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'Blue Collar' comedian will open Family Weekend entertainment

Emily Gay

Miami University wants to give students-and their parents-something to laugh about.

Bill Engvall, comedian from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, is the planned evening entertainment for Family Weekend 2007. The event, which is sponsored by the Performing Art Series and Campus Activities Council's Concert Board, will take place at 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29, in Millett Hall.

Engvall has gained widespread notoriety for has appearing alongside Jeff Foxworthy, Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy on Blue Collar TV. There is also The Bill Engvall Show, a family comedy for all ages, which airs on TBS.

Julia Camp, co-chair of concert board, said that the wide appeal of Engvall made him an attractive choice for Family Weekend.

"Concert board liked the idea of a comedian for Family Weekend because comedy has multigenerational appeal," Camp said. "A lot of students have different musical tastes from their parents but everyone can have a laugh if it's a good comedian."

Last year's entertainment was the Steve Miller Band and in 2006 comedian Bill Cosby hit the stage, which according, to the Performing Arts Series, sold nearly 7,000 tickets to the Miami community.

So far, Engvall's act has sold approximately 4,000 tickets, but sales are expected to increase in the next week.

According to Craig Harkrider from the Shriver Box Office, tickets first went on sale Aug. 15.

Patti Hannan Liberatore, director of Miami's Performing Arts Series, reiterated the fact that both parents and students should enjoy Engvall's performance.

"Bill Engvall is great for families because he's funny, but he's clean," Liberatore said. "I think that he bridges the dual audience of students and parents really well."

Ryan Mallory, a Miami sophomore, said he's planning on, besides the Engvall show, going to the football game, out to dinner and walk around campus during Family Weekend.

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"I don't know too much, but I've heard (Engvall) can be either really funny or not funny at all; hit or miss," Mallory said.

Tickets for the Engvall show are currently on sale through the Shriver Box Office. The costs of the tickets are either $33 or $25, depending on seat location.