A small crowd gathered Tuesday evening in Baker University Center’s student lounge to welcome back a familiar comedy series that will become a biweekly installment.
Tom Sobel, owner of Comedy Caravan — a comedy club based in Louisville, Ky. — partnered with Ohio University’s student-run Blue Pencil Comedy to host the group’s student performers in collaboration with two professional comedians, Ryan Singer and Mike Cronin.
Comedy Caravan has hosted multiple big-name comedians in the early stages of their careers, including Tim Allen, Roseanne Barr, Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld.
After almost 30 years running the Comedy Caravan, Sobel, who attended OU for a short time in 1968, said he was excited to work with Blue Pencil Comedy and return to the university.
“I cannot underemphasize how terrific Blue Pencil Comedy is as a group, and how committed they are to their craft,” Sobel said.
Zac Coleman, president of Blue Pencil Comedy, said working with Comedy Caravan is beneficial for the group as well as for the student audience.
“For the student comedians in Athens, these shows allow for us to get a taste of what national comedians are doing, and vice versa,” Coleman said. “Students not involved in the club will get to see great national acts for free, so everybody wins.”
Singer, the first comedian in the evening’s lineup, said executing his comedic routine for a college crowd gave him the opportunity to be more thoughtful with his material.
“I usually have a lot of fun performing for college students, because they allow me to do more jokes that require some thought process, and they will go with you on journeys,” Singer said.
Cronin echoed Singer’s sentiments, adding that his jokes relate well to a college-age crowd.
“I like college students,” Cronin said. “They get my jokes a little more than older people. They seem more informed. It was a really good venue, and it’s great that there’s a comedy scene in Athens; it’s like there’s a built-in audience already.”
jd202409@ohiou.edu
