Penn men take it all off in sexy `BMOC' pageant

What better way is there to procrastinate for a midterm than to watch College senior Todd Minerly, the self-proclaimed "Mr. Long Island Iced Tea," shake his assets in a g-string and tutu in front of a packed crowd downtown at Club Evolution? Or how about cheering on shirtless College senior Duff Blair as he chugs five beers while reciting cheesy poetry -- all for the benefit of a good cause? These two men, as well as eight other selected Penn seniors, participated in the "Big Man On Campus" contest on Thursday night. Sporting minimal clothing over their well-toned bodies, these men put on what College sophomore Catherine Brandt described as an "out of control" performance in front of a throng of screaming females in tube tops and black pants. The event was sponsored by Alpha Chi Omega, who used it to raise over $3,500 for "Women Against Abuse," the sorority's philanthropic project. ACO President Ali O'Donnell, a College junior, explained that those chosen were "10 guys who were a good representation of Penn guys across the board. They have the characteristics that make each of them a OBig Man on Campus.'" Local sponsors like Allegro's Pizza, Ma Jolie and Sporting Club at The Bellevue donated goods and money to help the pageant "get off without a hitch," O'Donnell said. A limousine was provided for the men to be transported in luxury before arriving at Evolution, where they strutted their stuff in a series of competitions -- including a spoof on swimwear, formal attire, interview -- and talent portions of a "normal" beauty contest. But as soon as the first contestant came on-stage with the butt cut out of his board-shorts, the audience knew they were in for a wild night. College senior Dan Leberman, who identified himself on a sash as "Mr. Califragilistic," reigned victorious over a competitive group of Penn males, including Jerome Byam and Dave Pichichero, who were known as "Mr. Melts in Your Mouth" and "Mr. Saki Bomber," respectively. Byam sang to a striptease in a Penn speedo, and Pichichero did an imitation of Michael Jackson's moondance and crotch-grabbing that made several audience members want to toss him up a surgical mask on-stage instead of their bras. "This is what happens when you get a bunch of drunk guys together," Leberman joked. The participants in this contest -- the creme de la whipped cream of Penn -- were all very modest about their own attributes, commenting on the qualities of their peers rather than on themselves. For example, when asked about his chances of winning backstage prior to the contest, Dave Kaiyalethe said, "I saw Jerome [Byam] in the locker room with his shirt off, and I knew that there was no way that anyone could beat him." Byam, in turn, said of Kaiyalethe: "He is not only intelligent, and not only charming, but he is good-looking and makes the rest of us look like shit." Other participants of the evening included Charlie O'Connell, Josh Kuntz, Seth Sherman and Jason Feinberg. When asked about his choice of names, O'Connell, who called himself Mr. T. said, "Because I pity the fool."

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