The annual rumors are almost true this year. In fact they aren't too far from wrong. After Oberlin's Drag Ball gala attracted the attention of both HBO and MTV earlier this week when they were sent out copies of the Ball's Bible, both networks responded and tried to send video teams to cover the event.
However, HBO didn't have enough notice to send their own video teams and MTV hoped to send Dave Navarro of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to cover the event, but he is in the recording studio.
But MTV, not wanting to miss the infamous event, is sending a set of cameras so Wilder staff can film it themselves. The network will edit the film down to a two-minute segment to air on MTV News and other news specials.
So it comes down to two minutes. Two minutes to capture what Chris Baymiller, assistant director of the Student Union, called "Oberlin's unique twist on drag."
Baymiller said he tried to describe over the phone to HBO and MTV representatives what the Drag Ball is but he said they couldn't really understand such a big drag event at a college. He said they couldn't believe half a college campus would come out to an event in the spirit of drag.
"They'd just never seen anything like it at a college or university," Baymiller said. "They were completely blown away."
Planners of Drag Ball are not surprised by the amazement of the major networks. While Baymiller talked about the Ball his excitement was hard to miss. His office, filled with piles of Drag Ball Bibles and fliers, crawled with student union staff preparing for the event.
Dee Wells, Multicultural Resource Center intern for lesbian gay and bisexual (LGB) concerns, said the Ball is remarkable in her eyes because it draws so many students from so many different backgrounds. "It's really awesome the LGB community can put on an event and have half the campus come out and really get into it," she said.
Baymiller said 1,500 tickets were sold last year, a huge increase from the 700 sold just five years ago.
Even if MTV isn't giving the Drag Ball more than two minutes, that isn't stopping Chris Zalla, college senior, from dedicating more film minutes to the event. Zalla is making a documentary film on Drag Ball, filming aspects like the pre-ball faculty party, the Disco Orchestra preparing, a group of students shopping and, of course, the event itself.
"It seems like a pretty colorful topic to be doing a documentary on," Zalla said.
Zalla also filmed the impromptu fashion show that appeared on Wilder Bowl while Chain Link Addiction, a fetish-ware store in Cleveland, set up shop outside Wilder.
The Student Union and LGBU asked Chain Link Addiction to come in part of an effort to make Drag Ball more accessible to women.
Wells said a complaint they often hear is that Drag Ball preparation is easier for men than women. "It is boring to just dress as a man each year," Wells said. "We are trying to encourage people to dress in fetish fashion." Wells said this effort was being made through the Drag Ball Bible, advertising and by bringing Chain Link to campus.
"We wanted to be a lot more woman-friendly so a lot more women will come out and dress up in things that make them feel good," Wells said.
The Bible takes a more lighthearted approach to easing the burden on women. "Ladies, do we not pride ourselves on our far superior creative powers? Are we not attending one of the finest institutions of higher education in the country?" the Bible says.
The Bible, while including the usual photos of ex-Queens and Ball-goers, also includes more pictures of women, many wearing fetish wear. The cover of the Bible is even a woman, an old photo of Marlene Dietrich dressed in drag.
In addition to drawing more women to the Ball with the fetishist-wear, organizers are adding some new attractions to improve the ever-evolving Ball. Instead of two hot, crowded dance floors there will be three this year, with three separate DJs and sound systems.
There is also an addition of "intelligent lighting," which is a computerized system of lighting. "It's basically going to rock," Sean McFall, lighting and sound coordinator for the Ball said.
There is also going to be a live video feed of the runway competition upstairs so more people can view the show.
With all the publicity, staff, decoration and technical equipment, the bill for the Ball will probably add up to more that $10,000 according to Baymiller.
Other new additions include Cafe Fantastique, provided by the Feve, and a Cajun cooking cafe provided by Campus Dining Service in the Snack Bar. Baymiller said he was looking forward to the Feve's elaborate decorations.
Ball organizers are also planning on treating runway winners with a little more style this year, giving both the male and female winners a night's stay, with a significant other, in the Renaissance Hotel in Cleveland, complete with stretch limo rides to and from their hotel stay.
Baymiller said the Ball is going to be the best yet, and hopes that this year, he and his staff will actually remember to drop the hundreds of balloons they have been blowing up all week. He said last year they got so caught up they forgot about them. "We better remember," he said.
Watch your step: Chris Baymiller and the planning committee have been preparing for Drag Ball for weeks. (photo by Susanna Henighan)
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