Wasted tuition?

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on April 28th, 2008

The Daily Northwestern, the student paper of Northwestern University, had this article, about senior Ajay Singhvi who “wanted to leave his mark on Northwestern by putting on a stand-up comedy show.”

The result was caNUstandUP.

The show was run in an Apollo-style format, allowing the audience members to boo performers they didn’t like off stage.

“We want audience interaction; they’re the main factor,” Singhvi said. “They decide if the show goes on.”

Audience interaction? How about laughter? Applause? Whooping? Silence is also a good way of “interacting” with the performer.

Encouraging booing is moronic. And, predictably, it was a shitty experience for many of the performers. “I think the Apollo style was harsh on the comedians,” Reichert said. “The booing really discouraged people from continuing. Jory didn’t get through his material because of it.”

Of course, not everyone was unhappy with the rude behavior. The winner thought it was tremendous. “The way that it’s set up, you can’t blame the audience,” he said. “Booing is what they were encouraged to do.”

Allowing or encouraging booing at a comedy show changes the dynamic in such a fundamental way as to stunt the potential growth of any performer. Turning a set around is a crucial skill, but it’s impossible when the audience starts caterwauling. Silence is enough of a rebuke. Booing is rude, plain and simple.

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