PulseCards:Two hunks o' burning love

FROM:   Sue Hovey in Utah
DATE:   Wednesday, February 13

Two hunks o' burning love

Elvis is at the Olympics.

On a day when Swiss ski jumping phenom Simon Ammann has solidified his status as king of the hill, the real King is here -- in more than just spirit. In fact, it’s hard to say who’s the biggest attraction in Park City the day before Valentine’s Day: the fresh-faced Ammann (a.k.a, Harry Potter on slats), silver medalist Adam Malysz (the Polish Batman) or Kody and Kameron Johnson, a pair of late-model Elvis impersonators who have giddy fans grinning from ear to ear.

Decked out in vintage Presley sunglasses, outrageous big-hair wigs, matching sparkly silver jumpsuits with red stars on the sleeves and red-white-and-blue "USA" extra-wide belts, the brothers Johnson wave American flags in each hand and pose for hundreds of pictures. "We only got to see about three jumps," Kody says after the competition ends. The 40-year-old Logan, Utah, resident -- and the heavier of the two Elvi -- tries to explain how he got into the act, but he’s quickly interrupted by shouts of "Elvis! Elvis! Over here!" as more fans rush over with cameras.

"Hey, baby. Welcome to the Olympics, Elvis-style," says Kameron, a Los Angeles King who’s a year younger and several hairs taller than Kody.

Now here comes a jolly Polishman, just one of the legions of Malysz maniacs on hand. In his floppy red-and-white top hat, red-and-white parka and red-and-white scarf, he flashes a broad smile as the West Coast Elvis greets him with a hearty "Polska!"

Next up is a Japanese film crew. "That’s about the 10th international interview we’ve done today," says Kody, in between yet another photo op for yet another foreign fan. "Elvis is an American icon. The folks who come here want a little taste of that."

Kody says he turned to the King three years ago as a way to bring some cheer to his efforts as a hospital volunteer. Kameron has been sporting spandex and polyester for about 10 years now. On a whim, they showed up at Utah Olympic Park Wednesday morning and snagged some last-minute tickets. "We just wanted to show our spirit," Kody says. "We didn’t think we’d draw such a crowd."

Obviously, they’ve never attended an Elvis convention. "No," Kody says. "Those folks take it a little too seriously."

It’s time for more pictures with the Polska contingent. Like everybody else, they take their cues from E-squared, lunging forward on one leg and pointing at the camera with an outstretched arm. If you’re going to pose with The King, might as well pose like The King.

Click. Another fan walks away happy, with a pat on the back from Elvis and Elvis.

"Thank you," the duo intones in deep-throated unison. "Thank you very much."

Sue Hovey is the Olympics editor for ESPN The Magazine. She was serenaded with "Love Me Tender". E-mail her at sue.hovey@espnmag.com.