Lewis Black, others to highlight festival

It isn’t easy being funny.

But students at UNC with aspirations of inducing side-splitting laughter can get a little help from the pros this week.

The Carolina Comedy Festival, which starts today and runs through Sunday, will offer a number of events for students, including free shows and workshops. The festival was organized by the Carolina Union Activities Board.

The spotlight show, “Lewis Black and Friends,” will run at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Union Auditorium. The event has already sold out.

Black, who graduated from the University in 1970, performed here in spring and fall 2002. He also gave a show at the Heelarious Comedy Festival in spring 2003.

“We’re very excited about the festival, and we’re happy that Lewis really wanted to be a part of it,” said Claire Anderson, president of the Carolina Union Activities Board.

Those without tickets to Saturday’s show still will be able to take part in the festival, including workshops with Black.

On Friday and Saturday, there will be a handful of free workshops for students — three hosted by Lewis Black, one with writers from humor publication The Onion, one with a former UNC student who now writes for “Chappelle’s Show” and one with Jen Nails, an award-winning improv comedy coach.

Students must register to attend these workshops by Wednesday. Sign-up information is available in the Student Union.

On Thursday, Peter Koechley and Joe Garden, two writers for The Onion, will talk with students.

Clint Neill, chairman of the Writers Speak CUAB committee, said his group has focused on bringing Onion staffers to UNC.

“Having people from The Onion come is going to be a great fit for the comedy festival,” Neil said. “Young adults are more likely to read stuff like that, since things like that and ‘The Daily Show’ are so popular with our age group."

Jonathon Benson, chairman of the CUAB Comedy Committee and president-elect for 2005-2006, said the activities board hopes to make the festival an annual event.

“Comedy, for some reason, has turned out to be this incredibly supportive kind of thing,” Benson said. “People you talk to about workshops and their jobs, they’re just so enthusiastic.”

Students also will perform standup tonight at a showcase in the Union Cabaret.

For more information and a full schedule of events, visits CUAB’s Web site at http://www.unc.edu/cuab.

Contact the A&E Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.