Nathan J. Dern ’07—Mr. Leverett—somersaulted down the aisle stairways before stripping, while Kraft-Todd sauntered down the steps in a swim-diaper, pacifier, and floaties.

Some of the contestants’ antics shocked Hayley J. Fink ’08.

“Parts were kind of traumatizing,” she said. “It was very wild.”

One competitor even had to be escorted offstage while performing his talent, after an exaggerated lap dance involving an audience member got out of hand.

But Fink said that “most of [the performers] were pretty sexy—they got really creative. The talents were pretty amazing.”

Contestants’ talents ranged from singing to stripping. Mr. Adams, Thomas P. Lowe ’05, belted out the classic “New York, New York” before flinging off his blue jacket, while McCambridge gyrated and thrusted to work-out music along with Mr. Dunster, Dane J. Skillrud ’06.

The eventual victor, Kraft-Todd, danced and mimed to Natalie Imbruglia’s “Torn.”

Most contestants opted for nontraditional formal-wear—Workman, clothed in denim shorts and a large black wig, was escorted down the aisle by a gorilla. Lowe chose to cavort down the steps in a glamorous drag costume, and McCambridge soared to the stage dressed as the Winthrop Superhero Mr. Incredible.

Following his crowning, Kraft-Todd attributed his victory to his sense of humor.

“I knew I had to make them laugh,” he said. He also ascribed the win to his friends, who nominated him and helped him prepare for the competition.

“I’m not a big competitor. I just wanted to bring pride to my House,” he said.

A gracious but disappointed McCambridge also emphasized House pride.

“Winthrop wanted this and deserved to win. But it’s most important that we displayed our sense of community,” he said.

But Hersh said that the title is not a big deal.

“I put it on my resume, it was a conversation piece, and friends used it to make fun of me,” he said.

—Staff writer Anna M. Friedman can be reached at amfriedm@fas.harvard.edu.