CBS Tour draws students to superblock

Free prizes, captivating entertainment, and the opportunity to make a soap opera debut? The second annual CBS College Tour brought students out of the seclusion of their "entertainment centers" and into the glowing warmth of autumn sunlight yesterday to experience all of these things. Simulations of Family Feud and The Price is Right, a basketball shoot-out promising consolation prizes, and a free viewing of the latest in box office big names were just a few of the attractions offered by this two-day fair sponsored by the Social Planning and Events Committee. "They are offering valuable prizes, not junk," insisted College sophomore Jeff Lowe, one of the three co-chairs of the SPEC committee responsible for organizing the event. The fair, which ends today, gave out goodies including boxers, beach towels, t-shirts, casette tapes as well as other objects with commercial sponsors' labels. The added bonus for both the participants and the administration is the "free" label. The SPEC committee was responsible for providing a location, volunteers to arrange and patrol the booths, and two security guards for the night shift. "It's costing the University nothing," Lowe said. "Who ever doesn't stop by is missing out." "I want University students to take advantage," said fellow co-chair Laura Seidel, a College senior. The fair, which first came to campus last fall, visited 50 colleges across the nation, according to Jeff Kaznica, an event producer for CBS. Due to last year's success, the tour is scheduled to entertain 41 schools this year, extending the production length at each stop and establishing an assortment of booths on a "grander" scale, Seidel said. Cooperation between the crews was a basis for the organization of the event. The booths are manned by CBS employees and University volunteers. The unifying theme promotes commercial products, television shows, and numerous other sponsors associated with CBS, by allowing participants to relive their childhood, or act in their favorite soap opera. "Students are given a video-tape of their soap-opera performance," said the tour manager, Joe Mercante. Shyer individuals who chose to hide from the attention of the spotlight managed to find pleasure as the "studio" audience munching away at free candy bars and cheering on the contestants. "It was amazing . . . unbelievable," Jeff Lavis, an Engineering sophmore said. "I lost in the basketball shoot-out, but they gave me a soda as a consolation prize." Mercante said "the weather has helped, but good weather won't bring people to a bad event." Some students found the fair so absorbing, they made an afternoon of the event. "I've been walking from booth to booth for two hours," admitted a College sophmore Caleb Shreve. "Family Feud is my favorite booth so far, although the jokes are not very funny."