Alan Hernandez presents: The Alan Hernandez Club

Taylor Smith

He/Him

Contributor

10/18/23

I was lucky enough to meet Alan Hernandez through the Poets and Writers Club. After one of our weekly meetings, I caught him putting up posters for his very own self-titled club, the: Alan Hernandez Club. The poster was of Hernandez himself, pictured within the painting “The School of Athens” by Raphael. So, of course, I had to ask what the club was. His response mainly highlighted he may cut off his eyebrow and magically make it reappear. It had my attention. I went to the club’s first meeting the next night and I can confirm, he cut off his eyebrow – Its reappearance is up for debate. 

It was a short spectacle, he had music playing while his Vice President Tom Jerman manned the clippers. A permanent marker was used to cover up the damage and while it may not have been magic, it was pretty magically accurate. 

Hernandez then asked us, “Why’d I do that?” – I can agree I wanted to ask that too – he said, “for entertainment.” 

The goals of the club appeared much bigger than I imagined walking in. With the antics of silly posters and ominous descriptions of what the club was, I can say I didn’t know for sure if Hernandez had a plan. However, he had a straightforward plan and big goals. To create a club that creates entertainment through media, art, and possibly even public events. Using the mixed skills of the club’s members, Hernandez says he wants to take in the wildest creative ideas and work as a collective to produce collaborative projects for and from PSU students. 

The first creative project started on his first club meeting. Hernandez asked every member to write down their biggest fear and later stated he would be conquering all of them. A project involving the members working on producing a short video of Hernandez in a sort of “Fear Factor” test. I guess this will be a test run on how the club’s members can integrate their creative interests in future productions from the club. I have questions about how they will implement interacting with students and questions regarding the potential reputation the club will gain if things get too out of hand. 

The big question I have though, is does this belong as an official PSU club? Not to say they don’t belong, they’re not deserving, or have potentially come up with an idea too extreme for our campus, but does it hinder or benefit their club to be officially recognized?

The club seems to want to be on the border of the extreme and absurd. It also seems to have deeper roots forming, as a new creative space that many people might find intriguing, welcoming, and just odd enough to let out their own absurdity. The positives of gaining potential financial support and faculty aid by getting the official stamp could help the club produce more intricate and developed pieces; as well it’d shine a light on the club and maybe introduce new potential members to its existence. Negatively, the club’s freeform style seems to be a great fit for it at this moment, and it’d be a shame to see projects being shut down by the university’s administration.

That being said, Hernandez is a freshman, and he has time to develop and establish the club to his own vision – I just hope it keeps its absurdity because I was entertained. The Alan Hernandez Club meets Wednesdays in Lamson Library 031 from 6:30-7:30.