Stand-up comics thrive on campus with Comedy Caravan

Before they hit it big, Roseanne, Ellen DeGeneres and Steve Harvey were among some of the many nationally recognized stand-up comedians to perform on stage at Bear's Place, 1316 E. Third St., as part of Comedy Caravan.\nStill, only people 21 and older can attend the Comedy Caravan shows at Bear's, which take place every Monday and Saturday night at 7:30 and 10:15 p.m. Younger students needn't miss out on the laughs, though.\nThe first Comedy Caravan show of this fall's season, featuring comedians and husband and wife Lord Carrett and Jennifer Dziura, is 10 p.m. tonight in the Frangipani Room on the Mezzanine level of the IMU.\nComedy Caravan began performances open to all students free of charge at the Indiana Memorial Union in 2001 when the Union Board's comedy committee split off from the concert committee on Friday nights once a month, said junior Scott Carrico, current Union Board comedy director.\nCarrico said he typically expects about 100 people at the IMU shows, but he's expecting much more -- up to 3,000 -- for this Friday's show because it is being held in conjunction with IMU's "Taste of the Union,", a Welcome Week event tonight from 5:30 to 10 p.m. designed to give new students an idea of what the IMU has to offer in terms of both food items and activities.\nWhile Carrico said Comedy Caravan serves as a meaningful way for Union Board to provide free entertainment for students, its tradition at Bear's Place runs much deeper.\nThis is the 24th year Bear's Place will host Comedy Caravan's stand-up comedians. During its history, it has hosted comedians who have appeared on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," including Darrell Hammond, and "Last Comic Standing" and CBS's "The Late Show with David Letterman", said Bear's Place manager Jim Reef.\n"I can turn on Comedy Central or VH1 and recognize a third of the people on there (from Comedy Caravan at Bear's Place)," said Brad Wilhelm, Bear's Place comedy host.\nBear's reputation as a premier comedy club hasn't gone unnoticed outside of Bloomington. A list compiled by USA Today last March names Bear's as one of the "Top Ten Places to sit down and watch stand-up."\nReef said having two venues (Bear's and the IMU) available for Comedy Caravan is beneficial.\n"I believe the healing power of comedy should be available to everybody," he said.\nFor more information on Bear's Place and Comedy Caravan, including upcoming shows, visit www.comedycaravan.com.