Collegiate Times

Comedians Jim Breuer and Daniel Tosh will be performing at this year?s annual Laugh Riot in an attempt to lift the dreary mood inherent to this time of the semester. With midterms weighing heavily on students? minds and projects piling up, it?s a visit that?s more than auspicious.

?The comedy show is an annual event that goes on during the week of Homecoming. In the past we?ve brought Pauly Shore (2003), Bob Saget and Mark Curry (2004) and Ralphie May and Pablo Francisco performed last year. I tried to talk to a lot of people about who they?d like to see as far as comedians are concerned. In the end I tried to choose two acts who I thought would fit well with the campus,? said Maureen Lawrence, director of special events for Virginia Tech Union.

Breuer is probably best known for his work on Saturday Night Live as ?Goatboy,? and for his Oscar-worthy performance as Brian in the cult-stoner-classic ?Half-Baked.? Breuer?s latest stand-up routine features a heavy metal act known as the Breu Crue, whose job entails providing boisterous metal riffs to back-up Breuer?s comedy.

According to Jimbreuer.com, ?Breuer?s Heavy Metal Comedy Tour was born on Dec. 9, 2000, when Jim unleashed his Rock-n-Comedy assault on an unsuspecting standing-room-only crowd at New York City?s Irving Plaza. An event of such epic proportions, that it will surely change the face of comedy as we know it.?

The other comedian appearing Tuesday is Daniel Tosh, a rising comic who has appeared on the ?Tonight Show? and ?Comedy Central Presents.? Tosh took his comedy on the road after graduating from the University of Central Florida. His eccentric style of comedy created a large college student fan base and, according to Danieltosh.com, he has quickly become ?one of the most successful college acts, performing at over 700 campuses across the country.?

The younger Tosh is the lesser-known of the two comedians but does not lack comedic talent and is seemingly a good fit for the Tech environment.

?I saw him on Leno over the summer and he did a great set. He?s still fairly young, so I think he will relate to college students pretty well,? Lawrence said.

The event will mark both Breuer?s and Tosh?s first visit to Tech. Each is currently on his own national tour and should be just the thing needed to spice up what is normally a stagnant portion of the semester.

?This is definitely the time of the semester where I start to feel the crushing pressure of classes so it?ll be great to get a good laugh? said Nicole Gerike, a senior apparel, housing, and resource management major.

The VTU is responsible for a variety of events on campus and this comedy show is certainly a highlight of their calendar year.

?As the special events director, Laugh Riot is probably one of the biggest events I put on all year. Besides comedy shows, VTU?s special events committee brings all types of eclectic entertainment. Just a few weeks ago we had a huge climbing rock wall on the Dietrick Lawn. I?m also working on a Psychic Fair in November and free massages right before finals. In the spring we are going to plan more comedy shows, as well as our annual Winterfest, an indoor carnival held in February in all of Squires,? Lawrence said.