[23946] in APO-L
[APO-L] Ugly Man
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (JimBeKind@aol.com)
Wed Oct 8 08:38:43 2003
Date: Wed, 8 Oct 2003 08:37:43 EDT
Reply-To: JimBeKind@aol.com
From: JimBeKind@aol.com
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
Perhaps one of the best executed Ugly Man contests I ever heard of was that
done by Mu Chi Chapter at Indiana University of Pennsylvania back in the
mid-80's. Having done the project the "standard" way for several years, someone in
the group read an article in a national campus magazine about the University of
Alaska having the "ugliest women" of any college. This sparked an idea --
"The Ugliest Date in America."
After their UMOC contest was completed, they flew a co-ed from Alaska down to
IUP and sold tickets to the date between her and the "Ugliest Man" on their
campus. The limo ride to the auditorium was followed by dinner on stage,
compliments of a local eatery. An emcee periodically "interviewed" them as to how
things were going, then the curtain was closed and a campus band played a set.
One would think with cell phones today, a remote could follow the attendees
from the hotel today.
In any case, the event drew National Press for the mere novelty factor. I
should note though that the group ultimately barely broke even, due to the super
high cost of the plane ticket, which had to be made up with pennies and $2
tickets on a smaller campus. Needless to say, they did not attempt the event
again the next year. I've often thought that it might be possible to have a much
bigger affair turn a great profit. My idea was a "Beauty and the Beast" event,
where a co-ed, say at UT-Austin who was Miss Texas (or Miss Teen
Texas,etc...) last year would date that campuses UMOC winner, with a local charity to
benefit. Since it has been nearly twenty years, I think the national media would
bite again too! :)
Feel free to e-mail me if you have questions. I was a Section Chair at the
time in the same region and talked to the students in some detail about the
project. Honestly, I always wanted to do something similar. :) Good luck.
- Jim Hahn, Proud Alumnus
Lambda Omicron (Fall '03 - R.L. "Pops" Brittain Class Sec-Treas)
