Six students will have the opportunity to showcase their stand-up talent during today’s Last Comic Standing and one of those six students is Mandy Smith.

In order to perform in the show, students were required to submit their stand-up material through e-mail or to the Student Activities Center. Only six out of the 12 applicants were chosen to compete.

Mandy Smith, a senior English major, was the only female comedian selected among the rest of the male competition.

Smith felt disappointed with the lack of female comedians selected for the show, but is still excited for the opportunity to perform.

“I’m pretty excited to represent for the funny girls. I am going to show those boys what funny is,” Smith said.

Smith also hopes that her stand-up will inspire other female comedians to get out there and perform.

Family has been the main influence for Smith’s comedic material. Smith has a twin sister who her parents constantly compare her to. Throughout her stand-up act Smith will also be making her comedy come to life by making different voices to imitate her parents.

Smith got her first taste of comedy when she had to perform a 5- to 10-minute mini stand-up show for her Laughter and Comedy class, as an alternative to writing a 10-page paper for the class.

Ever since her Laughter and Comedy class, Smith has jumped on any chance to perform stand-up comedy again.

“It’s a good opportunity to go onstage and make people laugh. It’s really just about that,” Smith said.

For Smith, performing is just about being on stage and making people laugh.

For Kevin Miller, it is about a little friendly competition among friends. But for Anthony “OC” Boyd, it is about redeeming himself from the previous year’s Last Comic Standing competition.

Miller, a senior management major, is no stranger to comedy; however, this will be his first time performing stand-up.

Miller is a member of the Eastern improve comedy group Hello Dali and will be competing against two fellow Hello Dali members.

Miller’s stand-up act will focus on college life on campus, driving, and personal, funny life experiences. He is nervous to perform, but excited at the same time.

“My hopes for my performance is to make people laugh. That’s my ultimate goal,” Miller said.

For Boyd, Last Comic Standing is about winning and making sure the audience members enjoy themselves.

“I feel nervous, but I’m going to drop the bomb and give it all I got,” Boyd said.

The comedians will have a 10- to 15-minute solo time slot to perform their stand-up material.

They will be judged on stage presence, delivery and crowd reaction.

The first-place winner will receive a $150 Visa gift card and their very own one-hour stand-up show scheduled for sometime next year.

The second-place winner will receive a $100 Visa gift card and the third-place winner will receive a $75 Visa gift card.

Rovion Reed, the University Board comedy coordinator, said people can expect a high-energy show.

“I read all the comedy they submitted and it was even funny just reading it,” Reed said.

Last Comic Standing will take place tonight at 9 p.m. in the 7th Street Underground.

Samantha Bilharz can be reached at 581-2812

or slbilharz@eiu.ed