GARY HALLOCK

Steve Brooks

Steve Brooks' puns flow like a river, but he still creeks along between punning and singing and will brook no interference with his thought streams. You can bank on that! Don't give him aspirin for his fevered brain; it has led him to writing a song a week for Jim Hightower's radio show and recording six CDs. The syndicated TV show, I've Got a Secret featured him as six-time World Pun Champ, and he's been champion at the bits ever since. And speaking of "bit," I "bit" you didn't know Steve has also been in two movies, including 2004's Barbecue: A Texas Love Story. If your love is puns or music, check out Steve's Website at www.stevebrooks.netŠand we're net just leading you on. Brooks? Him, Dano! (We've always wanted to say that.)

================================================

BILL BRANCH

Bill Branch has been a part, in one way or another, of 26 of the 30 O. Henry Pun-Offs. As a direct result of this, he is now older than dirt and dirtier than most old people. Bill divides his time between real estate and teaching guitar. Following in Joel McColl's footsteps, Bill has now completed six years without having a real job. A former contestant, emcee, volunteer, performer, board member, and Carrier of Heavy Things, Bill has always been there, regardless of his state of intoxication. Other times we're pretty sure he's been somewhere else, probably in an altered state where property Texas are lore.

================================================

ALEX (The Terminator) RAMIREZ

Alex earned his nickname as a heavyweight contender with a Mash sheen like delivery in the Pun-Off. He first entered P.O.S. together with his son in 1990. Or was it 1991? Yearly Confusionism led to four first place victories and a greatly inflated sense of self worth. Alex's top puns have been rank in our HL/LP competition for 4 of the past 6 years. Concerning the prospect of sharing emcee duties with his old nemisis, Brian Oakley, Alex quips, "Brian once joined me in a cup of coffee. If there is room for both of us in a coffee cup, there is certainly room for both of us on stage. In fact we might play well off of one another. I wouldn't mind being well off." When asked to advise aspiring contestants, Alex tells them to remember, "Where there's a will, there's relatives."

================================================

BRIAN OAKLEY

Brian Oakley

Having won his last three HL/LP (a.k.a. Punslingers) competitions and an MVP award, Brian made his second greatest contribution to the Pun-Off last year by retiring from competition. (The greatest, of course, was dragging Alex with him). Brian can usually be found at found at First Thursday on SoCo, ACL Fest and at the Brackenridge ICU, where he frequently breathes for those who neglect their seat belts but never their cigarettes.

Brian wants to remind you of the environmental benefits of punning: By combining two words into one, verbal emissions of CO2 are significantly reduced. It also prompts others to distance themselves, contributing to Austin's open space. He completes the recycling cycle loop by frequently reusing his pun material at many of Austin's groovy local coffee hangs: "Want cream with that?" "Not since Clapton left".