By Sydney Shaw
Managing Editor
From cheap jewelry to pool parties to overthrowing the government, no joke was was off limits at Lion Latenight's second annual comedy competition on Friday, April 22. The three student comedians who took the floor in room 210 of the Brower Student Center managed to keep the audience laughing throughout the entire hour-long event.
The first comedian of the night, freshman open options arts and communication major Lauren Broadwell, took home first place and $100 for a set that largely focused on her sexuality.
“I don’t know if you’ve met a gay in your life, but that’s kind of all we are,” she said. “What’s my favorite sport? All of them because I’m really gay. Who is my favorite artist? Tegan and Sara... That’s a lie. My favorite artist is Taylor Swift, which is a pretty straight girl answer, but not when I sleep with her.”
Broadwell spun real-life anecdotes about discovering she is gay into hilarious jokes for the audience. She told the story of a pool party she attended in eighth grade, where her eyes landed on an attractive boy while she was sipping a piña colada in the hot tub.
“My mouth got really dry and it was getting harder to breathe… this must be what a crush is like,” Broadwell said. “It turns out I’m allergic to pineapple. I was having an allergic reaction.”
Next up was senior economics major Tom Barr, who began his set by congratulating Broadwell.
“Lauren, that was genuinely funny. That was awesome,” he said upon taking the floor. “But this is about me now.”
Barr launched into a set that included everything from startling the audience with shock comedy to pizza puns.
“I like Chicago style pizza a lot, but I’ll tolerate APA or MLA style pizza, as well,” he said.
Some of Barr’s jokes took a more literal turn.
“People don’t really give me the time of day,” he said. “I go up to people and ask them what time it is, and they don’t answer.”
Barr’s sarcastic humor and dry delivery earned him third place and $25.
Freshman economics major Sean Delanoy closed out the night, winning second place and $50.
“I’ve actually seen Tom do comedy a couple times,” Delanoy said of Barr as he took the floor. “I see a lot of myself in Tom… We’re both similar, we’re both tall, white and we both think I’m great.”
Delanoy told the audience that after he shaved his face for a job interview, many people didn’t recognize him.
“As it grew back, people would give me compliments, like, ‘Oh, I like that your beard is growing back,’” he said. “If you think about it, it’s kind of like, ‘Oh, I see less of you. That’s good.’”
Although people might see less of him now that his beard has grown back, and despite his “Gumby-like appearance,” Delanoy likes to consider himself a ladies man.
“…And ladies like to consider me a friend,” he said.
Afterwards, audience members had the opportunity to vote for their favorite student comedian. They, along with three student judges, declared Broadwell the winner.
“Lion Latenight hosts free events every Friday night during the semester in the (Brower) Student Center,” Assistant Manager for Event Operations and Guest Relations Karissa Czepiga said. “The last event of the semester is this Friday, April 29. It is a free Texas Hold 'Em tournament with $500 worth of prizes, (including) a flat screen television.”
