Rowan laughs it up at NJ Comedy Festival

Rowan laughed it up Tuesday when the New Jersey Comedy Festival visited the Student Center Pit, sponsored by the Student University Programmers. The festival, a state-wide competition for up-and-coming comedians, is a chance for student comics to win $1,000 and the title of “King or Queen of Campus Comedy.”

The festival, which is currently in its third year, was created by host Dennis M. Hedlund.

“I used to do stand up comedy,” said Hedlund, who created the festival because of the lack of comedic instruction at universities.

According to Hedlund, many professional comics have degrees in literature or drama, but “no college teaches stand up.”

The competitors were judged in three categories: originality, stage presence and audience reaction. After the acts performed, the judges convened to discuss the results while last year’s winner, Adam Mamawala, entertained the audience.

In the end, three of the 15 acts were picked to move on to the finals in January. Students Evan Carroll, Ryan Logan-Magnusson and Ashley Zazzarino earned this distinction with their unique brands of rib-ticking humor.

Carroll, who favored a Demetri Martin-esque approach, meandered around the stage in a disinterested sort of way, telling clever one-liners and language jokes. In stark contrast, Magnusson was a veritable spark plug, animatedly preaching the virtues of Costco and unleashing his Christopher Walken impression on the packed house.

Zazzarino, a senior radio/TV/film major, said she was relatively new to the live comedy scene and that her friends encouraged her to go into stand-up.

“This was only my second show,” Zazzarino said. “I want to be a comedy writer. So stand up comedy is something I’ve always wanted to try.”

Even the participants who didn’t win had a good time; Joseph Penn, one of the runners-up and a sophomore radio/TV/film major, said he just enjoyed participating in the festival.

“I didn’t win. I’m alright with that,” Penn said. “I had all kinds of fun. When I got to the stage and said some s***, and people laughed, that’s when I knew everything was gonna be okay.”

Audience turnout was incredibly high for the event, with people packed into the pit and lining the railings of the balcony above. Sophomore elementary education major Alex Perka, who initially came out to support Penn, but ended up enjoying the whole show.

“It was excellent,” Perka said.

Finals will be held at Rutgers University on Jan. 30. Competitors will be able to attend workshops with famous comedians, comedy writers and industry big-wigs, in hopes that they can make some professional contacts and glean a bit of pro knowledge from the best in the business.

For more information, log on to newjerseycomedyfestival.com.