Last Friday night, students and faculty gathered together in Reeves theater for some comic relief at the Just Like You Comedy Show.
University of Tampa alumnus J.B. Ball and fellow comedians and friends Greg Kashmanian, Matt Fernandez and UT’s own John Jacobs (host of the evening), a junior, kept the crowd laughing during each of their individual skits, referencing sexual behavior, their mothers and aggressive squirrels.
The event was promoted by UT’s radio station, WUTT. UT junior and member of WUTT, Gaby Rosado, was pleased with the turn out.
“It’s great to see UT students coming together to support one another,” she said. Almost all of the seats in Reeves theater were filled with members of the UT community.
Audience members had to sign talent release forms, as UT staff filmed the four hour show to help promote and showcase the talent. Kashmanian joked that the DVD will be for sale on e-bay and in an infomercial voice said, “Buy it now for $3,000.” All jokes aside, Ball hopes the DVD will help them get more gigs at other college campuses.
As each of the four comedians have a different stylistic approach on stage, Fernandez found that the crowd responded well, and that, between the four of them, they “tickled everybody’s funny bone.”
According to Fernandez, the comedians’ friendship began when he met J.B. at an open mic night.
UT senior Anthony Rodriquez’s favorite comedian of the night was “Greg Oreo.
For a fat dude who loves fat jokes, Greg had some funny fat jokes.” For those of you who were not at the show, Kashmanian opened his skit by introducing himself as Gregorio, his name in Spanish and, coincidentally, his two favorite things: Greg and Oreos.
With only seven months of performing under his belt, Ball ended the show with an hour long performance — his longest skit on stage to date. After the show, Ball was ecstatic and radiating with the confidence of a job well done.
Ball graduated from UT with a degree in film and communications. He said that coming back to perform in front of his peers was the scariest thing he’s ever done in his whole life. Nobody I know has seen me perform; it’s a lot easier to make an impression on someone who doesn’t know you.” After a response from the audience, he said they reassured him he was “doing the right thing.”
Before ending the show, the audience had the chance to talk to the comedians and ask questions. The guys ended the show in a group hug, proud of a successful evening. Catch the next performance at Side Splitters Comedy Club on April 20 at 8 p.m.
Lauren Rossi can be reached at lrossi@spartans.ut.edu.