Despite a comedy act coming to the Bryce Jordan Center which involves a skeletal suicide bomber who believes in Islam, Muslim Student Association (MSA) members said the act is in good humor.
Achmed the Dead Terrorist, one of comedian Jeff Dunham's puppets of the "suitcase posse," will be coming to the BJC on Sept. 21.
In a performance that has gained more than 200 million hits on YouTube, Achmed calls Dunham an "infidel" and says he will kill the American audience.
However, MSA Public Relation Officer Syed Fakhri said Dunham's act is all in the spirit of good humor.
"In the end, the MSA also enjoys comedy as long as it doesn't denigrate beliefs or negatively stereotype," Fakhri (graduate-mechanical engineering) said.
Fakhri said Dunham focuses on the comedy of the situation, adding he didn't see it as offensive in any way.
Bernie Punt, director of public relations and marketing for the BJC, said Dunham's act is full of cutting edge humor.
"Sometimes you shouldn't look at life so seriously and that laughter is sometimes the best way to get through some difficult times. There's a message there but it's through humor. We all need to look back and just laugh at ourselves, and I think that's what Jeff is doing," Punt said.
Student activity fees subsidize the ticket prices so students can buy tickets for prices below that of adult tickets, Punt said.
Fakrhi doesn't think the student activity fee is being used in a negative way to subsidize the performance. Instead, Fakhri said the student activity fee should be used to subsidize Dunham's performance, as with any other performance.
"The same as any other show, any other performing act comes like Cirque de Soleil.
As long as the university ensures that this is what the students want," Fakhri said.
Fakhri would like to see more comedians come to the center.
"Personally, I'd like to see more comedy acts. With so much going on in the world one needs more comedy," Fakhri said.
Elaine Schock, Jeff Dunham's publicist, said she has not dealt with any press issues concerning political insensitivity and doesn't foresee any in the future.
