Each year, students look forward to the annual Mask and Wig Comedy Festival -- not only because it features many college comedy groups, but also for the famous comedians who host it.
This year, the comedy festival will kick off Spring Fling with Kevin Nealon as host.
Nealon, a former Saturday Night Live cast member, will perform at Penn on April 9 at 8 p.m. in Irvine Auditorium. He joins the list of famous comedians who have hosted the festival, including Ana Gasteyer and Bob Saget.
And for the first time, the comedy festival will be co-sponsored by the Social Planning and Events Committee.
"Mask and Wig came to us asking for a co-sponsorship, and we thought it would be a good thing to add to the festivities of Spring Fling," SPEC Treasurer Tim Ofak said.
The two student groups are collaborating in the hopes that they will be able to increase the popularity of the festival.
Nealon is well-known for his role as the Weekend Update anchor on SNL. He has also appeared on the ABC television series Champs and movies such as Happy Gilmore, The Master of Disguise and the soon-to-be-released Anger Management.
Ofak said SPEC members were excited that Nealon was available for the festival.
"He has the SNL appeal," Ofak said. "We are pretty happy with him -- he's hilarious.
"When I started watching Saturday Night Live, he was the host of Weekend Update, so I am especially psyched to have him," he added.
And though Ofak said that the SPEC committee members recognized Nealon from his stint on SNL, other students are not as familiar with the comedian.
College freshman Tim Flynn said, "I don't even know who that is."
Still, he added, that would not deter his desire to attend the festival -- "I definitely want to go," he said.
"I'm not exactly sure who he is, but I have a vague picture in my head," Engineering junior Allison Smith said. "I think it would be great if he came."
"I haven't ever seen Mask and Wig, but I think it would be really exciting," Smith added.
College junior Courtney Malloy expressed her excitement about Nealon's appearance.
"That's pretty sweet. I'd love to make it," she said. "But it's so hard to plan things out for Spring Fling."
The festival will feature 12-minute skits by Mask and Wig, Cornell's Skits-O-Phrenics, the Princeton Triangle Club, Maryland's Sketchup and Yale's Fifth Humor.
"These groups all have hilarious acts, and we are thrilled to have them perform at the comedy festival," Mask and Wig Comedy Festival Director Steve Kossuth said in a press release.
During the show, Nealon will have 30 minutes for his comedic act.
Tickets went on sale yesterday on Locust Walk for $5 and will also be available at the door.
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