ASL interpreter Holly does her duties while the Wu-Tang Clan perfom onstage. (FilmMagic)
The gigantic Wu-Tang Clan clan took their hard-hitting style to Bonnaroo on Friday night but it was an extra, unofficial member of the group that stole the show.
During a super-star jam session with RZA, Method Man, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Solange, Schoolboy Q and Chad Hugo of the Neptunes, American Sign Language interpreter Holly matched them word for word, and emotion for emotion in the front row.
Assigned to interpret for the Wu-Tang Clan, R.Kelly, and indie-pop duo Matt & Kim, among others, Holly “didn’t just sign every word, but put back into it,” according to Stereogum.
Holly’s work did not go unnoticed by the performers on stage with Matt & Kim pulling the interpreter out of the crowd so she could show the audience how to sign various terms for female anatomy and “Bonnaroo.”
Holly isn’t the first ASL interpreter to upstage their subject.
During Hurricane Sandy Mayor Bloomberg’s ASL interpreter Lydia Calas became an internet sensation dubbed “Hurricane Crush” who was so popular that SNL did a cold-open to their show parodying her amazing performances.
Check out Holly’s amazing work at Bonnaroo with the Wu-Tang Clan and R. Kelly bellow:
— @mikeblaustein