 "Photo: Zachary Sarrette")
Over 200 UNH students presented free tickets outside the Strafford Room last Friday to see "The Funniest Person On Campus" and comedian Owen Smith, who never actually made it. The event, sponsored by CAB, gave UNH students the opportunity to win a brand new iPod as well as witness five stand-up acts compete for audience and judgment approval. Each year the winner of the competition opens up for a stand up act held on campus.
Ben Lindgren, a freshman, placed first and won $200 and two sold out Snoop Dogg tickets. He earned the privilege of opening for Patton Oswalt later in the month. Sophomore Andrew Mitchell came in second this year and won $50. Mitchell placed first last year and opened for comedian Kyle Cease. Senior Matt Lubicky took third place and received a small prize.
For the past four years, a touring stand-up comedian has been invited to the event to close the night and lift the weight off the performers' sholders. This year, Smith was booked but unable to make it due to a delayed flight.
"I tried to be the best clock gobbler around," said Dick Drenkhahn, the student body president and a CAB volunteer.
Drenkhahn has entered the competition for the last couple of years. He did not make the cut this year, but was happy since this year he could actually enjoy the show. His efforts in delaying the clock were much appreciated by the audience and performers.
Lindgren claimed to have first shown an interest in comedy when a high school English teacher told him to try stand up, since he did not think he was funny. Lindgren, a Massachusetts native and a student in the College of Liberal Arts, said his parents are very supportive and that he might pursue a career in comedy since he has a hard time holding a real job.
"I got fired from Chuck E. Cheese last week for stealing tokens to pay off my gambling debts," said Lindgren. He said that Friday was not his first experience doing stand up.
"I was on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," said Lindgren. "I didn't do stand up; I was just there in the audience watching," joked Lindgren.
Mitchell, a Plymouth, N.H. native and sophomore English teaching major, was excited to be there for round two. Even though Mitchell did not place first, he was still happy to share the experience with his friends and family.
Mitchell said stand up is a mixture of comedy, writing and stage presence. He spoke of major appreciation for Cease, the person Mitchell said taught him the ropes of stand up.
Mitchell is a part of Improv Anonymous as well as an outside group called KaratePhone, two groups that do comedic improv for audiences.
"It's not confidence, it's just you have to be nervous on stage or else it just falls flat," said Mitchell. "Five seconds before, I'm really nervous. But as soon as I'm out there, it's a big playground."
Mitchell's parents, siblings and friends are very supportive. His parents recognize all his talents and want him to establish his career in whatever makes him happy.
"He was always that guy to say the phrases that stick," said Jake Roy, Mitchell's best friend from Western New England College. "He's the head man, and he's definitely meant to be on stage." Lubicky, a student in the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, had a unique style of stand up. His routine was his actions, and his stage presence was the joke.
"It's nice to have a different style juxtapose against normal stand up comedy," said Lubicky. Lubicky says he does not have a lot of experience with stand up, but he likes to put himself out there for a universal entertainment factor.
Lubicky, an executive for Scan-TV, recently held his own video press conference and also participates in Improv Anonymous, or Theatre Sports, on campus as well as KaratePhone. He's a fan of Andy Kaufman and would describe their style of comedy as similar.
The iPods CAB gave away were paid for by the Student Activities Fee.
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