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Printer-Friendly ModeLast-minute stand-up sub does not fail to impress
February 22, 2010 —
Before 10 o’clock even hit, students filled the hall outside the Student Activities Room in anticipation for comedian Dean Edwards on Wednesday.
People scrambled for seats as servers passed out finger foods and “mocktails,” complete with umbrella garnishes.
The night was hosted by the Student Association as part of its annual Winter Carnival and sponsored by the Program Board.
“I was really impressed with the turnout,” said Ryan Kanine, SA president and graphic design senior.
Originally, the comedian was supposed to be Mo Mandel.
On Tuesday, SVSU was notified that he got a television offer and was unable to attend.
The agency sent Dean Edwards, a stand-up comedian for the same price. He was selected for his experience with college shows.
The change in comedian didn’t seem to affect the crowd. People filled every possible seat and even more stood in the back to watch.
Edwards started the show off by joking around about the small area of the stage hit with the lights. He would take a step back and disappear into the darkness. “I’m like a ninja,” he said.
“He used a lot of improv, which I thought was good,” said Shelby Meadows, SA’s campus events director and marketing junior. “I really didn’t know what was coming.”
Amanda Novak, theatre junior, said she came because she had fun at last year’s comedian. After seeing Edwards, she said she enjoyed his impersonations.
Edwards drew from a variety of pop culture figures, impersonating Tiger Woods, Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, Tracy Morgan and Jay-Z.
“I thought it was really funny,” said Melissa Romanowski, a freshman whose major is undeclared. She said she had never seen a comedian before. “I liked his jokes about the women going to the bathroom together.”
Kanine said he chose a comedian for the event because it could appeal to wide audience.
“I think he was a strong comedian, and everyone really enjoyed it,” Kanine said.
Other events for the Winter Carnival included Monday’s garage sale to fundraise for Haiti relief and Thursday’s reduced- rate bowling at Stardust Lanes in Saginaw. The week concluded with a game show night on Friday geared toward families for SVSU’s “Kids and Sibs Weekend.”