The Cheeseist

"Cheese glorious Cheese" it was so wonderful! Yes I am talking about the highly anticipated Pioneer Day Commemoration Concert featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir , or MO-Tab for short, and their guest performers the Osmonds, and I don't just mean Donny and Marie, I mean all of them, and for the record there are a LOT of them. They could probably fill up the MO-Tab Choir seats by themselves.


For those of you out of the pop culture loop, last fall Marie appeared on Dancing with the Stars, which resulted in a re-birth of Osmond mania. To celebrate 50 years of Osmond cheesiness the Osmonds embarked on a world tour this summer with their world tour concluding in Utah, birthplace to nearly every Osmond ever born. Did I mention there are a LOT of Osmonds, and an unusual number of them live in Utah County. You can’t go anywhere without running into one of them. You lose one and then another one pops up. They really are a nation unto themselves. What could be a more fitting match up with the Osmonds than the MO-Tab, cheese and style in one slick, slightly 1970’s package. (Note: women’s dresses for Choir members, not exactly cutting edge fashion, but probably were in late 60’s early 70’s. Then there are the Osmonds themselves…..)


The program began with the MO-Tab singing "They the Builders of the Nation" and "Faith in Every Footstep" Next the Osmonds appeared and began singing a few of their pop favorites such as "One Bad Apple" complete with electric guitar. Odd….as far as musical transitions go. The decidedly Mormon crowd was not really sure how to react, after all it was in the Conference Center and isn’t that just like a chapel? I pondered calling my Bishop to ask if it was ok to stand, do the wave and sing along? Would that be sacrilegious? What if I only did it while the Osmonds were performing, but showed respect and reverence for the Choir, could I still take the sacrament on Sunday? Does the Church handbook cover this issue?


But as the concert continued on styles were able to be meshed, and both Osmond favorites and MO-Tab favorites were blended... well as best as you can blend cheese and style. It concluded with the MO-Tab singing "Come, Come, Ye Saints" and the Osmonds joining in on the last verse. All and all I am sure my pioneer ancestors are proud that I chose to honor them in such a cultural way.


For those seeking to experience this cheesiness for yourself, if you have DISH Network the concert will be broadcast tonight, 7/26 at 7:30 p.m. on BYUTV or 9403. Watch and enjoy!