'SNL' comedians top Comic Relief show

Three castmembers of the television show Saturday Night Live and Colin Quinn of MTV's Remote Control will take turns delivering the laughs April 4 at a benefit comedy show at Irvine Auditorium, event organizers said yesterday. The event, sponsored by Comic Relief and organized by brothers of the Tau Epsilon Phi and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternities, will feature Quinn, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider and David Spade, according to event coordinator and TEP brother David Rubin. The Comic Relief event is entitled Stand-Up Against Homelessness. The four comedians may lack name recognition, but event coordinator and TEP brother Neil Schur said that should not discourage students from attending. "These are the up-and-coming comedians of America," the college senior said. "It's a great show." Some may remember Quinn and Sandler for their roles as "Studboy" and "Stickpin Quinn" on Remote Control, as well as for their skits on SNL. Schneider, who has gained a reputation for his Elvis Presley impersonation, recently starred with Spade and Dennis Miller in HBO's Young Comedian Special. Spade portrayed actor Michael J. Fox in a skit on last week's episode of SNL. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at the Annenberg Center and all Ticket Master outlets in the Philadelphia area. While the cost is $15 per ticket, Schur said several "VIP seats" are available for $100. He said they guarantee the owner a seat in the first five rows and a backstage pass to meet the performers. Comic Relief, a national charity organization which works to raise funds for homelessness, helped book the comedians and has remained involved in the planning process, College junior Rubin said. He said the organization has planned "a huge press conference" for the day of the event, which may include the presentation of a check from Comic Relief president Bob Zmuda to homeless relief groups. After the press conference, Mayor Wilson Goode and the comedians may tour various homeless shelters in the area, Rubin said. While one aim of Stand-Up Against Homelessness will be to entertain and inform students, organizers said the principal aim will be to raise money to help the homeless of West Philadelphia. Rubin said all proceeds from the show will benefit Philadelphia's Healthcare for the Homeless project and will be used to provide health care and social services for West Philadelphia's homeless population. He said last month that Stand-Up Against Homelessness hopes to earn $40,000 through ticket and T-shirt sales, corporate donations and advertising revenue from its event program. Schur said although Healthcare for the Homeless has not decided exactly how it will spend the money generated by the show, the money will definitely stay in West Philadelphia. Schur said Mayor Goode will proclaim the week of the show "Stand-Up Against Homelessness Week" in Philadelphia. Goode's office could not be reached for comment since the fraternities' announcement came after office hours.

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