Ryan Conner became interested in becoming a screenwriter when he was a freshman in college.

He started performing stand-up comedy about six years ago.

A few months ago, Conner started writing for the “Weekend Update” segment of Saturday Night Live.

“Their producers send me their set-ups and I write the jokes,” he said. “It is basically an audition to get a job as a staff writer on Saturday Night Live.”

Some material he wrote on “Weekend Update” includes jokes about Sarah Palin and drug traffickers in Massachusetts.

Conner will take the stage at 9 p.m. in the 7th Street

Underground of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

Conner will tell anecdotes ranging from stories about his family to when he was in college and when he was younger, searching for jobs.

He said he will also talk about the worst wedding toast he ever gave.

“It may have been the worst wedding toast in the history of weddings,” Conner said.

Matt Caponera, comedy chair for the University Board, said students will like Conner because he does a lot of pop-culture and political references.

“He talks about politics and issues college kids might get themselves,” Caponera said. “He also talks about marijuana a lot.”

Caponera picks out comedians from Bass Schuler, a company that sends the UB packages and clips from different comedians.

Caponera picks comedians who best suit Eastern and can fit into the UB’s schedule.

Mindy Gayheart, graduate adviser for UB comedy, said the UB would give raffles at the beginning of the show, and that most of the comedians that the UB had in the past have hit maximum capacity.

Conner has performed at approximately 40 colleges and clubs across the country and has also performed in China.

“I always have fun at college shows whether they are in a theater of 1,000 people or a café of 75 people,” he said.

Heather Holm can be reached at 581-7942 or at haholm@eiu.edu