By Nicole Della-Cava

Contributing Writer

Originally a columnist for collegehumor.com, Steve Hofstetter took the stage at the Bison Wednesday night to amuse and surprise students and faculty.

Hofstetter, who has performed at the University several times over the past few years, began his performance with confidence and repose.  To break the ice, he started on diversity on campus and in Lewisburg.  He transformed such unoriginal and recognized statements into a series of jokes that got the audience going.

Hofstetter included the audience by taking a survey and asking all the Jewish people to raise their hand. Surprisingly, and to prove his point, there were no Jewish people in the whole cafeteria.  Taking this discussion to another level, he said people always ask him if he is both Irish and Jewish.  He is Jewish, but just because he has flaming red hair and pale skin does not mean he is Irish.

Hofstetter has a black adopted sister and speaks openly on the subject.  This became one of his discussions about race that showed the audience that it is acceptable to talk about these subjects.  He included his personal anecdote to make his performance unique and alluring to the audience.

“I liked the abortion and racist jokes.  They are serious issues but he is very talented to be able to do that,” said Blandine Manteau, an exchange student from France.

Hofstetter also related Lewisburg, with its rural setting and plentiful fields of crops, to Farmville.  That was definitely unexpected which made the audience even more amused and interested.

Hofstetter’s jokes are focused towards more mature viewers. His comedy and sense of humor are known around the country because of his popular website and books and frequent travels to universities and nightclubs.

“My favorite part was the closing; Steve engaged well with the crowd, ” Danny Wallace ’14 said.

Ending the night, he thanked the crowd for not bothering him with claps. The audience was caught off-guard and was probably expecting him to thank them for laughing at his jokes or being a good crowd.  He exited the stage with the audience still laughing.