Comedy kings hit San Jose

By: Rossa Dono

Posted: 4/9/07

Those fortunate enough to attend Nu Alpha Kappa's comedy show on April 5 got the chance to laugh to Phat Joe, Jacob Sirof, and newcomer for the well-known group, Latin King's of Comedy, Manny Maldonado.

"It was one of the funniest shows I've been to in a while," said Edgar Raygoza, a senior majoring in international business.

Nu Alpha Kappa put on the comedy show hopefully as a precedent for an annual show, said Rudy Regidor, a senior majoring in international business.

"We are doing this as a way to build up our recognition," Regidor said. "We have an annual scholarship fund for incoming freshman, as well as our philanthropy - the National Bone Marrow Program - we want to raise money for."

Phat Joe, a big man with no problem making fun of himself or his weight, and describes himself as "a half-Asian, half-white stand up comedian who looks Hispanic or Pacific Islander" on his MySpace page, was the host of the show.

"My name is Phat Joe and I don't spell it with an 'F'. I spell it with a 'Ph', and that stands for 'Pretty hungry all the time'," said the comedian.

Although there was a lack of attendance, the best parts of the show were when the comedians interacted with the crowd, said Michael Rasmussen, a senior majoring in liberal arts studies.

"He (Jacob Sirof) made fun of me," said Francisco Alcala, a senior majoring in marketing, laughing. "He called me Nacho Libre, and that's the part I remember the most."

Sirof, who is a San Francisco native, has been a comedian for five years and said that he wanted to do it since he was a little kid.

"It's a tough crowd because they aren't drinking," Sirof said jokingly after the show.

Sirof made the crowd laugh by making fun of the SJSU police officer in the back of the room, and by using stereotypes in his jokes.

"I'm saying really offensive s***," Sirof said, "and it's so offensive, I don't mean it."

With the opportunity for the comedians to ask the crowd questions, they were able to set up jokes on the spot about those who attended, and in turn the crowd was better able to relate.

"It was a good show," said Frandelis Centeno, a sophomore majoring in sociology. "I thought there was going to be more people, but the comedians were really good.

Manny was hilarious. They were enthusiastic even though the crowd wasn't that big."

Manny Maldonado, who joked that he gave up his wife for lent, has been a full time comedian for four years now.

"I had fun," Maldonado said. "Whether it be three or 3,000 people, it's all good."