EXTRAS IN BEER COMMERCIAL YELL, CLAP BUT AREN'T SURE WHY

The crowd was going wild. Three men in T-shirts in the front row of Section 107 at the Show Me Center leaned into each other, arms around their necks, their mouths wide open, screaming for joy. Everyone in the second row was on their feet, hands clapping above their heads.

On the court, a television camera focused on a man with a microphone interviewing two sweaty men in basketball uniforms.

But no one filled any seats in the sections around the crowd. The crowd wasn't cheering a victory or even a great play. They were cheering because a man with a wireless mike told them to.

A crew from Bud Sports, a division of Anheuser-Busch, spent Sunday afternoon in Cape Girardeau filming a 30-second commercial for Budweiser beer and Starter athletic gear.

About 100 locals showed up to be extras, considerably fewer than the 500 Bud Sports said were needed. They got to watch eight former college basketball players from the St. Louis area play around on the court and occasionally get called in for a live-action shot. Anheuser-Busch rewarded everyone who showed up with a dollar bill and a wrist band. They drew names at random and gave the winners Budweiser shirts and towels.

Why spend an afternoon helping a multibillion dollar corporation sell beer?

"It has everything to do with television," said Diane Bogle, a student at Southeast Missouri State University. "I was at Jeremiah's last night and they said they needed extras, and I came."

"We live in Cape Girardeau and there's nothing else to do," said April Lewis, 26, an orthodontic assistant who used to live near Nashville, Tenn.

Carol Spantgos, 45, came on a dare, she said. Her 16-year-old son wanted to come, but extras had to be at least 21 years old, so he dared her to come. Besides, she said, "I thought it would be a hoot."

"It's March Madness," said Dale Smith, 48, a substitute teacher in the Cape Girardeau public schools. Would he rather be home watching basketball on television? "This is better," he said.

Linda Ancira, 24, a certified nurse's aide at a nursing home, came out of loyalty to Budweiser. "It's the only thing I drink," she said.

For their efforts, they had to sign a release allowing Anheuser-Busch to use their images forever. Anyone wearing clothing with a commercial logo had to take it off or turn it inside out.

Sprinkled in the crowd were professional actors and Show Me Center staff. Still, section 107 was barely half full. Few present knew what the plot of the commercial would be.

Kevin Folkl, who starred in basketball for Division III Washington University, helped out with scenes of jump balls and dunks, but he still didn't know how it would all fit together. He was clearly having fun playing basketball with friends who had played at St. Louis University, the University of Missouri, University of Missouri-St. Louis and Central Missouri State University. Besides, it was the first time he was paid for playing basketball.

Steve Uline, director of Bud Sports, knows the plot line but wouldn't give it away. He did say that Budweiser and Starter will launch a joint promotion during the NCAA basketball tournament.