Canadian comedian Michael Harrison premiered as the first University Board comedian for the 2012-13 school year Friday. 

Harrison, born in Saskatchewan, Canada, performed a stand up routine that involved jokes about himself, sex, being cheap, family and other colleges. 

Harrison said he is touring the U.S. and trying to learn the comic scene here. 

“I’m making people laugh with my funny talk, my funny Canadian talk,” Harrison said. “If a joke doesn’t work, I can just ‘eh’ and you guys will eat it up.”

Daniel Turano, the UB Chairman, said he thought Harrison was a great pick for the first show.

“I think (the summer UB coordinators) found him online, and they just fell in love with his act when they saw a couple bits on YouTube,” Turano said.

Harrison said he is always inspired when he laughs and makes other laugh as well.

He said he got into comedy after he saw a comedian as a kid.

“I used to be a fat, young kid in high school, and I remember seeing a comedian that made me laugh so hard that I forgot all that stuff, and I could look at life positively,” Harrison said. 

Harrison said he was looking forward to the energy from the crowd. 

“I’m going to be performing for a bunch of students who are excited to meet people their own age and go through this experience with each other,” he said. 

Harrison’s show took place during UB’s “Up All Night,” and he said he was worried the students would be too tired to be energetic during his show. 

“I think they’re going to be tired by the time they get done sumo wrestling,” Harrison said.

Harrison said he was not sure at first what he was going to do during his show. 

“I was told that I could talk about anything so, if it’s a young group like this, I think I’m just going to talk about sex. That’s all college kids like, sex and alcohol,” Harrison said. “To be honest, I just talk about my own life and just about my own foibles.”

Harrison said he likes to come to a show early so he can see the crowd and see how everyone is sitting.

“I like to find out which audience member is going to be the crabby one,” Harrison said.

During his show, Harrison scrutinized people in the audience who appeared stiff or bored, including asking a student in the front row if he needed a lap dance to loosen up. 

He also commented on Western Illinois University’s athletic name saying the “leather necks” does not sound as intimidating as the panthers.

Turano said he thinks the audience enjoyed the show. 

“They laughed at everything, and I didn’t hear any silences during the show,” Turano said. “There were some ‘ohs’ like should you laugh but I think they responded well.”

Harrison said he hopes the audience liked his energy during his show and enjoyed his stand up act.

“He went for it, and I was happy did because I think that is what draws in the audience, just not holding back,” Turano said. 

Karel Thaibsyah, a senior biology major, said he enjoyed the show and its wide variety of commentary.

“I think the content resonates with the demographics, so I think it’s a real hit,” Thaibsyah said. 

Malin Bendz, a junior business major, agreed. 

“I was laughing so hard that I couldn’t breathe,” Bendz said. 

Bendz also said it was a good way to spend her fifth day in the U.S. 

“I don’t even know what I would be doing right now, maybe eating cookies,” Bendz said.

Samantha McDaniel can be reached at 581-2812 or slmcdaniel@eiu.edu.