The Spartan Cheerleaders

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The Spartan Cheerleaders were recurring characters on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and consisted of two East Lake High School students: Arianna (Cheri Oteri) and Craig (Will Ferrell). Often referred to simply as "The Spartans", the pair of awkward, self-conscious pariahs led cheers at school functions to which they had not been invited. In the first "Spartans" sketch, it's made clear that Craig and Arianna tried out for the Spartan Spirit cheerleading squad and were cut, but made off with the uniforms and began cheering on their own. They begin at a football game, but after being told to leave by a real Spartan (Quentin Tarantino), they move to more unusual school functions where cheerleaders are usually not present, such as chess tournaments and swim meets. Eventually they were shown entirely out of school context, at places like Halloween parties, or Hickory Farms.

In between cheers, Arianna spars with her off-camera archnemesis Alexis. Alexis does not make an appearance until the "Candy Striper Spartans" episode (played by Jennifer Love Hewitt), in which the Spartan Cheerleaders find her in labor in the hospital at which they volunteer.

The Spartans' most utilized cheer follows the formula: "Who's that Spartan in my tee-pee?" "It's me, it's me" "Who's that Spartan in my tee-pee?" "It's me, it's me." (In unison) "Uh-huh, uh-huh. Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh." "Native Americans!"

The fictional East Lake High School Spartans were loosely based off of the East Lansing High School Trojans in East Lansing, Michigan which is also home to the Michigan State University Spartans. East Lansing was referenced in other ways during this time period on SNL, including a direct reference in "Old French Whore" a parody game show based on Jeopardy featuring Garth Brooks, as well as a skit about an "old-style" Sears department store photography center.