Raises Students’ Spirits After Hurricane Sandy
Comedian J. Chris Newberg performed “Comedy Meets Music” at the Oakwood Hall lounge on November 13.
Newberg’s act included jokes, songs, stories and speaking directly to the audience. “I do things that are adult oriented,” Newberg said. “If I offend someone, it’s OK.”
Race, sex, gender, abortion, history, religion and health were all utilized topics in his performance. Many times during the show, he would stop and ask someone in the audience what they wanted to hear or respond to an individual’s reactions. “Were you afraid of that joke?” Newberg asked an audience member after watching her reaction.
Jorge Santiago, a sophomore, said his favorite part of the performance was when Newberg personally joked with him about his first name being Jorge instead of George. “I thought it was pretty funny; I liked it,” Santiago said.
Twenty-one students attended the comedy show. “I’ve been stressed out lately so I figured I’d come and have a nice laugh,” said Jackie Shugard, a freshman. At the end of the performance she said, “I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it; I thought it was good.”
Newberg said he enjoyed performing for the students because they were polite, laughed at his jokes and paid attention to him. “You were my favorite audience to play for,” he said. “This is why I do it.”
“Coffee House” was the theme of the event so the SAB provided coffee and refreshments for the students who attended.
The SAB brought Newberg to the University in order for the students to enjoy a comedy show after a long break due to Hurricane Sandy.
Kelly Rose Printon, concert chair of student activities, said that Newberg was first seen at a convention called National Association for Campus Activities (NACA).
A group of SAB members attended NACA and decided to bring Newberg, Printon said. “We thought he would provide a good show for the students.”
“I was very happy with the turn out and how the audience participated, and I was happy with the show because it made people laugh, which was needed after a tough past two weeks,” Printon said.
The SAB implements different events each year including comedy events, holiday shopping, hypnotist, black light parties and others. Along with J. Chris Newberg’s comedy show, there will be an improvisation comedy night in Pollak Theatre and trips for shopping in New York City and the Jersey Shore Premium Outlets this year.
Some students were unable to attend the show because Newberg was not on time.
“I wanted to go to the show and I was planning on it, but when it got delayed 45 minutes I couldn’t go,” said Elisha Hendelson, a junior. “I had to go to work so I was pretty disappointed about him not coming on time.”
Newberg’s flight was delayed. His appearance was planned for 7 pm, although, he was unable to arrive until 7:45 pm. His show was over an hour long.
At the end of the show, Newberg gave the audience his twitter name, @thechrisarmy. He offered a free CD to anyone who followed him on the website.
Newberg has appeared on “America’s Got Talent,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” “Last Comic Standing 4,” “Comedy Central’s Premium Blend” and has performed with comedian, Dane Cook. He has been doing comedy for 12 years, he said.
“Newberg has spent much of his adult life on the road. Whether it was performing in a bar just shy of capacity or to his eventual gathering and collecting members of the Chris Army, his loyal fans,” according to laughfactory.com. “With his friends at Comedy.com, Newberg has written and produced several short humorous videos that have received well over seven million views.”
