-SNAPSHOT -
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW
May 20, 2000
BY WILLIAM LOEFFLER


Name: Sharon "Mama" Spell.
Age: "Somewhere between 21 and 40 million."
Neighborhood: Knoxville. "It's a very short commute to the city. It's in South Pittsburgh."
Occupation: Cabaret comedian and artist. "I say `artist' because it's an all-encompassing term for hanging around the house watching `Oprah.' ''
Current or recent project: Working on show of her paintings sometime this fall and her own Web site, www.mamarama.net.
Best aspect of job: "The Oprah Book Club is pretty good."
Family: Husband, Rich.
Favorite restaurant: The Zenith Tea Room, a vegetarian restaurant on the South Side.
Favorite TV show: "The only reason I have cable is to watch `The Golden Girls.' ''
Three things always in the refrigerator: Soy milk, coffee and a Sarris chocolate egg from Canonsburg. "It's from Easter but there are maybe seven-eighths of it left. It will probably be here next Easter."
Favorite vacation spot: Niagara Falls, the American Side. "We went there on our honeymoon. My husband is from Scotland so his visa wouldn't allow him to go to Canada. There's a wax museum and a Payless Shoes on the American side. It's pretty sweet."
People would be surprised to know: The name "Mama" is based on the fact that she used to be the only one with a car and ended up chauffeuring her friends all around town. "They would call me and say `Mama, can you come get me?' ''
Where you can see her: Spell will host "Divas, Drags & Dames" at 8 p.m. today at the 7th Annual Shadyside Ellsworth Avenue Street Fair in the parking lot of the Soba Lounge at 5847 Ellsworth Ave. Free. Details: (412) 641-3368.

- William Loeffler