| RELATED INFO |
| * Purdue Convocations |
| * Lewis Black |
| * Live Nation |
April 25, 2008
Comedian Lewis Black to perform at Purdue's Elliott Hall of Music
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
Purdue's Student Concert Committee is presenting the performance, which is produced by Live Nation.
"Lewis Black is one of the most prolific and popular performers working today," said Laura Clavio, Purdue Convocations assistant director and Student Concert Committee adviser. "He executes a brilliant trifecta as stand-up comedian, actor and author. Black's live performances provide a cathartic release of anger and disillusionment for his audience. A passionate performer who is more an angry optimist than mean-spirited curmudgeon, he's perfected expressing what the rest of us cannot say in polite company."
Receiving critical acclaim, Black performs more than 200 nights a year to sell-out audiences throughout Europe, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Clavio said he is one of the few performers to sell out multiple renowned theaters including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City Center and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. In 2007, Black received a Grammy award for Best Comedy Album for "The Carnegie Hall Performance" stand-up CD released by Comedy Central Records.
In 2006, Black had a breakout year as an actor, Clavio said. He co-starred with Robin Williams in Barry Levinson's "Man of the Year," released by Universal Pictures, appeared as the fake dean of a fake college in Steve Pink's "Accepted," by Universal Pictures, and as the harried airport manager in Paul Feig's "Unaccompanied Minors," which was released by Warner Brothers. In addition, Black lent his voice to the role of Jimmy in Bob Saget's parody, "Farce of the Penguins," released by Thinkfilm.
In August 2007, he was the first stand-up comedian to perform in concert at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. In December 2007, Black was part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Christmas Show - along with Robin Williams, Kid Rock, Lance Armstrong, Ronan Tynan and Miss USA Rachel Smith - that entertained U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Qatar, Spain and Italy.
In the midst of a rigorous touring schedule and several TV appearances, Black's first book, "Nothing's Sacred" (Simon and Schuster 2005) debuted on "The New York Times" Best Seller List. He's currently working on a second book (Penguin June 2008) titled "Me of Little Faith." It is a humorous exploration of religion and faith in which he examines how the rules and constraints of religion have affected his life and the lives of everyone. Clavio said Black's hilarious experiences with rabbis, Mormons, gurus, psychics and even the joy of a perfect round of golf give him the chance to expound upon what people believe and why - in the language of a shock jock and with the heart of an iconoclast.
Tickets for Lewis Black are $42.50 for the general public and $30 for Purdue and Ivy Tech students and children under age 19; prices include a facilities fee. There is a language advisory.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. June 6 at the Elliott Hall of Music and Stewart Center box offices at (765) 494-3933 and through Ticketmaster at (765) 743-5151, https://www.ticketmaster.com and https://www.livenation.com
Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu
Sources: Kerry Schutt Nason, Purdue Convocations director of marketing, (765) 494-5045, knason@purdue.edu
Laura Clavio, (765) 496-2913, lzclavio@purdue.edu
Kyle Johnston, Live Nation marketing manager, (317) 249-2710, kylejohnston@livenation.com
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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