The Xcalibur Club in Junction City welcomed gay men stripping to their boxers. The event raised $456 for the Regional AIDS Project on Aug. 22. Matthew Combes, junior in social work, was crowned at the seventh-annual Mr. Gay Kansas Strip-Off. Combes sat down with the Collegian to talk about the experience and what it meant to him.

Talk a little bit about the experience. It's kinda crazy. It's not every day that you're in front of people, taking your clothes off. I'm not exactly what you would think of as a stripping kind of person. I'm scrawny. The most interesting thing was that one of my friends took a video so I can look back and see how ridiculous I looked in it.

Q. How many years have you been doing the competition? A. This is the first year that I competed. Last year, I attended and saw it and thought I wanted to do it. A bunch of people that I worked with told me I had no choice. Q. Was it awkward? A. It was really awkward. If I had known no one in the audience, it would have been easier. I had friends, coworkers, one of my bosses and people that I do workshops and groups with were in the audience. My partner was sitting in the audience. Here I am, trying to strip and having people give me tips, and he's sitting there. Q. Have you ever done anything similar to this? A. On Friday nights at Xcalibur, they have an underwear fashion show. On a whim last year, I went out there, and a friend convinced me I had to compete. It's an every-Friday event, and you model whatever underwear you happen to be wearing, and if you win, you get a $20 bar tab. I actually won, but I gave the bar tab to my friend because I'm not of age to drink. Q. Did it have an effect on you, that you're doing this for a worthy cause? A. It really did. I actually work at the Regional AIDS Project. I'm in an outreach project, and I work with the gay and lesbian community. It really got me out there and to have more fun with it. Q. What was the most fun about doing this event? A. Part of the judging is they judge you on several things: physique, audience interaction and overall appeal. They also have this thing called the X-factor - the unique way to impress the crowd and the judges. I'm known by my friends and coworkers as Mr. Gumby because I'm a contortionist. It was really fun because after doing the splits and doing back bends, it was just fun getting to be wacky and crazy. Q. Will you do it again in the future? A. Heck yeah. Next year, I can't compete. I'll have to be there to pass on the honor to the next individual. But in two years, I'll compete again. Q. Is AIDS awareness something you want to do after you graduate? A. One of the coolest things that I can continue to do is HIV-AIDS prevention. I work with the Regional AIDS Project. I'm the vice president of Sexual Health Awareness Peer Educators (president of ICAN, which is a new group on campus that deals with SHAPE and the Regional AIDS Project. We work together to plan AIDS Awareness Week. I'm also on a state board planning group where we help write and approve policy from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on AIDS awareness and prevention.