Chili Peepers gain victory in contest

The Peeple have spoken. And the Red Hot Chili Peepers are the champions of the Great Peep-o-rama of 2007. As one caller said, “It’s just the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

We should have known it was in the bag as soon as Red Hot Chili Peepers creator Sharon Austin admitted, “People call me The Peep Lady.”

A few dozen of Colorado Springs’ finest citizens rose to the sweet challenge of the inaugural celebration of Peeps artwork. Many were good, but two stood above the rest — Castle FrankenPeep and the Red Hot Chili Peepers.

Castle FrankenPeep — created by the duo of Kim Sayers-Newlin and Susan Seager under the influence of giddiness and alcohol — was a highconcept Peeps piece that recreated the action of the classic “Frankenstein” novel.

The Red Hot Chili Peepers was a scene of a mariachi band playing a cantina, carried out with meticulous craftsmanship. (The handlebar mustaches on those cute little Peeps’ faces may have been the deciding factor.)

Unable to decide which of the two was better, we threw the contest open to a public vote. More than 300 people cast votes and, in a hardfought battle, the Peepers won out over Dr. FrankenPeep.

Austin was thrilled with her victory. Her friends at Weight Watchers invented her sugary nickname, The Peep Lady.

“It’s just because I love Peeps so much it’s hard for me to resist them,” she said. “I have to be really, really careful with Peeps.” So, naturally, we’ve provided her with hundreds of Peeps as part of her prize package, to test her resolve.

For her efforts, Austin won 10 tickets to Cinemark theaters, a pile of Gazette merchandise, and, of course, a case of Peeps provided by candymaker Just Born.

Be forewarned, fellow Peeps artists — The Peep Lady is already hatching ideas for her 2008 entry.