rivers_bend

I am re-watching 10 Things I Hate About You for the millionth time and just got to the scene where Patrick sings from the bleachers. I've had conversations with people who cannot stand that scene because it's so upsetting that he's embarrassing her in front of the whole school. And I was surprised because that kind of thing usually bugs me, but the scene has never bothered me in the slightest.

But watching it again, I realized that it's because no one is looking at her at all. No one seems to even know that he's singing to her except her. So he's only making a spectacle of himself.

Which is not in the least to say that people shouldn't be uncomfortable about it. Just that I had been curious, once people brought it up, why I never had been given my massive vicarious-embarrassment squick.