A Quitter's Try - The CNN Parkettes Documentary

This episode has been commissioned by Club Gym Nerd member Taylor, Princess of Sexy Data, who requested a deep dive into the infamous CNN Parkettes documentary, Achieving the Perfect 10, that we can all quote by heart. We discuss Background What's the deal with Parkettes? The legacy of this piece Jessica's experience going to the Parkettes camp as a youth (!) Why we think Parkettes agreed to this Part 1: A 7-year-old with a broken ankle TOPs testing gives Spencer a panic attack How NOT to sound like a creeper when talking about a 7-year-old Everyone says "suck it up" 100,000 times because healthy We root for everyone to quit and go to a pool party Part 2: Get confident, stupid Demeaning people definitely makes them more confident The Mrs hates everyone, especially gymnasts, and teenagers, and you Jessica is still fawning over Nicole Harris to this day Part 3: Annie, are you OK? "Do you just think it's more important to have bobbles so people will give you attentions?" Why we're obsessed with deadpan comedy genius Annie Fogerty OH GOOD THE WEIGHT PORTION, THIS WILL GO WELL "Way to give up, Annie, way to give up" "Was that a try, what you just did? What kind of a try? Is there such a thing as a quitter's try, like lackadaisical?" What exactly is a quitter's try? The Kristie Phillips cautionary tale Part 4: Aftermath Where are they now? What this says about elite gymnastics, and why USAG learned all the wrong lessons from how horrified we are by it The problem with typical American parents' view of sports SUPPORT THE SHOW Join Club Gym Nerd here. Buy our awesome clothing and gifts here. RELATED EPISODES 341: The Call Is Coming from Inside the House 340: USAG and The Case of the Missing Documents 327: 1993 NCAA Nationals (Commissioned) 325: Olympics of Difference Makers (Commissioned) 313: Best Floor Routines EVAH! (Commissioned) 312: 4th Is the New 1st (Commissioned) 309: Perfect Form – The O’Beirne Code (Commissioned) 308: 2004 Olympic All-Around Final (Commissioned) 306: Gymnastics Fails (Commissioned) 304: The GymCastic Olympics (Commissioned) 281: Myths, Legends, and Unexpected Moments PART 2 (Commissioned) 279: A Diva Is Magical: The Svetlana Khorkina Episode (Commissioned) 278: 2000 Sydney All-Around Final (Commissioned) 262: 1996 Olympic Event Finals (Commissioned) 258: The Fluff Cast (Commissioned) 256: 1996 Olympic All-Around Final (Commissioned) 255: 1996 Olympic Team Final (Commissioned) 252: Myths, Legends and Unexpected Moments in Gymnastics History (Commissioned) 228: Leotards (Commissioned) 225: 1992 Olympics Recap with Wendy Bruce (Commissioned) 185: 2008 Olympic All-Around Finals (Commissioned)