Campus Files: “Cayuga’s Waiters”

Podcast: Campus Files (Audacy)
Episode Airdate: September 24, 2025
Host: Ian Mont

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the story of the Cayuga’s Waiters, Cornell University’s oldest and once-most prestigious a cappella group. Through interviews with former members, particularly author/journalist Mickey Rapkin and alumnus Nat Commissar, the episode explores the group’s vibrant history, its sudden and permanent ban from campus for hazing, and the larger cultural currents—around masculinity, campus tradition, and institutional accountability—that shaped its drastic downfall. Deeply personal, the story asks: what gets lost when a beloved institution is cut down, and what might survive?

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Cornell and Its A Capella Obsession

• Cornell’s Culture: While known for “gothic buildings” and high-profile alumni, Cornell also boasts a “near obsession with college a cappella,” with 18+ groups at any time.
  • “If there’s one thing Cornell is known for… it’s the near obsession with college a cappella.” — Ian Mont, 01:11
• Pop Culture Reference: The Office parodies that tradition, highlighting its presence in pop culture.
  • Quote from The Office character about joining a Cornell group. — 01:46

The Waiters’ Unique Legacy

• Founded 1949: Transitioned from formal Glee Club offshoot to a looser, fun-loving group.
• Camaraderie & Celebrity: Members described being part of an exclusive brotherhood, likened to campus rock stars.
  • “The Waiters felt like a drinking group with a singing problem.” — Mickey Rapkin, 04:22
• Spring Fever Concert: Annual high-profile show, reunion for alumni, and campus spectacle.
  • “You do feel like a rock star… It was like a thing for the alumni to come back every year.” — Mickey Rapkin, 08:01

Alumni Connections & Tradition

• Alumni’s Lasting Bonds: Even decades apart, the core culture of the Waiters remained the same for alumni like Nat Commissar.
  • “There are better acapella groups out there… but the culture of the waiters was pretty unusually spectacular.” — Nat Commissar, 08:46
• 'More Old Men': Alumni came together, forming performance groups to relive the magic.
  • “More old men! More old men!” — Various, 10:15

The Pitch Perfect Effect

• Mickey Rapkin’s Impact: Mickey’s experiences with the Waiters inspired his bestselling book Pitch Perfect, which led to the hit film franchise—a catalyst for the national college a cappella boom.
  • “They make this movie, and Universal’s like, host a screening for your friends… [the Waiters] are just, you know, in disbelief. Like, this absurd thing that we did is now in this movie.” — Mickey Rapkin, 14:27

The Dark Turn: Hazing Scandal

• Initial Signs: Nat Commissar is warned by a former classmate—now a Waiter’s parent—of brutal hazing.
  • “You really need to get involved with the group and see if you can do something about this hazing, because it’s horrible.” — Nat Commissar, 15:44
• Details Emerge: Hazing included physical and psychological abuse—ice baths, application of icy hot to genitals, and more.
  • “It was just heinous and stupid…manipulating them emotionally in such a way that they felt they were forced to do it. It was really horrid.” — Nat Commissar, 19:34
• Fraternity Influence: Hazing culture traced to ex-members of SAE, a fraternity previously banned after a student death, who joined the Waiters and brought practices with them.
  • “At the hearing, there was reference from several of the kids who testified that SAE members had brought this to the group…” — Nat Commissar, 21:18

Institutional Response and Ban

• University Actions:
  • Initial three-day hearings led to suspension and probation, with calls for alumni oversight.
  • “It was a lot of emotion, a lot of tears. I mean, not just the kids crying, but the people on this panel were shedding tears.” — Nat Commissar, 23:07
• Escalation: University prosecutor pushed for a permanent ban outside standard procedure, with no input from the group.
  • “She presented it without any testimony, without any defense… They deserve a permanent ban. That was it.” — Nat Commissar, 24:30
• Contrast to SAE: Despite the Waiters’ ban, SAE returned to campus only a few years after a student had died due to their hazing.
  • “It’s so heartbreaking...That fraternity was disbanded for a time and is back… It was like they were advertising, like, a pop-up restaurant. And I was like, this is so gross. A kid died.” — Mickey Rapkin, 26:57

Reflections on Hazing, Masculinity, and Loss

• A Culture Shift:
  • Mickey asserts the Waiters did not historically haze and laments how swiftly group cultures can turn.
    • “It was built on camaraderie and love.” — Mickey Rapkin, 25:15
    • “These ideas take root so firmly…and you so badly want to be part of this thing that you’ll sort of do anything.” — Mickey Rapkin, 25:15
• Ambiguous Legacy: Mickey expresses regret the punishment was so sweeping, impacting thousands for the actions of a few.
  • “There were so many other ways to teach the lesson than to just disband the a cappella group.” — Mickey Rapkin, 26:12
• Enduring Alumni Grief:
  • The loss of the Waiters has a lasting emotional impact, with efforts to revive the group continually stymied.
    • “Every couple of years, there’s an email chain…But in some ways, the damage is done.” — Mickey Rapkin, 27:37
• What Makes a Waiter?: The group valued personality and “a big heart” over pure musical talent.
  • “What makes a waiter a waiter? A big heart, a lover of life, someone who wants to have fun.” — Mickey Rapkin, 28:14

Hazing, Brotherhood, and Vulnerability

• Personal Toll: Mickey connects hazing to toxic masculinity, which has impacted his relationship with his seriously ill brother.
  • “It’s like this culture of hazing keeps you from being able to say ‘I love you’… The same one that’s keeping me from hugging my brother and telling him how much he means to me.” — Mickey Rapkin, 29:52

Closing Thoughts

• Brotherhood without Barriers: Ian Mont observes that the original Waiters were a different, positive model for male friendship—one based on “family, camaraderie, and most of all, love”—and argues that hazing undermined this unique, healthy culture.
  • “What the waiters presented…was a different way of being a man…no pressure, price of admission.” — Ian Mont, 32:22
• Hope for Redemption:
  • Even as the original group’s revival seems unlikely, alumni like Mickey and Nat hope the spirit of the Waiters can return in some form.
    • “You gotta get the waiters back together. You gotta put on a concert at Carnegie Hall…maybe I can right this other wrong with the waiters.” — Mickey Rapkin, 33:06

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The Waiters felt like a drinking group with a singing problem.” — Mickey Rapkin, 04:22
• “You do feel like a rock star, you know. And it was like a thing for the alumni to come back every year and go to that show.” — Mickey Rapkin, 08:01
• “More old men! More old men! More old men!” — Audience & Alumni, 10:15
• “These young freshmen and sophomores were standing up and saying this is stupid. This is not something I will accept.” — Nat Commissar, 20:31
• “Hazing is disgusting…these kids are vulnerable…you’re putting them in danger, making them feel shitty about themselves.” — Mickey Rapkin, 25:15
• “These ideas take root so firmly and you so badly want to be a part of this thing that you’ll sort of do anything people ask you to do.” — Mickey Rapkin, 25:15
• “It just felt like, what are we doing here?” — Mickey Rapkin (about SAE’s quick return), 26:57
• “A big heart, a lover of life, someone who wants to have fun.” — Mickey Rapkin, on what makes a Waiter, 28:14
• “This culture of hazing keeps you from being able to say, ‘I love you’… it’s all sort of one story.” — Mickey Rapkin, 29:52

Important Segment Timestamps

• Cornell’s a cappella culture & Waiters intro: 01:11–04:48
• Mickey’s journey to joining Waiters: 05:25–07:02
• Spring Fever / Waiters alumni: 07:48–10:20
• Pitch Perfect origin & impact: 12:58–14:57
• First news of hazing emerges: 15:44–16:39
• Student hearings/consequences: 19:22–23:30
• Permanent ban announced: 24:30–24:58
• SAE’s contrasting return: 26:39–27:28
• Discussion of masculinity, loss, and brotherhood: 29:03–32:22
• Mickey’s personal reflections on his brother: 29:52–33:43

Tone & Reflection

The episode moves from nostalgic and humorous reminiscence to somber introspection, combining campus lore with hard questions about community, gender expectations, and generational change. The speakers openly wrestle with grief, anger, regret, and hope. The episode closes on a note that is equal parts elegy and call for a healthier kind of brotherhood—one where love, not suffering or exclusion, is at the core.