Brandeis' support and acceptance of gay rights becomes evident during the annual drag show by Triskelion. Students, GLBTQ and straight alike, joined forces Thursday night in a packed Stein, as men shimmied with faux boobs and women danced like "gangsta thugs." The judges of the competition, Director of the Office of the Arts Scott Edmiston, Assistant Dean of Student Life Alwina Bennett and Director of Student Development and Conduct Erika Lamarre, got down and dirty with their performance critiques, letting all inhibitions drop away. The evening's host was event co-coordinator Glen Landauer '06, who was so convincing as a woman that no one would have questioned him if he introduced himself as "Glenda."

There were a number of very creative acts. The contest's winner, event co-coordinator Scott Frost '09, gave a sexy performance in "Citrus," donning stiletto heels and a hot-pink skirt.

The "Cell Block Tango" Liquid Latex group, choreographed by Shayna Skelley '06, performed again, but this time the men danced the parts of the murderesses, and the women played the unfortunate men. Although they did a good job, and received much applause, it was clear that dancing the role of the opposite gender is not easy.

Some groups gave performances with unusual twists. The comedy group To Be Announced performed a few skits in drag. While their act was highly sexualized, some of the comedians did not take advantage of their unusual attire. Nevertheless, the audience could not control its laughter.

Starving Artists: Corporate Edition gave a performance that, excepting an exciting, climactic scream from Nick Barasch '06, was musically challenged. But who can blame the others? They sang in ranges generally reserved for the opposite sex.

The judges offered some of the most arousing moments. Edmiston adopted the crass personality of American Idol judge Simon Cowell, slandering every act. If only Cowell were as entertaining as Edmiston, who said: "It's like 98 Degrees without the penises!" about the Newsies performance. But the comment that yielded the most audience hysterics was his critique of "Magic Stick," an impotent recreation of Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction." "I've seen better performances than that in Alwina's bedroom!" he cried.

Acting as the opposite sex did not come naturally to everyone. Audience member Rachel Present '06, screamed, "Less shoulders!" to "Citrus" performer Frost, who flailed his hips like a woman, but his shoulders like a man. Most of the female performers crossed their arms and bounced around like they were the stigmatized man who can only be described as a "gangsta' rapper." While many of the men, in turn, portrayed highly sexualized females with miniskirts and low-cut shirts, there was some variety. Barasch, for example, was dressed like a rich, conservative seventy-year-old. Whitney Leeds '09, Jessica Stearns '09 and Julia Sferlazzo '09 stood somewhere in the middle of male and female, and correctly so, in their portrayal of the Hanson brothers.

This year's Trisk Drag Show will be a hard act to follow. With its creative variety of performers, entertaining host and wacky judges, the evening was truly fit for a queen.