Comedians performing at the LSU UnionTheater Friday night were after more than fart jokes and cheaplaughs — they needed to face personal issues.
    ”I like to share my pain and hatred withthe audience,” said comedian Sunny Weathers. “Comedy is goodtherapy for a lot of us.”
    The local comedy troupe, called theCOURT (Comics Of the Ugly Round Table), candidly shared theiranger, fears and paranoia with the audience throughout the night aspart of the “Bust Your Gut Comedy Tour.”
    ”I have a fear of being poisoned in mysleep,” said performer John “J-Bob” Wilson, a fourth year ISDSstudent.
    Missta, the host of the event, alsoexpressed his feelings on stage.
    ”Everything is a [expletive]conspiracy,” Missta said. “I don’t trust nothing.”
    A large audience, comprised mainly ofstudents, listened and laughed to the group’s rants, pleas andoutbursts. Comedians performing at the event, which was sponsoredby Pi Sigma Epsilon, included Howard Hall Jr., Jermaine Jingles,Greg Hamilton, Patrick Burls and Doc Jones along with Weathers,Wilson and Missta.
    ”I like to think that we make a realfine gumbo,” Missta said. “We have all different styles, but wecompliment each other real well.”
    The comedy group has been performingtogether loosely for about six months said Patrick Burls, who alsoserves as the group’s producer.
    ”Comedy is a great thing,” Burls said.”It takes people’s minds off the Monday to Friday life.”
    The group hones its comedic skill atlocal clubs such as Swamp Mamma’s and the 307 Club in Lafayette,Burls said.
    Group newcomer Doc Jones has performedin California and at such notable venues as The Comedy Store. Jonessaid bluntly, “I’m funny as hell. I’ve been coaching these guys allweek.”
    With the theater filled to about halfcapacity, the comedy troupe’s reputation seems to be spreadingacross campus.
    ”I thought it was pretty good,” saidJonathan Hotstream, a third year student in civil engineering.”I’ve seen a bunch of those guys before.”
    The performers were never slow to praisetheir own comedic talent.
    ”I’m a naturally funny person,” Jinglessaid. “And comedy gets the job done when it comes to the honeys.But I always say — quality overquantity.”    
    Women and relationships were likewise ahot topic for the all-male group throughout the night. Wilsonstaged a scene using a member of the audience in which an LSUfreshman seduces a girl to his dorm room. Other comedians were moredirect.
    ”I hate women,” Hamilton said. “I hateall of you.”
    As the hits kept coming, it became clearthe comedians were not out to be politically correct.
    ”Some people say I’m the most offensivecomic in Baton Rouge,” Hamilton said. “I use a lot of audienceparticipation. You should be scared to participate.”
    Hamilton’s comedy set, along with manyothers, covered such topics as drinking, drug use, sex and racialstereotypes. But all the outlandishness was often used to hide thecomedians’ true colors.
    ”I’m really pretty boring,” Weatherssaid. “I sit around and work on computers all day.”