On Friday, November 18, the sisters of the Gamma Epsilon chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon hosted their fifth annual Deepher Dude competition for their philanthropy Cystic Fibrosis. Deepher
Dude is a male completion in which the contestants, along with raising money throughout the week of Deepher Dude, compete in formal wear, swim suit, talent, and “best unicorn horn” rounds. This year, eight contestants competed for the title of Deepher Dude “the most wanted man on campus” and put on a show that the entire audience enjoyed and talked about for days.
Even before the doors opened a little after 9:00 p.m., the line of people waiting outside the German Club reached all the way up to New Hall. In fact, there were so many people that it took over a half an hour to let everyone in to be seated before the show could start. The German Club was filled to capacity with students sitting in the chairs and standing against the walls, all waiting for a show that was promised to be exciting, fun, and entertaining. Just after 10:00 p.m., the show began with Alicia Slobodien and Cori Barboza coming out as the hosts to welcome and thank everyone for coming to the show. They also welcomed the sisters of the Alpha Pi Chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon from Southern University that came to support the show.
The competition was judged by a panel of judges, which included last year’s Deepher Dude Jimmy Wielgosz and alumni sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon as well. The judges held up score cards for each contestant after every round. These points would then be tallied to determine the winner at the end of the night. The first round of the competition was the formal wear and introduction of the contestants. Each contestant was escorted out in his formal wear by a sister of Delta Phi Epsilon and walked out onto the runway for the crowd to see. The contestants were Tyler Prigionieri, Julian Garroway, Billy Sheehan, Pat Kelland, Jimmy Kaz, Tim Curtin, Corey Scott, and Jason Gundry. Each contestant walked the runway to a different theme. There was a complete unicorn wearing a suit to Popeye and his lady Olive Oil. There was even a cow. It was an interesting and humorous take on the idea of formal wear that the audience enjoyed.
The second round featured the swim suit competition. While some contestants modeled normal swim suits, there were some who though outside of the box. During the talent competition, there was some singing, some guitar playing, and some dancing. Some of the contestants even incorporated some sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon into their dance numbers. Both Corey Scott, who did a Lady Gaga routine, and Jason Gundry, who did a Thriller number, incorporated Deephers into the show. In addition to their own individual talents, the contestants did a group dance for the audience to a variety of songs. A group of sisters from Delta Phi Epsilon also did a dance for the audience to the song “Footloose.” It even incorporated some line dancing.
The final round consisted of the “best unicorn horn.” Each contestant was required to make a unicorn horn and to be as creative as possible. All contestants were also required to answer a question about Delta Phi Epsilon, which included fun facts about the mascot, colors, and founding dates.
Though the evening was a humorous and fun time, the importance of why the event was being held was not lost on the crowd. Throughout the night, roses, giveaway tickets, bracelets, and chocolate bars were sold to the crowd to continue to raise money for such a good cause. The hosts also explained to the audience what Cystic Fibrosis was, how it affects those who have it, and told the story of “65 roses” to the crowd, a story that hits close to home for the sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon. Samantha Jenkins, one of the sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon, graced the audience with her story of having the disease, her struggles, and how she gains strength from her family and friends.
At the end of the night, a list of awards was given out to each of the contestants. Jason Gundry won the award of “Pageant Clown.” Tim Curtin was named the “Most Spirited.” Jimmy Kaz was given the honor of being named the “Most Likely to Give Christina Oiler Anxiety During Practice.” Corey Scott was named as the contestant “Most Obsessed with Winning.” Julian Garroway was named “Most Charismatic,” and Tyler Prigionieri won “Best Unicorn” for his unicorn costume during the formal wear round. Pat Kelland won “Mr. Congeniality,” and Billy Sheehan was named the “Most Dedicated.” In addition, Corey Scott was announced as the one contestant who individually raised the most money for the cause of Cystic Fibrosis. He raised over three hundred dollars alone.
Finally, it was time to announce the winner of the fifth annual Deepher Dude. Billy Sheehan won second place in the entire competition. To announce the first place winner, the sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon crowded around the stage and sang a song to their Deepher Dude, announcing the winner by filling in his name during the third verse. Jason Gundry was named the fifth Deepher dude, replacing the previous winner. Cheers broke out even before the song was finished. Gundry was crowned and took his first walk as this year’s Deepher Dude.
The sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon were able to raise a grand total of $1,170 at the end of the night. Thank you to anyone who donated to support such a fantastic cause to help raise support for a disease that has no cure. The evening would not have been possible without the organization of Christina Oiler and Marissa Bykowski, who planned the entire evening from beginning to end. Great job ladies!
