UPC announced today that BJ Novak will be performing at Comedy on the Plains.
Novak is most famous for his role as Ryan Howard, the intern, on The Office. Most recently, he wrote “One More Thing: Stories and Other Stories.”
Ryan Akers, junior in supply chain management, is UPC’s Director of Speakers and Comedians.
“We were really excited to get BJ Novak because he has a really great background,” Akers said. “He has a lot of credibility and he is a Harvard graduate.”
According to Akers, the student response has been positive.
“Of course, everybody knows him from The Office,” Akers said. “Most people in college really like that show. Overall, though, I think people are excited because he is a great performer.”
The show will be held at The Old Student Activity Center on April 8.
“We wanted to have it there to open the building to freshman,” Akers said. “A lot of them don’t even know it exists because of the new activity center that has been built.”
Miranda Marty, junior in public relations and one of UPC’s Assistant Directors of Speakers and Comedians, said she is a huge fan of BJ Novak.
“I was really excited when we came to a general consensus that he appealed to most people on Auburn’s campus,” Marty said. “He is a really recognizable face and name. Obviously people know him from The Office, but some might even recognize him from his earlier days on Punk’d.”
Tickets have only been available for a couple hours, but Marty said UPC has already gotten positive feedback from students.
“We just released the banner and made the formal Facebook announcement today,” Marty said. “Tickets just went online today, too. So we haven’t gotten a massive response yet, but what we have heard has been all good. We’ve seen a lot of excited people on Twitter. I just can’t wait to see everyone there and enjoying themselves.”
Bethany Bittinger, sophomore in aerospace engineering, is another one of UPC’s Assistant Directors of Speakers and Comedians.
Bittinger said the committee spent a lot of time deciding on a performer.
“We do a lot of research and we like to get feedback directly from the students,” Bittinger said. “His name kept popping up as someone the student body really enjoys.”
According to Bittinger, Novak’s comedy reaches a wide variety of people.
“I know a lot of people who loved him on The Office, or they are fans of movies he has been in,” Bittinger said. “But he has also written for other shows, like 30 Rock. He is an actor, a writer, a comedian, and a director. Everyone I’ve talked to about it has been really excited to see the show.”
Tickets are free for students and $10 for the public. Doors open at 6 p.m. April 8 and the show will begin at 7 p.m.
Tickets went on sale today at noon, and are available on UPC’s website.
Read more: The Auburn Plainsman - UPC announces BJ Novak to perform at Comedy on the Plains