Hundreds Attend “A Night of Comedy” in Mandel Hall
 October 2005—Chicago Society hosted two hilarious South Asian comedians, Azhar Usman and Dan Nainan, in Mandel Hall on Saturday, October 22 for “A Night of Comedy: Stand-Up Comics Perform and Discuss their Art.” Usman, one of the world’s only Muslim comedians and a trained lawyer, had the audience of several hundred cracking up as he relentlessly attacked stereotypes with humor. “Both comedians treaded on potentially sensitive ground with apparent ease, using topics such as Muslims in America, racial profiling, and terrorism as sources of humor for the night,” writes William Vail in The Chicago Maroon.
 The event, co-hosted with the South Asian Students Association, featured a short discussion with the comedians about the art and profession of comedy following their performance. The event was a spectacular reflection of Chicago Society’s goal of bringing events to the University of Chicago community that facilitate students’ encounters with interesting people to whom they would normally not have direct access.
“Both in the personal way Usman and Nainan talked about themselves, and, especially, in the way they answered questions and spoke directly to attendees outside after the show, I think this event reached out to the University of Chicago community in a unique way that is not usually emphasized at large-scale ‘entertainment’ events,” Chicago Society’s president remarked.
Top photo by Jack Rosner of The Maroon.
Press Links:
“Politically Incorrect Asian Comedians Draw Laughs” - Chicago Maroon, October 25, 2005
“Stand-Up Guys” - University of Chicago Magazine, October 24, 2005
“Comedians to Visit Campus Saturday” - Chicago Maroon, October 21, 2005
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