In a darkened performance space, tucked in Carrboro, the Dirty South Improv Comedy Theater began their 24LIVE! weekend of comedy on Thursday night.
The theater joined the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Y for the tenth year of 24LIVE. All proceeds from the three-day festival go to the Y’s scholarship fund.
“This evening benefits low income families by allowing kids to have an enriching experience at summer camp while parents continue to work,” John Reitz, a member of DSI said. “You, in seeing the comedy you already love, are making a difference in local families.”
Staff writer Jenna Stout attended the first of three nights of comedy.
8 p.m. Tom Keller, called the best dressed man in comedy by the nights comedians, stepped up to the mic.
Keller introduced the opening act of eight students who had recently graduated from his 101 Comedy class.
Julia McClung was the next to take the microphone.
McClung’s mother was in attendance. She said she was very proud of her daughter, but that she did not approve of all of the dirty jokes in the show.
McClung’s classmate, Brandon Thomas, took the stage next.
He began with a story about a Carrboro friend who did not like to harm any living creature, including mosquitoes, in order to preserve the creature’s life and family.
Thomas squished that thought.
9 p.m. The 101 class finished their performance and a vast array of visiting acts took the stage.
The stand-up ranged from comparing Asheville and Carrboro hobos to Katie Perry’s lyrics, “feeling like a plastic bag.”
Cody Hughes, a recent UNC graduate and multi-year winner of the Carolina Union Activities Board’s Student Stand-Up Competition, commented on long distance relationship conversation.
He described the most interesting thing you can talk about to your girlfriend, when you live with your parents in the middle of nowhere, is the fact that you can no longer cook chicken with the windows open because it is coyote season.
10:15 p.m. Crazy Borris stepped onstage with an accordion and a handful of hats.
His whipped out a medieval hat and began singing as Danny the homeless knight.
“I have no fears and have not bathed in 3 years.” He sang.
With a switch of a hat he also became—“Cowboy Frat Boy,” singing about leather jackets with popped collars underneath.
He finally put on a sombrero and sang of the woes of working in a Mexican restaurant. Americans tried to order in Spanish, but ended up failing miserably and ordering little Chihuahuas and taco bell.
The show began with dirty jokes and ended with a box of hats accompanied by an accordion.
“Feel free about what you laugh at because your money is going to a good cause,” Keller said.
24LIVE continues Friday from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 12 a.m. Tickets are $12.
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