Naked City

Looking resplendent in a gray, double-breasted blazer with peak lapels and fake extra-long fingernails coated with deep purple fingernail polish, Leslie Cochran was almost dressed well enough to be mayor. Almost. Give him a pair of shoes and long pants to complete his ensemble -- and 28,000 more votes -- and the cross-dressing homeless jester who regularly stakes out the northwest corner of Sixth and Congress would be mayor of Austin.

Standing outside the entrance to the basement of Palmer Auditorium on Saturday night, Cochran admitted that finding better clothes would likely be easier than convincing Austinites that he'd be a better mayor than Kirk Watson. But Cochran, who had apparently been celebrating his candidacy with multiple libations, was in no mood to endorse Watson. Nor would he discuss where he sleeps. He did, however, talk eagerly about his recent ads for the Web site Yclip.com. Cochran said the company paid him $600 for the photo shoot and gave him $40 in cash to do his laundry. Oh, and they gave him $110 for a razor.

Asked about the large sum for shaving equipment, Cochran replied that he bought a cordless Braun Ultra Speed. He may be homeless and a little weird, but, said Cochran, "Hey, I don't go cheap."