UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, September 23, 1996
3A
Comedians blush for humor
Group jokes about embarrassing topics
By Nicholas C. Charalambous
Kansan stuff writer
ine comedians at Def Comedy Jam spared no blushes Saturday night — even their own. Atlanta comedian Zooman was halfway through his butt-shaking, pelvic-thrusting, 45-minute set when his jeans ripped from his crotch down to his ankles.
But it wasn't long before Zoomman was upstaged.
But it wasn't long before Zoanman was upgged. When Zoanman singled out a shaven-head heckler wearing a white turtleneck and accused him of looking like a Soul Train dancer, the heckler took up the challenge. The heckler strolled onto the dance floor, pumped his pelvis to rap music from St. Louis DJ Charlie Chan and dropped his trousers.
It was a Def Comedy Jam moment.
Comedians Tone X from North Carolina, Small Frie from Atlanta, Darius Bradford from St. Louis and Zooman lived up to the show's triple-X reputation. The audience of 600 people at the Holiday Inn Holmboe squirmed, screamed, got out of their chairs, jeered and catcalled as the African-American comedians joked about subjects including living on welfare, oral sex, "annual sex," the right way to reach orgasm, how to hold a
penis and fat women.
perils and have wounds.
But there were times when the event seemed more like a variety show than a comedy show. Tone X impersonated Randy Travis' song from the Folgers commercial "to make the Caucasians feel welcomed." Bradford and Small Fri rapped. And Zooman sang Al Green and Stevie Wonder songs, one Black and one Caucasian version of the Star Spangled Banner, and a pastiche of Shakespeare's Hamlet soliloquy on the subject of syphilis — "To pee, or not to pee?"
After the show, Zooman said that the Shakespeare skit was his way of promoting safe sex.
"Once you get through the words, it's the same stuff we do today," he said.
The comedy show cost $5,800, said Andrea Lockett, Shawnee senior and president of the Black Student Union, which sponsored the event. She said the show provided comic relief from the stress of school.
Many of the audience members said they didn't find any of the humor offensive.
"It's our own humor. It's different from the mainstream," she said "It comes from where we grew up."
in all of the reality," said Kmeal Winters, Kansas City, Mo. senior. "There was nothing not true. That's why it was so funny."
But Kellie Newcomer, Austin sophomore, didn't agree.
Chris Hamilton/KANSAN
"Some of it was uncomfortable. You felt singled out at times — as a woman and a white," she said.
Tone-X, Wilmington, N.C., was one of the comedians performing Saturday night at Comedy Expression '96 presented by the Black Student Union.
Professor fills display with mirth and minerals, rubble and rhyme
Bradley Brooks Kansan staff writer
It may not be MTV material, but one KU geology professor's "Rock of The Week" has almost as many oddities as the music network.
"I put lots of interesting stuff in there. It is kind of a creative outlet," said Rozer Kaesler.
Every week, Kaesler puts a rock,
or very rock-like specimen, on
display in case No. 312 on the third
floor of Lindley Hall.
The rocks are displayed on a rotating stand, allowing a 360 degree
Although the title of the display has the word "rock" in it, Kaesler also includes minerals, fossils and pseudorocks.
view. Perhaps the most entertaining part of the project is not the rocks themselves.
"I like to write a poem or lyric for it" Kaesler said.
Sound strange? Maybe, but some of the rocks and their origins are even stranger than Kaesler's rock-praising poetry.
"I had a student whose father was a doctor in China," Kaesler said. "I got a bladder stone from him that was the size of tennis ball. It was a most remarkable biological structure."
The bladder stone, Kaesler said with a smile, would qualify as a pseudorock.
Other strange rocks have appeared in Kaiser's case as well.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Roger Koesler, geology professor, places his choice for the "rock of the week" into its display case. No. 312 on the third floor of Lindley Hall.
One summer he decided to make a rock on display fashionable.
"I had a rock that looked like a human body and I put a bikini on it," Kaesler said.
Randy Mushrush, Strong City junior, is one of these students.
Students passing by the display case usually stop and take a look.
"I think it is a really creative way of making a subject that is not often interesting for students more fun," Mushrush said.
And creative. Kaesler has been.
He once had a core sample from an oil drilling operation on display. Not satisfied with that, Kaesler pasted a picture of Sylvester Stallone on it and deemed "Rocky of the Week"
Kaesler has had his off-weeks as well.
"Once I did not have anything so I grabbed a handful of gravel and put it in there and wrote a poem titled 'Gravel Is Our Friend.'" Kaesler said.
While seemingly a low point in the display's history, the poem brought Kaesler a little recognition.
While not exactly a famous literary publication, the Topeka Women-in-Construction Newsletter found it fit to print.
"It was published. Even geologists can get poems published," Kaesler said.
One of Kaeser's favorite displays was a stalagmite that resembled a penis. Kaeser keeps this rock hidden behind others on his bookshelf.
So, whether it is bladder stones,
pieces of the Berlin Wall or a stomach
stone from a dinosaur, a student
always can count on seeing an interesting and informative display in Llandyv Hall.
"It is one of my all-time favorites," Kaesler said.
"It is like anything else you have to do. Sometimes I get tired of it, but it is one of those things that I won't feel good if I don't do it," Kaesler said.
'Gravel Is Our Friend'
by Roger Kaesler, professor of Geology
Oh, you may talk of minerals-
Or calcite or hornblende- And write of ancient, fossil apes,
From which we did descend,
But when it all is said and
done,
I hope you'll comprehend, Of all things geological,
It's gravel that's our friend.
we use it by the truckload still
Our country roads to mend. For highways, dams, foundations, too.
Which Nature's forces rend. These humble lines, more true by far
Than any words yet penned:
Next time you see a driveway
rock
Think, "Gravel is our Friend."
Fall brings campers out to the woods
By Dave Breitenstein Kansan staff writer
Camping is a way for KU students to escape the stress of academia, at least for a weekend.
"I love being out in nature," said Kyle Wegner, Mulvane senior. "It's just so peaceful and quiet when I'm in the woods."
Wegner said he went camping a few times each year with his family and friends to places like Yellowstone National Park and Clinton Lake State Park.
"I'll usually bring a sleeping bag, tent, cooking supplies, lantern, food and a first aid kit," he said. "It doesn't cost much money to go camping; probably around $20 to $30."
Wilderness Discovery, a store in the Jaybowl at the Kansas Union, rents camping supplies to KU students, faculty and staff. It accepts reservations and requires a small deposit.
The camping equipment rented includes tents, sleeping bags, outdoor stoves, fuel bottles, cooking sets, lanterns, ice chests, water coolers and water jugs.
Mandy Gieber, conservation officer at Clinton Lake State Park, said the park attracted many student campers and that this time
of the year was one of the busiest.
"About 30 to 50 percent of campers are KU students or people in that age group," she said. "Students enjoy the relaxation and peace and quiet. We have bike trails, nature trails, boating and water activities that students like."
The park has 164 spaces for tent camping that cost $5 per day. It also has 240 spaces with water and electric hookups, which cost $11 each day.
Wegner said many students did not like camping because they had to sleep on the ground and ended up smelling like smoke.
Susan Winn, Houston graduate student, said that she had never been camping, but had always wanted to go.
"It would be nice to be in the woods every once in a while," she said. "Id like to be in nature for a few days without having to be in public. I would enjoy the peace and quiet."
Ann Weishaar, Nortonville junior, said bugs and weather problems were detractions to the wilderness. She said she had never been camping because her friends and family were not nature lovers.
"I would definitely give camping a try," she said.
ON THE RECORD
A KU student's mountain bike was stolen between 4 and 4:30 a.m. Saturday from a house in the 900 block of Kentucky Street, Lawrence police said. The bike was valued at $435.
A KU student's car was stolen between 10:30 p.m. Friday and 3:30 a.m. Saturday from the 3700 block of Clinton Parkway, Lawrence police said. The car was valued at $3,000.
A KU employee's car was stolen between 7 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. Saturday from Broken Arrow Park at 31st and Louisiana Streets, Lawrence police said. The car was valued at $300.
A KU student's car was damaged and cellular phone was stolen between 9:10 and 9:20 p.m. Friday in the 1800 block of Maine Street, Lawrence police said. The items were valued at $1,752.
A KU student's algebra textbook and calculator were stolen between 12:45 and 12:50 a.m. Thursday from the third floor lobby of McCollum Hall, KU police said. The items were valued at $146.
A KU student's dead bolt lock was damaged between 7:30 a.m. Thursday and 12 a.m. Friday in an attempted burglary in the 1100 block of Tennessee, Lawrence police said. The damage was estimated at $35.
A KU student's purse and miscellaneous items were stolen between 9:20 and 10:30 a.m. Wednesday from a car at the Lawrence Athletic Club, 3201
Mesa Way, Lawrence police said. The items were valued at $275.
A KU student's CD player, leather book bag and miscellaneous items were stolen between 1:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday from a car in the 1500 block of Lynch Court, Lawrence police said. The items were valued at $1,230.
A KU student's KUIU, bus pass, cash and identification holder were stolen between 1 and 1:30 p.m. last Monday from the lobby of Lewis Hall, KU police said. The items were valued at $135.
A KU student's wallet and cash were stolen at 2 p.m. Sept. 13 from Target, 3201 Iowa, Lawrence police said. The items were valued at $40.
A KU student's stereo, speakers and miscellaneous items were stolen between 10 p.m. Sept. 12 and 8 a.m. Sept. 13 from a car in the 2000 block of Naismith Drive, Lawrence police said. The items were valued at $1,000.
A computer was stolen between 7 a.m. Sept. 6 and 4 p.m. Sept. 9 from the Network and Telecommunications Systems office in Ellsworth Hall, KU police said. The computer was valued at $2,500.
A KU student's wallet and miscellaneous items were stolen between 1:30 and 1:35 a.m. Sept. 6 from a fraternity house in the 2000 block of Stewart Avenue, Lawrence police said. The items were valued at $30.
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