From the womb to the Wing Bowl

Some moms take their daughters to the mall. Some may take in dinner and a movie as part of a fun girls’ night out. One Phoenixville resident is taking her daughter to Wing Bowl.

Jess Cooney and Tammy Viola will become the first mother-daughter Wingette tandem in the event’s 19-year history. If that sounds bizarre, then you don’t know Tammy Viola.

“My mom is wild and crazy, she likes to have fun,” said the 18-year-old Cooney.

Here’s how the conversation between mother and daughter went down:
Tammy: I have a question … would you want to do the Wing Bowl with me?
Jess: What do we wear?
Tammy: I guess pretty much nothing.
Jess: OK, let’s do it.

So, mother and daughter will head to the Wells Fargo Center tomorrow — at 4 a.m., wearing something skimpy. It’s all part of Viola’s 40th birthday weekend.

“She’s a cougar. Straight up,” Cooney said.

“Jess is a mini-me. People usually think we’re sisters,” Viola said.

While the primary role of a Wingette is to deliver wings to the eaters, their real purpose is to serve as visual candy. But with nearly 20,000 (mostly drunken) fans expected, isn’t Cooney a little worried about being degraded or heckled?

“Nah. I have my mom right next to me, so nothing’s going to happen,” Cooney said. “They’ll be hitting on her more than me.”