One of Ohio University’s most popular professors will be honored tonight with a special memorial standup comedy show at Jackie O’s, 18 W. Union St. The weekly Comedy Caravan show will memorialize Melvin Helitzer, who died April 11, 2009.
Mel Helitzer was a professor in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism and created the class “Humor Writing for Fun and Profit,” which became so popular students had to sign up a year in advance and then audition to get a spot.
“There are very few comedy teachers in the history of the business,” said Tom Sobel, a former OU student and Comedy Caravan employee. “Stand up comedy was primarily a seat-of-your-pants kind of art form. Mel brought professional discipline and turned it into something you could study and learn.”
Sobel has worked with comedians for several years, booking standup shows on college campuses such as OU. He said his constant exposure to new comedians has not changed his opinion of Mel’s importance in the industry.
“Having spent my entire adult life of over 30 years in the entertainment business primarily involved in comedy, Mel’s a person I respect and honor in the comedy industry,” Sobel said. “He’s revered as one of the great writers and great thinkers on the topic.”
In order truly to honor Helitzer’s legacy, one of his former students, Troy Hammond, a professional comedian who is quoted in Helitzer’s final book, will perform at tonight’s show.
“I’ve worked with a bunch of people who were students of Mel’s,” Sobel said.
Hammond said much of the basic information he learned in Helitzer’s class has continued to help him during his pursuits as a standup comic.
“OU was one of the first schools to have an accredited class in humor writing,” Hammond said. Although many people were skeptical of the idea that comedy could be taught, Hammond said Helitzer would tell them, “You can teach anybody tennis, but only a few will play at Wimbledon.”
Returning to his old stomping grounds excites Hammond, who said even though he is blind, traveling is his favorite part of being a comedian.
“I always enjoy shows because you never know what’s going to happen,” Hammond said. “And even more so because it’s Athens, so I’ll have to check and see whether some of my old haunts are still around.”
After establishing his place as the professor of one of the most popular classes at OU and writing three books on the topic of comedy, Sobel said he hopes Helitzer’s legacy will have the chance to live on.
Sobel said, “We want to use this opportunity to remind everybody else in Athens that Mel was a really colorful character and was a significant person in the history of this university and the history of this town. And we’re hoping this becomes an annual event.”
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