'An Evening with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood'

By Gabrielle Wiegand - Feature Writer

An Evening with Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood is a side-splitting evening to remember.  Stars of the Emmy-nominated “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”, Mochrie and Sherwood are comedy improv geniuses who sure know how to show an audience a good time. 
   Using suggestions from the audience and audience participants, the duo improvised the entire show.  They were able to engage the audience and play with us, without poking fun. 
   Sherwood began the show, saying how excited he was to be in town.  “We played Springfield before, but in two other states.”
   For the first game, they brought two audience members on stage and while the duo did a short improv sketch, the two audience members had to make all of the actors' movements. 
   For comedy topics, Mochrie brought out a Springfield phone book and flipped through it until yet another audience member stopped on a page.  They did sketches on glass windows, motels, catering, you name it.  Other times they asked for people to yell out suggestions.  “This is a terrific show to bring your friends and family who have Tourette’s,” quipped Sherwood.  
   Another game they played was called “New Choice.” They brought three children on the stage, gave them horns and every time they honked the horn, Sherwood and Mochrie had to alter the last thing they just said. 
   The show really got the audience involved, including some less-than-eager individuals.  “Could we have you two?” asked Mochrie of a younger couple.  “Yes, the ones with the shocked looks on their faces.”  However, each person who went onstage was a good sport and added an element of suspense and excitement to the show. 
   After several rather off-color audience recommendations, Sherwood turned to the audience with a look of disgust on his face and teased, “I just want you guys as a crowd to take a look in the mirror.”
   Mochrie is one of those crazy comedic Canadians.  He spent time working at Second City in Toronto.  He has had smaller film roles, such as in “The Real Blonde” with Kathleen Turner and Matthew Modine.  He has been a regular on Drew Carrey's “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”  Mochrie has also done various television series in Canada.  (Apparently they just love him up there!)
   Sherwood has been a regular on both ABC's “Whose Line Is It Anyways?” as well as the British version.  A very funny (and tall) man, Sherwood has been on “The Drew Carrey Show,” “L.A. Law” and “To Tell the Truth.”  Also an alumnus of Second City, Sherwood was a regular performer on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” for six years.

Take a 'Road Trip' or be one of the 'Wedding Crashers'

By Gabrielle Wiegand - Feature Writer

   Spring Break is that special time each year when college students go on trips and/or do things they’ll probably regret once they get home (or wake up and look at the person on the pillow next to them).  Not everyone gets to experience the joy/humiliation/hangover/etc. of Spring Break.  Luckily, they can live vicariously through the horribly embarrassing and crude experiences of some of the better comedy films of our time.  
   “Old School” (R, 2003)
What can one say about “Old School”?  The comedic genius of Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson is unparalleled.  They play three men who are disillusioned with their personal lives so they form a college fraternity in order to re-live their glory days, all the while evil Dean of Students Pritchard is out to ruin their fun.
   “Wedding Crashers” (R, 2005)
Let me start by saying, (sigh) Vince Vaughn really knows how to make a girl laugh.  Vaughn and Owen Wilson star as two womanizing divorce mediators who crash wedding to pick up women.  There is also a very impressive supporting cast that helps make this film not just HILAROUS, but also a really good movie.
   “Anchorman” (R, 2004)
I don’t think you can ever get too much Will Ferrell.  In this one he plays ‘70s anchorman Ron Burgundy.  The newsroom’s men’s club is given a rude awakening when a woman joins the team.  This film is very funny, very crude.  My parents shut it off. 
   “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” (R, 2005)
Nearly 15 minutes of this film had to be cut out in order to avoid an NC-17 rating.  So right there, you know it’s got to be an inappropriate good time.  Steve Carell plays Andy Stitzer, a nice guy with an action figure collection and his virginity still in tact at the ripe old age of 40.  
   “Dodgeball” (R, 2004)
Once again, Vince Vaughn stars in a film about a group of misfits who join a dodgeball competition.  Vaughn’s character is fighting to win the championship as well as keep his business out of the clutches of the evil mullet-wearing Ben Stiller. 
   “Eurotrip” (R, 2004)
High school is over and Scotty embarks on a European adventure with three friends.  He wants to meet his German online pen pal who turns out to be a hot girl (only in the movies).  Of course, they meet a variety of crazy characters and have some wild adventures.  “Eurotrip” is mindless; it’s entertaining.
   “Road Trip” (R, 2000)
Okay, so all you need to know about this film is that a few friends are on a cross-country road trip, Tom Green co-stars and you will lose IQ points if you sit through it. 
   “National Lampoon's Van Wilder” (R, 2002)
In the great tradition of slapstick teen comedy, we find “Van Wilder,” a man who has been in college for seven years.  When his father stops paying his tuition, Van becomes a full time party-thrower.  Then there is the sexy journalist from the college paper who wrote an unflattering article about Van and whom Van is trying to get in bed. 
   American Pie Trilogy
The American Pie films (1, 2, American Wedding) are… indescribable.  Inappropriate.  Raunchy.  Funny to watch while drunk.

College Spring Break style

By Gabrielle Wiegand - Feature Writer

Long before there was MTV or “Girls Gone Wild,” there was Spring Break.  Originating with the ancient Greeks, Spring Break underwent many incarnations over the years before it arrived at the crazy, drunken, naked good times we now associate with it.  
Back in the day, the Greeks were looking to blow off steam after a long hard winter (although, I am not so sure how long and hard of a winter Greece has).  The young people would get together, hold festivals in honor of the gods and do some general frolicking. 
Then Christianity rained on the Spring Break parade.  Because if there is one thing God hates, it’s frolicking.  However, spring fever is pretty powerful and all the Inquisitions in all the lands could not remove Spring Break from the souls of Europeans everywhere. 
The emergence of Spring Break in the U.S. took awhile, but as they say, all good things come to those who wait.  During World War I, the European troops would take a little break from fighting each spring for partying. 
Legend has it that scantily clad women would dance for the troops.  Much to the surprise and horror of the American soldiers (this was before “Brokeback Mountain”), these women frequently turned out to be men.  So just to be on the safe side, they started employing the phrase “Show us your (lewd term for breasts)!” which went on to be a Spring Break anthem. 
Not until the ‘60s and ‘70s did Americans really take to the Spring Break phenomenon.  The Baby Boomers (stop and think about that for a moment- our parents!) were more than a little eager to take a break from studying, protesting or disco to head to the beach for some fun in the sun.  
Soon hundreds of thousands of students were flocking to Fort Lauderdale, Daytona Beach, Cancun, Miami Beach, Jamaica, Acapulco, South Padre Island and Panama City Beach between February to mid-April. 
The 80’s and 90’s saw the typical Spring Break evolve into what it is today- young tan people overindulging in sex and booze while being filmed for MTV or “Girls Gone Wild” videos. 
Now, there is nothing wrong with some sun frolicking, but if you are going on Spring Break–be smart, be safe.  Don't mix drinking and swimming, always make sure there is a life guard, don't drink from the “girls only” punch bowl, use sunscreen, always use condoms and dental dams, always travel in at least pairs, don't leave your beverage unattended, be careful of broken glass and bare feet, don't go to strange men’s hotel rooms or on strange men's boats (I know it sounds weird, but I know someone who’s done it) and for love of all that is holy, if you see a man with a video camera–keep your clothes on!
But if you really feel the need to flash someone with a video camera, just remember that one day your father might be channel surfing and see you in a commercial for “Dumb Half Naked Girls Who Didn’t Listen to Gabbie When They Should Have.” 

'An Evening with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood'

Take a 'Road Trip' or be one of the 'Wedding Crashers'

College Spring Break style