Guardians of the Gaffes: Hilarious Tales of Cleveland T-Shirt Tape-ups
Cleveland, the land of rock and roll, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the home of the Cavaliers, the Browns, and the Indians. Cleveland is also known for its unique sense of humor, and one of the prime examples of that humor is the infamous t-shirt tape-ups.
For those who are not familiar with this hilarious phenomenon, t-shirt tape-ups are when fans attend a sporting event or a concert wearing a t-shirt with a message or image that is deemed inappropriate or offensive. Instead of being kicked out or asked to change, they are given a roll of tape to cover up the offending message or image. And thus, the t-shirt tape-up was born.
The guardians of the gaffes are the brave men and women who guard the entrances to stadiums and arenas, armed with a roll of tape and a sense of humor. They are the first line of defense against inappropriate t-shirts, and they take their job seriously.
One guardian, who wishes to remain anonymous, remembers a particularly memorable t-shirt that needed to be tape-up. It was a picture of a man's bare chest with the words "Free the Nipple" written in bold letters. "I couldn't believe it when I saw it. I had to do a double-take," he said. "But I couldn't stop laughing. I had to give the guy credit for being creative."
Another guardian, who also wishes to remain anonymous, recalls a t-shirt with a picture of a cat smoking a joint. "I mean, who comes up with this stuff?" she said. "But I guess it's better than some of the other things we've seen."
Indeed, some of the t-shirts that have been tape-up are downright cringe-worthy. One t-shirt had a picture of a woman's bare butt with the words "Kiss This" written above it. Another had a picture of a man's genitals with the words "Hung Like a Horse" written below it. And yet another had a picture of a woman's breasts with the words "Got Milk?" written across them.
But it's not just the offensive t-shirts that get tape-up. Sometimes, it's the ones that are just plain weird. One guardian remembers a t-shirt with a picture of a unicorn pooping rainbows. "I didn't even know what to say to the guy," she said. "I just handed him the tape and walked away."
Despite the sometimes cringe-worthy t-shirts, the guardians of the gaffes take their job seriously. They know that their role is to ensure that everyone has a good time while also maintaining a level of decency and respect.
And the fans appreciate it. Many of them come to games or concerts specifically to see what kind of t-shirts will get tape-up that day. They know that the guardians of the gaffes will be there to keep things in check, all while providing a good laugh.
So what makes the t-shirt tape-up so funny? It's the absurdity of it all. The fact that someone would wear a t-shirt with an offensive or inappropriate message or image to a public event is ridiculous in and of itself. But the fact that they are then given a roll of tape to cover it up just adds to the hilarity.
The t-shirt tape-up is a uniquely Cleveland phenomenon, but it's one that has caught on in other cities as well. It's a testament to the city's sense of humor and its ability to find the funny in even the most cringe-worthy situations.
So the next time you attend a sporting event or a concert in Cleveland, keep an eye out for the t-shirt tape-up. You never know what kind of hilarious t-shirt you might see, and you can rest assured that the guardians of the gaffes will be there to keep things in check.
