Comedy Central Comedian performs at Murphy Center

Comedy Central comedian, Mike Birbiglia, entertained over 2,000 students during his performance in the Murphy Center as part of this year's Week of Welcome.

The show was sponsored by the Student Programming and Events office and free to students and community members.

Before the show began, the pep band, dance team and cheerleading squad held a pep rally in an attempt to get students excited about the upcoming sports seasons.

During Birbiglia's performance, he told stories of awkward situations he has gotten himself into throughout his career.

David Walker, senior recording industry and Spanish education major, said Birbiglia's personal approach and ability to relate to the crowd set him apart from any other comedian.

"It doesn't look like he is trying too hard, and he just acts like a real guy," Walker said.

He was one of the youngest comics ever on the David Letterman show and a regular on Comedy Central presents.

Despite Birbiglia's success, he has never shied away from college campus tours where he honed his niche as the guy next store comedian.

"The thing that's fun about college is that people have seen me on Comedy Central, and a lot of people who watch are high school and college students, and they know some of the jokes and some of the stuff," Birbiglia said. "It's like we are on the same page."

While Birbiglia's act contained staples of his routine such as the "Cracker, Please" skit and the "Adventures of Sleepy Carl and Wiffle Ball Tony," he debuted material from his upcoming tour, "Sleeping While Standing."

Birbiglia explained the concept of his new tour through adventures he had while sleep-walking during intense dreams, which once caused him to jump out the window of a La Quinta Inn in Walla Walla, Washington.

Mike Ignomirello, sophomore electronic mass communication major, said that the sleep-walking story and the remedy for the condition was the funniest part of the show

"He was hilarious," Ignomirello said. "I've heard him before on CDs and stuff but live, by far, was the best."

Birbiglia's next performance will take place at Zanies' Comedy Club in Nashville on Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m., with an admission of $18.

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