years, when the goal was something other than social commentary. ''The audience is mature enough to adequately process such humor,'' wrote ''Walter'' and ''Alex'' saying the video was popular on both campuses and that they had heard no complaints.  The 108th Big Game kicks off at 4 p.m. Saturday at Stanford Stadium. It will be televised on ABC.