TIGER TV ONLINE REPORTER

The Stand Up for Diversity Comedy tour provided an evening of laughter for students while reminding them about the importance of diversity.

The show featured stand-up comedians Reese Waters, who has starred in Michael and Michael Have Issues and appeared on Good Morning America and TRL, and Billy D. Washington, who has appeared on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam and the Late Late show with Craig Ferguson.

Both comedians performed stand up routines laced with some light-hearted race-based comedy, but focused on entertaining the crowd with general topics and types of jokes.

“We believe in removing the hype from stereotypes,” Washington said. “Not all people of a certain race are alike.”

Student Activities Board, the show sponsor, wanted the show to help promote diversity among students.

“One thing we’re doing in Multicultural Awareness is to promote diversity by having each of our activities highlight a different ethnic group,” Multicultural Awareness chair RaKeema Thomas said. “This activity highlighted African Americans and the next one will highlight Hispanics.”

But the night was not all about a push for diversity.

“We hope to communicate to students that SAB is not just educational, but entertaining,” Thomas said.

Some students just came for the entertainment.

“I was just curious about the whole thing,” freshman business major Julia Coco said. “I’ve never been to a comedy show with a cause.”

“I loved the observational comedy they did with audience members,” animal science freshman Taylor Schoen said.

Other students noted that diversity was already around them.

“I’m surprised the crowd is this diverse,” Devon Wade, a sociology junior, said.

After the two-hour show, the comedians got on stage together to answer questions from the audience.

Many questions focused on the lives of Washington and Waters and comedy itself, but some delved deeper.

“When we talk about diversity in the black community one problem we have is when someone is too diverse people call them a sell-out,” Washington said.

Waters talked about how he was inspired by his grandfather, who participated in the civil rights movement.

“He worked hard every day and taught me how to be a professional,” Waters said. “When I go to different places now, I feel like I can make a change.”

Through the humor, SAB delivered an important message to students that will continue into the future.

“We’re moving toward diversity at LSU,” Devon Wade, a sociology junior, said. “I wanted to come out and support that in the University.”