Comedian Daniel Tosh took the stage Nov. 4 in Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall with his highly anticipated performance, arranged by the Student Activities Board.
According to the SAB Web site, Tosh has performed at more than 700 college campuses nationwide, making it difficult to get a performance at UCA.
Senior and SAB Comedy Chair Jason Groves said SAB started planning Tosh’s performance in the summer.
“We came up with a list of possible performers who would appeal to UCA students and were within our budget,” Groves said.
Daniel Tosh was at the top of the list, Groves said.
Tosh’s break into the comedy community came in 2001 when he appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” With his Comedy Central show “Tosh.0” and special “Daniel Tosh: Completely Serious,” Tosh has made quite a name for himself in the comedy business.
“Tosh.0” premiered in June and features viral Internet videos, similar to “The Soup.”
“I had never actually seen ‘Tosh.0’ but I did catch his Comedy Central special and listened to his album. I knew we had to get him for this year,” Groves said.
His fresh perspective on life and quick wit make him widely popular with college audiences.
“Students can just look at him and see themselves. He doesn’t dress or act outlandishly. He’s very approachable,” Groves said.
His ability to relate with college audiences contributed to the nearly full house that packed Reynolds Performance Hall.
Freshman Dick Darden said: “I went with the expectations of him being very good. I had seen one of his Comedy Central specials before. I loved how much he downplays his stage presence, as well as his delivery. It was funny to watch him deliver a punch-line, and then watch as people eventually got the joke.”
Most of Tosh’s material covered current events and everyday hassles for the American male. He lashed out about everything from old girlfriends to baseball’s steroid scandal.
“I loved his WNBA joke stereotyping female athletes. I played basketball all throughout high school and thought that it was hilarious, mainly because what he said about the players was so true. I couldn’t stop laughing,” freshman Rachel Carlock said.
Freshman Travis Alexander said, “My favorite part was when he was talking about the kid getting his head kicked off by the lady on the roller coaster. I loved it when he was talking about her cast, ‘How’d you break your leg?’ ‘I punted a kid’s head 80 yards.’”
Among the more memorable jokes of his performance was a review of the influence of rap culture on American society. He made the prediction that in the near future newscasters would tell “in today’s news” as a rap. He also mentioned the large number of wildfires in California and his solution of providing houses with moats to prevent the fires from spreading. With the delivery of almost every punch line the audience burst into waves of laughter.
After the performance, Tosh was available for photos with students. His album “True Stories I Made Up” is available for download on iTunes.
