Comedian Mark Curry, best known for his roles in “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper” and “Showtime at the Apollo,” was missing from the “Party at Pete’s Place” on Friday night.
Curry was scheduled to perform a stand-up routine in the PMAC at the special event following the Tigers’ first home volleyball game of the season against Mississippi State.
Guy Gaster, assistant director of athletics marketing, said a representative for Curry cited flight problems as the reason for Curry’s absence.
Gaster said he did not expect fans to be upset that Curry was unable to attend the event.
“I think most people came to support our student athletes,” Gaster said. “Probably about 80 to 90 percent of the crowd came for our volleyball and basketball players, and for them, [Curry] was just a bonus.”
The event included an autograph session with the men’s and women’s basketball teams, several prize giveaways and performances by the Tiger Girls dance team and the LSU Cheerleaders.
Ashley Peyroux and Andrew LeSaicherre, both business juniors, came to see Curry for a second time this year. Peyroux and LeSaicherre first met Curry at the North American Veterinary Conference in Orlando, Fla., in January.
Curry served as entertainment at the conference. After the performance, the two took a picture with Curry and briefly talked with him.
They brought the picture from the conference along with them, hoping to get his autograph.
Peyroux and LeSaicherre said they were glad they came to the event, despite not being able to meet Curry again.
“He was the main reason we came tonight, but we’re having fun,” Peyroux said. “We’re not upset at all. We got some autographs from the basketball players instead.”
The Athletic Department stated in a news release on its Web site that the “Party at Pete’s Place” had an attendance of approximately 3,500 people.
Contact Meghan Legaux at [email protected]