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Ryan’s ‘Office’ comedy ignites PBK

Though the Writers’ Guild strike has starved the nation of new episodes of favorite television programs, UCAB will satiate the campus’s appetite for comedy with star, writer and producer of NBC’s “The Office,” B.J. Novak.

His ‘Office’ character, often simply referred to as Ryan the Temp, is known as the object of his boss Michael Scott’s affection. As the greenest employee in the office, he was nicknamed Fire Guy after he caused the entire Dunder Mifflin, Inc. Scranton branch to evacuate the office when he set his pita on fire in the toaster oven.

Though his character was once reason for evacuation, Novak is expected to fill the seats of Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall for his stand-up comedy show Feb. 1 from 8 to 10 p.m.

While Novak was made famous through his role on “The Office,” the 28-year-old comedian is also known as an improviser on MTV’s celebrity prank show “Punk’d,” on which he appeared most memorably as Hilary Duff’s driving instructor. He also made a cameo in “Knocked Up.”

On “The Office” — which ranks 6th in the College’s Facebook network’s top TV shows — Novak plays Ryan Howard, a temp recently promoted to corporate. Because he stars in one of the campus’s favorite television series, Novak was one of the UCAB comedy committee’s top choices for comedians to bring to campus.

“In selecting well-known comedians to come to our campus, we try to pick people we believe a large number of students would be interested in seeing,” UCAB Comedy Committee Chair Anne Hughes ’08 said. “B.J.’ s ties with ‘The Office’ gave us an indication that we would have a good turnout.”

Just as each comedian’s style of comedy differs, so too does each member of an audience’s idea of humor, which complicates the process of bringing comedians to a campus of diverse tastes. In the past, UCAB has sought to diversify the types of comedy by bringing comedians with different approaches, such as Lewis Black, Dave Attell and Tracy Morgan.

“Even in an event like stand-up comedy, we have seen different styles of comedians, from the hilarious rants of Lewis Black to Demetri Martin’s use of drawings and sketches,” Hughes said. B.J. Novak has a more traditional stand-up routine, which will be yet another different style than in previous years.”

While many comics implement offensive approaches to humor, Novak’s style is unlikely to stray into the realm of inappropriate, assuming it maintains the style of humor on “The Office.”

“I believe comedy is a very variable talent,” UCAB Director of Public Relations Brett Roth ’08 said. “Many can be great, but they do it differently. For as many people that dislike dirty comedians, there are equally as many people that like them,” said. “Also, it is not in our college’s policy to censor public speech. Novak has a delightful sense of humor that is captured in his writing of ‘The Office,’ and comes to life on stage. He will fit in perfectly with a majority of the campus’s taste.”

The “B.J. Novak at W&M” Facebook event’s guest list corresponded with UCAB’s positive expectations for Novak’s reception: 820 guests have responded with a positive RSVP.
Assistant Director of Student Activities Joe Lowder announced yesterday that student tickets had sold out, indicating that there will be high demand for the remaining general admission tickets. These can be purchased for $20 in advance or $25 the day of the show online at www.wm.edu/boxoffice, by phone at 1-2674 or at the PBK ticket office.

Opening for Novak will be Pete Holmes, a stand-up comedian who has been featured on VH1’s “Best Week Ever” and VH1’s “All Access” television programs. . The two comedians have met before but do not usually travel together.