Last night, Penn State’s Student Programming Association announced the lineup for its fourth annual Comedy Month to begin Monday, April 1.
“The comedians coming [to Penn State] have a wide variety of styles,” William Hood , president of Second Floor Stand-Up, said.
The events will kick off with the return of stand-up comedian Jo Koy at 8 p.m. on April 1 in Alumni Hall, according to the SPA press release.
Koy has become a regular panelist on the E! hit television show “Chelsea Lately ” when he is not touring. He began stand-up comedy in Las Vegas in 1994 and has since exploded onto the comedy scene. In 2007, Variety magazine placed Koy on its list of “10 Comics to Watch!”
He has appeared on various late night television shows over the years like The Tonight Show with Jay Leno . Koy also has two specials on Comedy Central: “Don’t Make Him Angry” and “Lights Out with Jo Koy.”
According to his official website, Koy’s “infectious, explosive energy onstage, insightful jokes, and family–â€inspired humor crosses all boundaries.”
SPA will next host comedian Nick Thune on Thursday, April 11 at 8 p.m. in Heritage Hall. Thune is a comedian and actor from Seattle, Washington . He is known for combining comedy and music into his acts. Thune’s debut album, “Thick Noon ,” was released in 2010 by Comedy Central Records and was listed as one of Amazon’s “Best 2010 Comedy Albums.”
“Nick’s absurdist view and deadpan wit combined with the soothing lull of his guitar, have distinguished his unique style of comedy,” according to Thune’s official website .
Bo Burnham , who will take the stage on Saturday, April 13 at 10 p.m. in Alumni Hall, will follow Thune.
Burnham became a Youtube sensation a few years ago when he was still in high school and at 18 he was the youngest person to record a Comedy Central Special, according to his website. Since then, his fame has only been rising. He was recently named by Entertainment Weekly as one of its “12 Rising Stars of Comedy.”
John Cassidy is set next to perform on Thursday, April 18 at 8 p.m. in Heritage Hall.
Cassidy is a professional comedian and magician known for his skills as a balloon artist. He holds the record for several Guinness World Records like “Most Balloon Sculptures Completed in One Hour.” Cassidy has performed in numerous television shows and done countless live performances around the world. He has also performed at the White House five times, according to his website.
The last to perform in SPA’s Comedy Month will be Chris Hardwick on Monday, April 22 at 8 p.m. in Alumni Hall.
Hardwick is a stand-up comedian and a “self-proclaimed nerd,” according to his website. He had his own Comedy Central special “Chris Hardwick: Mandroid” in November 2012 and has made several appearances on “Chelsea Lately” and “The Soup.”
Besides stand-up, Hardwick hosts AMC’s live after show called “Talking Dead ” that follows the hit television show “The Walking Dead .” He also launched his own website in 2008 called “The Nerdist ” that features “all things nerd related.”
All of the Comedy Month events are free to Penn State students with a valid I.D., according to the press release. The events will be run on a first come, first serve basis.
Hood said that he thinks that comedy plays an important role at Penn State and it should be something that is incorporated throughout the year.
“Comedy helps ease peoples stress especially near the end of semester and it’s a kind of high different from drugs and alcohol,” Hood said. “Penn State can be a high stress environment and laughter can help relieve that.”
