‘Super Trooper’ stars at M.A.C. tonight

The Broken Lizard Disorientation Tour will take over the M.A.C. Center at 8 p.m. tonight, kicking off a semester of laughs.

The five-member group, Broken Lizard, will blend sketches, stand-up comedy, video clips and more, according to the Undergraduate Student Government Web site.

Tickets to The Broken Lizard Disorientation Tour event are available through Ticketmaster. Admission is $10 for students and $15 for the general public.

The comedy ensemble is best known for writing and starring in the hit comedies “Super Troopers” and “Beerfest.”

Since “Super Troopers” has become a college cult film, Broken Lizard seemed like the perfect addition to the big-name comedy acts that have performed at Kent State, said Mike Szabo, director of programming for USG.

The Web site CollegeHumor.com sponsors the tour. Jeff Rubin and Streeter Seidell, two of the editors for the comedy Web site, will open the performance. The College Humor crew will be giving away College Humor items when the doors open at 7:00 p.m.

Rebekah Myers, freshman speech pathology major, said she plans to go to the show because stand-up comedy is more social than a musical performance.

“You can all laugh together, hang out and just have a good time together,” Myers said. “Then, you can quote it.”

USG, as well as other on-campus groups, have come together to create Kent State Late Night, which gives students like Myers more chances to laugh this semester. Kent State Late Night is a new series of evening events that include dining theme nights and karaoke.

“It’s really hard to pick one band that represents everybody,” Szabo said. “Comedy on the other hand, I mean, who doesn’t like to laugh?”

After recognizing that laughter is a universal language, Kent State Late Night decided to give students a chance to connect.

Starting Sept. 17, The Rathskeller will host Stand-Up Comedy Nights with Chad Zumock every Thursday this semester.

Zumock, a Kent State graduate who opened for comedian Nick Swardson at the M.A.C. Center in January, provided Szabo with the idea for the weekly event.

“[Zumock] has all these great connections with these up-and-coming comedians,” Szabo said. “I’m really hoping for it to be a big success so we can continue it on into the spring semester.”

If Thursday Night Stand-Up with Chad Zumock is successful, it could also lead to a coordinated stand-up comedy competition for students, said Della Marshall, associate director for the Center for Student Involvement.

“Everyone thinks they have comedic talents,” Marshall said. “We want to give students a chance to show those talents off.”

Allyson Hurst, freshman early childhood education major, said she would like to see her peers try comedy but doesn’t think she could do it herself.

“My jokes are not usually funny,” Hurst said.

Contact on-campus entertainment reporter Tyler Norris at [email protected].