Liar Contest Seeks Participants
By Associated Press

November 25, 2001, 4:37 PM EST

BURLINGTON, Wis. -- The annual World Champion Liar contest is soliciting
entries from anyone who isn't a politician.

"They are considered professionals," says John Soeth, president of the
Burlington Liar's Club, which holds the event. "The contest is for amateurs
only."

Although the contest has attracted thousands of lies in the past, these days
it typically draws only a few hundred entries.

Soeth says the number is especially low during election years. "We don't get
as many lies because they're all used up."

There are rules: No lies about people. "Tall tales aren't meant to be
believed -- and they don't hurt anyone," Soeth says.

No fee is required, but an entrant can submit $1 to become an honorary
member. Soeth said he gets letters all the time saying that dollars are
enclosed, but they turn out to be lying.

Last year's winner was Gordon Zwicky, 72, of Oshkosh, who out-fibbed 299
other entries from 31 states and Canada.

Zwicky said he and his wife won the lottery and decided to drive to Florida,
and a neighbor told them they would be fine as long as they paid attention
to the road signs.

Thirty miles from home they saw a sign reading "Clean Restrooms Ahead."

By the time they reached Florida two months later they had cleaned 450
restrooms using 267 rolls of paper towels, three cases of bowl cleaner and
86 bottles of Windex.

They were so tired, Zwicky said, that they immediately returned home.
Copyright © 2001, The Associated Press

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