Letter to the Editor

I’d like to address a comment that was made in last Thursday’s article promoting the “Blue and White Comedy Jam.” As a comedy enthusiast, and the Union Board Comedy Director, I was very excited to hear that the men of Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta are programming a comedy event to help raise money for March of Dimes. Though I could not attend the event Friday, I fully support their efforts to bring laughter to this campus while supporting a fantastic cause.

However, Anthony Finnell made a comment that I find very controversial and quite unfair. In the article, he said that the two fraternities paired up to bring the event to campus because “we noticed in recent years there have been a lot of comedy events by the University, but they’re not very diverse.”

As one of the main programmers of comedy events on campus, I am unclear on what Mr. Finnell means when he says “diverse.” I would argue that IU does a fantastic job programming diverse comedy events. Diversity is more than just the color of one’s skin, more than just an individual’s creed, more than just socioeconomic status or sexual orientation. Diversity is also about difference in ideas.

The events that I put on are extremely diverse. This year, I have brought in a variety of programs that feature comedians who are writers, actors, stand-ups, improvisers and film makers.

These comedians come from a variety of different religious and ethnic backgrounds as well. I find it hard to believe that Mr. Finnell believes there is a lack of diversity in campus comedy programming when just this week Union Board Comedy put on an event, “Ambassadors of Comedy.”

The goal of that program was to foster learning by bringing comedians of different ethnicities to offer their own take on American life.

We also have several extremely talented student-run comedy groups with performers specializing in improvisation, sketch comedy and stand-up. We have an amazing comedy club in “The Comedy Attic.” Their shows feature comedians who come from all walks of life.

Currently, Union Board Comedy is working to bring an extremely notable comedian for a spring show, whose material does not cater to one particular demographic, but many demographics. As I run for re-election, I will always continue to strive to program diverse events that everyone on campus can enjoy.

In a way, I am glad Mr. Finnell raised this concern because that means that I am not doing an effective job marketing these diverse programs to all students, and I promise to work on that so I can use comedy as a uniting force on campus.

I invite any campus leaders that are interested in working to promote a comedy event to contact me as the Union Board comedy director. I am glad to help in any way that I can to make their event successful.

e.e. cummings once wrote that, “The most wasted of all days is one without laughter,” and I hope that from now on we can create events that can help students everywhere not waste their days and laugh.


E-mail: dhaddad@indiana.edu