Columbia University graduate-turned-comedian Steve Hofstetter is on a quest to have more friends on Thefacebook than you, and Penn Staters are helping.

Hofstetter started his quest to get 100,000 friends on Dec. 24. Yesterday, Hofstetter had more than 68,000 friends, including at least 775 from Penn State.

Hofstetter said Penn State is currently ranked second among schools whose students have befriended him online through Thefacebook.

"When I started it, Penn State wasn't even on the map. [The University of] Florida was the first school it took off at," he said. "Half of it is people adding me, and the other half is me adding people. The people I add are completely random."

Thefacebook.com is a Web site that serves as an online directory for students at colleges and universities across the country. Each user has a friend list to which they can add fellow users.

Hofstetter said he started the mission partially as a joke and partially to promote his upcoming comedy shows.

"The original idea was 'let me add some friends at schools I have shows at,' " he said.

"It's promotional as well as to make friends," Hofstetter added.

Hofstetter will be at Penn State tomorrow for a fund-raiser sponsored by Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, 351 E. Fairmount Ave., to support the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

Lambda Chi Alpha President Ryan O'Hagan (junior-accounting) said in an e-mail message that the fraternity will hold the event at the Days Inn State College, 240 S. Pugh St., and they are hoping for about 500 people to attend.

"It will go from 8 to about 9:15 p.m., and then Steve will be selling and signing his book after the show," he said.

Hofstetter has released two books: Student Body Shots: A Sarcastic Look at the Best 4-6 Years of Your Life and Student Body Shots and Another Round: More Sarcasm On The Best 4-6 Years Of Your Life.

Hofstetter said he has received both positive and negative comments in response to his quest.

"I have people getting mad at me for violating some kind of online etiquette. Those people need to find something to do. Facebook is a resource; it is not your life," he said. "There are a lot of people who don't get it. It's social commentary of having an 'online friend.' I think it's weird that there's a version of acceptable [guidelines] as to who your friends are."

He said he booked 20 shows in the last week and while he believes the Web site is helping him gain publicity, he said it should not be used as a popularity contest.

"It's a wonderful way to organize yourself, but it's not a wonderful thing to replace going out to a movie, bar or ball game," he said.

As for people who are against joining the online directory, he says he does not understand them.

"I don't understand the concept of being anti-facebook," he said. "What does it hurt to be listed?"

Xenia Tomlinson (sophomore-psychology), a student at Penn State Erie, said she thinks Hofstetter's quest is a good idea, and believes he will reach his goal.

"It's a good way to get publicity," she said. "At first I was weirded out, but now I think its cool. There's another comedian named Evan Wecksell who's trying to do the same thing."

Wecksell, a Tufts University graduate, is attempting to get 26,000 friends on Thefacebook by Feb. 19.

According to Wecksell's Web site, www.evanwecksell.com, he started his self-titled "Facebook Friendzy" after seeing how well Hofstetter's quest was going.

Steve Addeo (sophomore-integrative arts and music) said a friend of his sent him a message about Hofstetter on Thefacebook.

"I basically figured, why not [add him]?" he said.