Walking into the main ballroom of the Lankford Student Union, one was greeted by an unusual sight on Friday night. A stage was set up, couches and chairs rearranged, and the Lancer Productions Logo cast against a projector screen.
All of this was in preparation for the performance of award-winning comedian Eric O’ Shea’s show.
O’ Shea is mainly known for his appearance on many college campuses nationwide, as well as his nominations for Male Performer of the Year, six times, by “Campus Activities Magazine.”
That night, O’ Shea had one word to describe his thoughts regarding the students in attendance, Longwood, and the Farmville area—adorable. He spent the night taking on the roles of various audience members in fake conversation, engaging the relatively small, “slumber party”-sized group, as he called it when he opened the show.
Within the casual atmosphere, many laughs resounded; bouncing from wall to wall, column to column as O’ Shea performed relatable bits. All the while, he showcased his likeable personality and quirks.
More than once, O’ Shea had to catch himself from rambling, staring off into space, or even just taking a joke to an unexpected place.
“I don’t know why I just did that,” said O’ Shea apologetically each time.
Following these mishaps, he would come back strong, regaining momentum.
A key part of his performance centered on his ability to make odd noises—his favorite involving gassiness—and change his voice. His voice changes were most apparent in two places.
The first time took the crowd by complete surprise.
“So we’re all going to see my little niece, she’s only three. She walked up to me and said,” said O’ Shea. Then, after flipping to the voice of a toddler, he continued, “uncle, what happened to your foot?”
Reactions came in many ways as shock rippled through the audience, including a single voice that said, “Do it again,” which left no room for argument.
O’ Shea did his niece impression several times, amusing the audience with cuteness.
Finally, the show reached the finale. The finale even received attention on YouTube and was recognized as O’Shea’s own creation.
One skit, “Songs for Commercials” involved matching products to various pop songs, from Sister Sledge’s “We are Family” for Ancestry.com, to Josh Groban’s “You Raise Me Up” for Viagra, to Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal” for Homeland Security; O’Shea added his own dance moves for each song set.
As the performance came to an end, O’ Shea received an overwhelming applause and left the audience members releasing the last of their gasps and giggles.
