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Gala Dix-Celebration '98, 8 p.m. Feb. 14, Keenan Theatre. Celebration of the Eboni Dance Theatre and Carolina Ballet, and a tribute to the Columbia Music Festival Association. Page 4 Student drag qu< staff writer WPKA BHAMBHANI oi w Often in college, students try to find m that niche in their lives that will make fr them different, that will make them in- I dividuals, in the hopes of not getting h: strange reactions from their peers. tl Senior Clint Spires seems to have it found that very niche. With people bowing at his feet after performances, tip- in ping him one after another and throw- re ing him flowers during the encore, hi Spires has made his mark, as a drag queen. I< Although Metropolis, a local ni dance bar, is his home, he regularly to travels to bigger markets like Atlanta th and Charlotte. re "I started going out there [to Me- w tropolis], and I saw the drag queens, af and they sparked something in me," Spires said. hi Spires is a theater major and said in that he already liked to perform and fe entertain. However, he revealed an un- d; derlying motive that goes beyond per- cr forming a Shakespearean play or com- ju edy improvisation. b< "I think ifs fun in my mind if I could "1 pull off being a woman." gc And he does, almost every Thursday night at Metropolis. Spires has been h i Derforminp at the bar since Mav h< 1995, and has won several drag k< shows and pageant titles like Mr. Red d( Ribbon at Metropolis. sa "Columbia doesn't really take too well to drag queens," he said. "They ai think if s some kind of sick something Big Ben... Parliament. L Stratford-o STUDY A6RI Spend a year or semeste USC exchange sites: - for the same tuition rate To get more informatic of Intc Application r V $50 A*. 0 oH&c fa 4 % [flip /41LFI ** 16C t wins ien at O r another. They arnedmethatl wW jght not have any They warned me tl iends after it, but not have any frier don't know what but I don't know appened,because pened, because ths lat's not the way way jt wor] worked," he said. Spires is talk- clJnt s g about audience usc * sponse, which for im is incredible. ' " "The first time 3aw him, he was really good," said se- H< or Jamie Sheffield. Tie was really in- bl< the outfits being the show rather than of le performer being the show." Sheffield m: membered when Spires came on stage sa ith "a really groovy tablecloth and an th ro". And Spires' supporters and fans hi; ive done everything but dwindle. Dur- Rc g every show, he offers something dif- wt rent-a different costume, song or sis ince that continues to make fans go nr azy and even attracts others who are th st curious. "It's certainly improving jcause it's trendy," Sheffield said, de "here are loads of straight people that fri \ tr\ rrr*\r V\n*?o f a oaa /-Iv*r* rr mi aawo " rlil J ikj gaj uaia IU occ uiag L|ucciio. UU Spires said he didn't know that sc< is shows would turn out so well, but dr i thinks that his varied style is the pr ;y to his success. "In the past, I was Sp )ing things like Whitney Houston," he on lid. "And_that's really generic." op Now, Spires doesn't aim to look like a ( ly famous personality in particular. Sp n Ail Internatioi HAll Division o' r in one of five Departm in the U.K. i as you pay now! in on all of your options, stop t irnational Programs for Studen DEADLINE: FEB Mi# ^0^ 4*71^4 OiA*\tTtvttk ^^rvi^n^Trv 1/ajle*vtZn&> *Deu^! iBalixir >9 Blossom St. 254-5330 Ei The Gamei ards, fa olumbia "You're not gonna ni get anywhere with sp hat I might that," he said. "You ids after it, can see that when- p< what hap- ever there are &irls cc it's not the out there doing that, g, <C(j it doesn't really have ^ ! anything to it. ^ - There's nothing there as far as something to catch your ^ %% eye or something to take them over." jwever, Spires does think he resem- 1*is Annie Lennox. "I know I have sort '0l her nose, her lips, like her top lip, pi lybe a little fuller upside down," Spii-es ve id. "But, for the most part, we have in e same features." in Spires said he owes most of that and ar 3 success to his "drag mother", Nicole dl >berts. "She was the main person, as sh ill as Brittany Brooks, who is my drag as iter," Spires said. "They really helped sa e out, got me started and still to ar is day help me out." ^ A drag mother normally fosters the velopment of a drag queen in a close ^ end or an acquaintance. There are ^ fferent drag mothering styles in the T, sne, but an attentive and concerned * ag mother will motivate her "drag ^ : n ?:i _i_ _ l E incess unin sne Decoines a queen, tires said his mother labored to not ^ei ly get a realistic look, but to devel- he a suitable persona. "You have to have gimmick to really get anywhere," sa lires said. "That's why when I did An- as isl rial Programs for Students f Student and Alumni Services lent of Student Development rnes Building, Suit 123 Columbia, SC 29208 777-7461 >y or call the office RUARY 17th 1 7J < )' anI H- 1 ic. cock ns as [5 g *g A l club e Lennox, and I saw how people re- <SS^ >onded to it, I tried to stick to it." Annie Lennox is Spires' developing ;rsona, which he said enhances and impliments the show. "It's a mental ling too," he said. "As far as Annie ^ snnox goes, you have to sit down and Gets link of what she's like:" Will Even though Spires has the moti- and ' ition, desire, interest and ideas to do e shows, he must still work out, stay B E and have enough make-up in his van- "Goo y. "Make-up is what will make you vaj] ak like a woman or not," he said. "Peo- "U1 e i e tell me all the time that I look !iy realistic, very feminine when I'm , drag." Applying make-up is often an son' lportant task that the drag mother id/or sister may be called upon to hane. Spires said the first time he went Y' * lopping for his dress, he told the sales isociate it was for his cousin. Now, he id it is easier. He tells them the truth, id so far, they have all been amused it helpful. Nonetheless, Spires said that just WBm scause he does drag does not mean at he wants to be a woman."Because 11 e n gay and I do drag does not mean iat I can't be masculine," he said. seye Iveiyone has a definite masculine and minine side. You just have to know ... x. i i il _ ? n ^ AE >w 10 cnannei mose pans. " During performances, though, Spires "Goo< id he would rather think of himself Conf Ashley, a part-time gender illusion???? ( # # PSidc the I . nHAPPY BUS! / \ to College Night C / every Tuesday \ ?^^all for PickUPSl All AII 1 IF YOU ABE UNDER THE AfiE OF 21 iT IS AGAINST TH Revisit yoi^favofjte 80s TV shows. http//www.|yebljangers.co m/~tvthemes/ Friday, February 13, 1998 ^ ^ TO THE GAMECOCK Runtin^''* ^ ^ ^ i ne /\posue , reier r onaa, special to the gamecock B S Gold , Dustin Hoffman, "The Full Monty" captured f The Dog" and Jack Nichol- three nominations including :<As Good As It Gets." Best Picture. | BEST ACTRESS: Helena BonijKL <Judi Dench, "Mrs. Brown"; Helen JJf Hunt, As Good As It Gets" and |gj?|pf ^j| j Kate Winslet, "Titanic." special to the gamecock ^ DIRECTOR: Peter Cattaneo, The in Hunt received a Best Full Monty' ,GusVanSant, Good ess nomination for "As Will Hunting"; Curtis Hanson, i As it Gets." The film got "L.A. Confidential"; Atom Egoyn other nominations. an ?The Sweet Hereafter" and James Cameron, "Titanic." tIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE: "Amistad," John Williams; d Will Hunting," Danny Elfinan; "Kundun," Philip Glass; "LA idential," Jerry Goldsmith and "Titanic," Jerry Homer. k h? mi \ Q| SemceIndustryNi^ity 1? f^rds y L of beer! / / $4 1st / \ $2 refills/ P Sundays only J/ / r3Src?.?] I 70'S rhe Time E LAW TO PURCHASE ALCOHOLIC KYERflGES. All ABC REGULATIONS ENFORCED.