Mr. Ugly

When I read about Mr. Ugly in a daily newspaper -- he had just been given that title in a contest at the University of Reno -- I knew I had to meet him.

I was a pretty hot freelance writer, publishing articles in a growing number of magazines that published stories about celebrities or newsmakers. Ed Feinhandler, also known as Mr. Ugly, certainly sounded like a newsmaker.

In an interview with an Associated Press reporter, Feinhandler noted that the world belongs to the rich, the young -- and the beautiful.

'Why can't ugly people win once in a while?,' he said. 'Why can't ugly people like me grab the gold ring?"

Feinhandler was a graduate student at the University of Reno. One of the campus fraternities, as a spoof, had run an 'Ugliest Man On Campus' contest.

Ed grew a beard, blackened a couple of teeth and beat the competition.

He decided to seize on the popularity and bought a license plate for his dirty brown Datsun that read MR. UGLY.

Sporting his new beard and blackened teeth, he wandered around the college campus flirting with coeds and asking them if they would like to date the ugliest man in the world.

'I was bound and determined to turn my Mr; Ugly title into a million dollars,' he told me a week later. I had gotten an assignment from a men's magazine to write a profile on Ugly Ed and had flown to Ren for the meeting

Feinhandler turned out to be a charmer. He wasn't nearly as ugly as his publicity painted him. It seemed he knew everybody in Reno and everybody knew him. My partner Dave Molina served as my photographer and Ed took us on a tour of Reno.

We played blackjack, the slots and poker. We bet on the horses. Ed ran up a pretty good winning streak while I broke even and Dave kept the bartenders busy.

A bartender who served us a tray of Coors said, 'Hey, Eddie, tell the interviewer how ugly you are.'

Feinhandler sipped his beer and said, 'I once invited a girl to my 6th floor apartment and told her, 'Either make love to me or jump.' She jumped.'

One of the cocktail waitresses pinched him on the cheek. 'Don't let this guy fool you. Despite those blackened teeth, he's a sexy hunk. Women absolutely fall for his line.'

The last I heard of Ugly Ed was that he was doing pretty well by being ugly. He got a part in a grade B movie, 'Apple Annie,' and had an agent who was trying to get him a TV series. P.S. There isn't going to be a beautiful person on the show.

One of the highlights of our trip to Reno was visiting the famed Mustang Ranch, a brothel where prostitution is legal. I just wanted to see what the place was like. Dave wanted to sample their beer.

The girls at the Mustang knew Eddie and cheered him when he walked into the ranch. They gathered around him for hugs and greetings.

'Eddie is my favorite ugly guy to hang out with,' one said, winking. Ed gave her a squeeze and said, 'Baby, you're my kind of woman.'

Author: Geno Lawrenzi Jr.

(Geno Lawrenzi Jr. is an international journalist, magazine author and ghostwriter and poker player who lives in Phoenx, AZ. He has published 2,000 articles in 50 magazines and 125 newspapers. If you want to share a gambling story or book idea with him, send an email to glawrenzi@gmail.com ).