By Reena Dutt
Arizona Daily Wildcat
November 6, 1997

Comedy WAR

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat Audie Alcorn (left) and Tommy Cannon of the Charles Darwin Experience interpret a prehistoric drug exchange during a performance in The Cellar. The Darwins' performances are unrehearsed and improvisational, relying on audience participation.

At the beginning of the new semester's comedy season, an interesting thing happened. Comedy Corner was joined by a new comedy troupe, the Charles Darwin Experience - an improvisational group formed by University of Arizona students.

Not only is there a comedy show at noon in The Cellar (the Comedy Corner vets), but now there is also a 10 o'clock performance on Thursday nights in the same place (the Darwins).

The difference between the two groups is evident. Comedy Corner, which has been around for more than 10 years, is based on sketch comedy. This means that most of the performances are pre-written as well as rehearsed by members and performers of the comedy group, although they always insert a short improvisational segment in each show. The Charles Darwin Experience performances are unrehearsed and improvisational. They do not perform pre-written material, so with the help of audience participation, the show evolves - hence the name.

Public reaction was mixed. A new group could be a great thing or it could create havoc. On one hand, two comedy groups could easily cause competition for use of The Cellar. Tony Carnevale, a member of Charles Darwin Experience, heard rumors implying that members of the new comedy group were trying to book The Cellar on Fridays at noon, the same time that Comedy Corner performs.

He denies any such thing, saying that Brad Wallace of Comedy Corner in fact announced the idea of the Darwins trying to steal Comedy Corner's time slot to the audience at a Friday performance. "At first I thought it was part of a sketch, but later I found out he was serious," Carnevale said.

Comedy Corner also denies having anything to do with the rumors that have been spread throughout the semester about both comedy groups.

Chris Nelson, a member of Comedy Corner, said "people have been trying to get things started between us," even though those people are not affiliated with either group.

By attempting to start rumors, they are only giving both groups free publicity, said Nelson.

According to Nelson and Wallace, any publicity is good. They cited an incident from earlier this semester. At one of the shows, Comedy Corner gave their audience a challenge - bring in a Charles Darwin flier and receive a free T-shirt. Of course one might argue that this encourages the disappearance of the Darwins' fliers and, along with it, their publicity. In response, Wallace said, "That is not our responsibility. Again, any publicity is good. Besides, I only counted about two fliers."

Because this event occurred before the Charles Darwin Experience had a chance to perform on the University campus, the new comedy group took offense. Carnevale, the founder of Charles Darwin Experience, said "It's conceivable that they [Comedy Corner] may feel threatened," which could be an explanation for ridding campus of the Darwins' fliers. Comedy Corner admitted they initially felt threatened by the upstart comedy group. One of their members, Brett Christensen, said, "Last year when it first formed there was a slight jealousy ... like when a firstborn finds out their mom's having a new baby."

But in regards to the T-shirt/flier incident, Wallace and Nelson said it had nothing to do with competition.

Aside from all the publicity, whether good or bad, it is hard to avoid rumors that are floating around about both groups. Some of them are hard to imagine.

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat Comedy Corner producer Chris Nelson rehearses with other members of the troupe in The Cellar earlier this semester. The veteran comedy group has a new competitor in the Charles Darwin Experience troupe.

Rumor one: A girl poses as a member of Comedy Corner to enter the University Activities Board office. She asks for the key to the display case on a wall near The Cellar. She is refused the key. The university worker turns around to pick up a piece of paper and suddenly the key is gone. The key later reappears, as does a Charles Darwin Experience flier in the display case downstairs.

Rumor two: Comedy Corner is plotting against their competition. They run around campus picking up Charles Darwin Experience fliers as they make their rounds. The next day, over half the publicity for the new group is missing. Aside from that, the members of Comedy Corner are telling people not to attend Darwin shows because their sense of humor is lousy.

These scenarios seem to be ridiculous, but are they really happening? Nelson said the Charles Darwin Experience was formed as "a slap in the face [to Comedy Corner]." Rumor has it that the founder of the Charles Darwin Experience had auditioned for Comedy Corner during the last semester and was rejected, which is the real reason for forming another group. As far as auditioning for Comedy Corner is concerned, Carnevale never did. In fact, he said he attended his first Comedy Corner show after forming the Charles Darwin Experience.

According to another Comedy Corner member, Carnevale allegedly thinks the original group does not give good performances and formed the other group to show the University what a good performance looks like. When asked about this theory on his motivation, Carnevale explains that there is nothing like the Charles Darwin Experience on campus. The new group is "complete improvisation," similar to a group he belonged to in Massachusetts, Mr. Gad's House of Improv. He thinks Comedy Corner is good entertainment for a college campus. In fact, representatives of the Charles Darwin Experience said, "Other groups are forming. The more the better."

As far as Nelson is concerned, "Bad blood is non-existent."

A Charles Darwin Experience fan said Nelson's group thinks otherwise. Apparently members of Comedy Corner regularly attend the Darwins' shows and sit together, mocking the performance. Although members of the Charles Darwin Experience have not heard any specific comments, their fans have provided the information. Whatever the case may be, Johnson adds, "We've been told they disrupt the show, but anything they say has been combated by the fans."

In spite of the supposed "Comedy War" however, both groups agree that neither one can be considered competition to the other. Both groups have members that regularly attend the other's shows, and they both agree the idea of two campus comedy troupes "is kinda cool."

As for which group will actually come out ahead, that remains to be seen, but a couple of hours on the front line, or in the trenches (at their shows, in other words) and you can help decide.