For nearly an hour, it seemed like the African Student Union’s annual “Laugh Your Guts Out” comedy show on Saturday night was slated for disaster. Twenty people filled the SAC Auditorium at 8 p.m., the call time on flyers, and two of the five comedians had not yet arrived.
“People come late–I didn’t expect anyone to be here now,” ASU President Sarat Dowudu said.
The senior health sciences major said that last year’s show had about 200 people in the audience and that based on the initial turn-out of 20, this year’s count might be a bit closer to 150.
The ASU started preparing for the show last semester by looking for local comedians and watching the videos on YouTube.
The SAC Auditorium lights dimmed at 8:48 p.m. About three-quarters of the SAC Auditorium’s first level of seats were filled and Ramon Reinoso, the president of the Comedian’s Guild, served as the Master of Ceremonies.
All five comedians made it to the stage. Dale Grand took the stage first. The older gentleman garbed in a navy suit jacket and khakis’ specialty was quirky one-liners.
“Do you suffer from diarrhea? No, I enjoy it.”
Roger Skai took to the stage afterwards. The crowd did not seem to take well to his jokes. “My grandma and my drug dealer have similar numbers.” His stand-up was about half the time of the other comedians.
The next comedian strutted out with a navy jacket a red bowtie gray slacks and a maroon hat with gold lining. Foxy P.’s. jokes remotely poked fun at Africans.
“You know you are African when your name is so long it doesn’t fit on your S.A.T form,” he said.
The audience seemed to be on a laughing high with Foxy P until the next act, Randy Humphrey, got into his routine. Few could actually hear him. Part of his routine included how he struggled to keep his dates with women… even though the women did not really know they were on dates.
“When I see a girl at a restaurant, I sit across from her and say ‘What’s up? Sorry I’m late.'”
When he said he was heading out for the night, the crowd cheered the loudest. The last act was Chief Obie who pulled an Ellen DeGeneres, dancing onto the stage. He, like most of the other comedians, surveyed the audience.
“Any single ladies in the house?” Some high pitch cheers came from the crowd. “You’re happy to be single?”
The show ended with Dowudu taking the stage with the ASU executive board to thank the audience, who seemed satisfied, before they filed out.
“I liked all of them,” Sandra Cham, who came to the show with her sister, Doloresse, a senior health science major. Crisis averted.
The ASU meets Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. in SAC 306. Their next event is their annual fashion show on April 5 at 8 p.m. in the SAC Auditorium.
