By Allison Mudge
After two years with the same big man on Northeastern’s campus, middler Bobby Battista charmed the judges and took over the title.
The entrepreneurship and small business management major from Hingham was crowned winner of the fifth annual “Big Man on Campus” event last Wednesday in the Curry Student Center Ballroom, sponsored by Delta Phi Epsilon.
Battista unseated two-time reigning big man Chip Homer, a middler music major who didn’t make a bid for the throne this year.
“I was just really extremely happy and really proud of myself,” Battista said. “It was something to write home to Mom and Dad about, too.”
Battista and 11 other competitors participated in an interview and talent contest. Eight contestants advanced to the “truth or dare” third round. Most of the contestants donned suits for much of the night, keeping with this year’s “The Apprentice” theme.
Event emcees and co-chairs Debbie Marsh and Alex Johnson introduced the 12 competitors as the show’s theme song, “For Love or Money,” played in the background.
The first round of competition was the interview. Marsh and Johnson asked each contestant a question randomly drawn from a hat. The audience was informed the judges would look for composure, articulation and originality.
Chris Blum, a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, was asked who he would be if he could be anyone in the world.
“Oprah Winfrey,” he answered. “She knows how to touch everyone’s heart.”
A chorus of “awwws” followed, even though Blum said his answer was supposed to be funny, not sentimental.
Between rounds there were drawings for prizes donated by the Northeastern Bookstore and the Boston Bruins. There were about 200 people in attendance, many of whom belonged to fraternities and sororities who showed up to support their fellow members.
“We’re here to support our brothers and pledge brothers,” said Jared Wacht, a sophomore computer engineering major and member of Pi Kappa Alpha. “We got five people in there.”
Pi Kappa Alpha sponsored two contestants, Ed Dunne and Chris Schilero. Ari Sietelman, Blum and Paul Tyman were sponsored by Delta Phi Epsilon, the Greek Council and the Panhellenic Council, respectively.
A contingent from Sigma Sigma Sigma was on hand to cheer Matt Whalen, who they sponsored, as well as a group from Delta Zeta, who sponsored Dale Kochevar.
During the talent show, several contestants elected to showcase their musical ability, including Battista, who played “Desperado” on piano. Michael Vieira, sponsored by Delta Phi Epsilon, sang “Ordinary People” a capella. Delta Phi Epsilon-sponsored Matt Chepeleff played a medley of tunes on guitar, while Kochevar and Schilero also sang.
Derek Deskins, Kappa Sigma’s contestant, paid homage to his red-hooded sweatshirt with an Adam Sandler song.
“What about you makes me so jolly?” he sang. “Is it your 50 cotton or your 50 poly?”
Tyman read from a story titled “Goodnight Huskies,” summing up a typical weekend night for Greeks, athletes and library dwellers. Delta Upsilon-sponsored Maloney performed the Will Ferrell ribbon dance from “Old School.”
“I loved it,” said freshman criminal justice major Tim Dubovick of Maloney’s talent routine. “He aced it.”
A brief intermission followed the second round. Judges Katie Cameron, an administrative assistant in the business department, Beth-Anne Dancause, Delta Phi Epsilon’s chapter advisor, and Erin Kennelly, the resident director of Stetson West, voted on the four contestants who would be eliminated.
“Truth or dare,” the final and shortest round of the night, followed the eliminations of Dunne, Schilero, Blum and Kochevar.
Chepeleff was dared to give one of the judges the most romantic marriage proposal he could concoct.
“I’ve known you for about 25 minutes during the show,” Chepeleff said to the judge. “You complete me. So what are you doing for the rest of your life?”
Tyman, daring to sing the chorus of his favorite song, chose “Like a Virgin,” complete with an imitation-Madonna roll around the stage, to the audience’s delight.
Battista had to act like a chicken for 30 seconds. “Don’t forget to peck the ground,” emcee Johnson reminded him.
“I knew that it probably wasn’t the best option for me, but I knew I had to make it fun, so I just went with it,” Battista said.
The judges met again to decide who would be “hired.” Battista was named this year’s Big Man, and Tyman as his runner-up. Deskins and Chepeleff tied for third.
Prizes for the winners were sponsored by Our House East, the Northeastern Bookstore, Skydive Pepperell and Loon Mountain Ski Resort.
In all, Delta Phi Epsilon raised a little over $1,100 to donate to Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.
“I think this year’s event went very smoothly, the guys were great, the audience was packed and there were a lot of great laughs,” Marsh said. “Overall, we raised a large sum of money and had a blast doing it.”
