It is a social phenomenon. You could never have heard the song before. You could understand only fragments of the English language. Not even be paying attention to the game. And the command goes out, and you have no choice, no hope but to follow suit. "Everybody Clap Your Hands." It is two and half seconds of cultish devotion.
We can thank DJ Casper for this phenomenon that graces most arenas and baseball stadiums. The song the Cha Cha Slide. I had no idea. But I upon some YouTube research, there it was. And despite the fact that the video appears to claim some sort of part in the religous and race reconciliation of America, I almost turned it off four times before I got to the one time that oh so famous phrase is mentioned at around the 2:20 mark. Check it out. I like the old guy in the yamaka.
I cannot rip on the song too badly. It did bring me one of my favorite non basketball Hawks memories from last year. During onne game, I happened to be looking at the bench when DJ Casper began his imperative serenade and low and behold on point, Marvin Williams started clapping his hands together. The Cha, Cha Slide. It's not entertainment. It's a way of life.