Harmonie Proctor sings an Oscar Mayer jingle while holding her 3-year-old daughter, Ariana, during contest auditions yesterday at the Central Park Wal-Mart. {PETER CIHELKA/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Vickie Pless sings an Oscar Mayer jingle in hopes of winning a nationwide contest during auditions at the Central Park Wal-Mart. {PETER CIHELKA/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Weinermobile brings out B-O-L-O-G-N-A in singers

BY EDIE GROSS

Date published: 8/9/2007

BY EDIE GROSS

It's been a whole 60 seconds since a hot dog-related pun has passed between Stephanie Geidel and Matt Mitchell.

That's entirely too long, and Mitchell, a "hotdogger" on the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, jumps at the chance to correct the situation.

"Frank you," he says to Geidel, thanking his fellow hotdogger loud enough for the crowd to hear.

"You're well done," she says without even thinking about it.

"Bunderful," adds Mitchell.

The natural order of wiener world is restored.

Geidel and Mitchell, two months out of Oscar Mayer's Hot Dog High, hammed it up in front of Central Park's Wal-Mart yesterday as shoppers came by to check out the Wienermobile and try out for a spot in an Oscar Mayer commercial.

The wilting heat didn't seem to deter performers, who belted out the "Oscar Mayer Wiener Jingle" and the "Bologna Song" throughout the afternoon.

Singers could croon in English or Spanish, and all entries were videotaped by Geidel and Mitchell. Winners will perform in a commercial, receive $5,000 cash and get tickets to the 2008 "American Idol" finale.

"When he said, 'American Idol,' who would pass that up?" said Stafford resident Vickie Pless, who fixed her hair before singing the wiener ditty on camera. "Who doesn't know the Oscar Mayer jingle?"

The lyrics were printed on large sandwich boards for those who couldn't sing the jingles by heart.

Often, parents and grandparents knew the songs, but youngsters, accustomed to fast-forwarding through all the commercials, needed some review time.

"I grew up with the jingle," said Stafford resident Debby Norman, whose vegetarian granddaughter, Brianna, tolerated her grandmother's spirited performance. "At 5, she tells me I'm embarrassing her."

Teresa Stewart talked her two kids, Dillon, 8, and Calista, 5, into appearing on camera with her.

"We were driving by, and I said, 'Oh my God, it's the Wienermobile. We've got to go see the Wienermobile,'" the Spotsylvania woman said. "I may be 41, but I've finally seen the Wienermobile."

At 13, Joseph Loprieno was more excited about the potential for stardom. Sporting a Guns N' Roses T-shirt, the Fredericksburg teen flashed a double thumbs-up as he finished up his performance.

"That flair will take me all the way," he said confidently.

Mitchell said he and his partner usually film between 50 and 70 performances at each stop. Their Wienermobile, one of six in the country, travels between Virginia and Maine.

The vehicles are piloted by hotdoggers like Mitchell and Geidel, who undergo an intense training covering everything from how to talk to the media to how to drive--not to mention, park--the Wienermobile.

It can reach speeds of 90 sph--that's smiles per hour--but hotdoggers generally don't exceed 65, said Geidel, adding, "It can haul buns, we like to say."

The two are used to the paparazzi treatment, being surrounded by curious onlookers at gas stations or bombarded with flash photography on the highway.

All hotdoggers must have at least a bachelor's degree, and each serves for a year. Geidel earned a master's in education from Elmira College before becoming a hotdogger in June.

Mitchell graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor's in journalism "and a minor in baloney."

"Your worst day in the Wienermobile is still better than your best day at the office," he said.

The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile debuted in 1936, traveling primarily to grocery stores in the Midwest. Now, six vehicles, each piloted by two hotdoggers, are on the road year-round. The Wienermobile features: A 32-gallon fuel tank that gets about the same miles per gallon as an SUV Automatic transmission A Chevy W4 series chassis Anti-lock braking system V-8, 6-liter 350 Vortec 5700 engine Hot dog-shaped instrument panel GPS Seating for six in mustard- and ketchup-colored seats Removable bun roof Relish performing? The Oscar Mayer Wienermobile will be at Wal-Mart in the Southpoint II shopping center near Massaponax today from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors can sing jingles for a shot at appearing in a commercial. For more information about the contest, visit singthejingle.com

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Date published: 8/9/2007