April 26, 2009 On “Celebrity Apprentice,” people pay hundreds of dollars for a cupcake or a hot dog, as long as the money raised
goes to a worthwhile, nonprofit organization. In many cases, it doesn’t even matter which group receives the donation. As long as you use the magic word, “charity,” people will open their wallets. Livingston County doesn’t have too many people willing to buy a $1,000 hot dog, but we will do just about anything to get people to donate. Residents open their gardens to the public, walk for three days straight, take pies in the face, allow themselves to be dunked or incarcerated, play basketball while riding donkeys, model in fashion shows, wrap gifts, jump rope for hours on end, and, well, just about anything else. If it raises money for a charitable organization, it seems to be worth any sacrifice, pain or humiliation one may have endured in the process. However, this time, I think we went too far. While I have absolutely no desire to ever witness any man wearing a bra, when I first heard of the event, I thought it was an interesting idea. I must also admit that a tiny part of me secretly thought it might be worthwhile for a man to experience, even if for a moment, how painful it can be to be a woman. Perhaps if men endured bikini waxes and had to wear bras, girdles, pantyhose and high heels, they would understand why women can be moody, rude and witchy. Alas, that is another column. I pictured Bras for a Cause as a fashion show with men wearing elaborately ornate bras and parading down the runway. I was right about the ornate costumes &mdash the bras were covered in feathers, blinking lights, army helmets, and more. One was even filled with candy to hand out to the audience. Still, I was wrong about the fashion show.
The “runway” was more of a dance floor, and the men jumped, hopped and paraded around the room, inviting members of the audience to stuff their bras with money. The audience was quickly caught up in the fun, and the story said, after a while, they “became less discreet about where they deposited their tips.”