To Be or Not to Be a Jheri? – That Is the Question!

So we are all on this TikTok wave. Or should I say craze? Every now and then, we all fall victim to that virtual rabbit hole. Anyway, my sister can’t let a day go by without flooding our group chat with TikTok videos. Like, how am I supposed to work, sis? Yet, I indulge. Always! Today we got a video about The Gina Curl. I wasn’t familiar but watched, waiting to learn something new and get a hearty laugh.

  So is it just me, or is the Gina Curl a revamped 80’s curl? I’m talking Carefree, Jheri, S-Curl, etc. Like, really? This new hair thing is nothing more than the “Curl” I wore as a kid. Right? I watched the video a few times just to make sure my eyes had not deceived me. Yep! I was right. Eighties curl with half the curl. I’m just saying.

Then, I had to Pause and Check Myself! Who cares? Old heads are always trying to one up somebody. Guilty! I am so, so guilty. I immediately looked at the first video and thought, “That ain’t nothing but an ultra perm.” Seriously though, I automatically deemed it to be a recycling of what we’d already done. Yeah, I know. Our trends were recycled too. Did we deny that fact though? This Gina Curl kinda’ feels like when Vanilla Ice tried to defend his copying of Queen’s “Under Pressure” on his “Ice, Ice Baby” and defending why it wasn’t the same or calling the braids worn by Patrice Rushen Lemonades. How’d they do that. Why’d they do that? Okay, okay. So I’m aging myself. However, you get the picture. It’s the same just revamped-a little.

So whose curl is it anyway? Well, everyone’s. There is nothing new under that big, bright sun. Nothing. While I am claiming something belongs to the 80’s, a Boomer may say different. And they’d be correct. I’m not attempting to take anyone’s shine or be dismissive of anyone’s hard work. Kuddos, my dear. Kuddos! I’m just saying it’s okay to recreate something and add your own sauce. Admit it, get your juice (no pun intended) and walk away-paid.