Christian Finnegan and Stephen Lynch performed Feb. 7 at the UNF Arena with their unique comedic styles causing abundant laughter from the entire audience.

Even though both comedians poked fun at the “intimidation” factor of our school’s mascot, the Osprey, it was all in the name of good comedy.

Finnegan started the show and got laughs by attacking his own masculinity and questioning the existence of chihuahuas. He has been performing comedy for 12 years and has made TV appearances on “Chappelle’s Show” and VH1’s “Best Week Ever.”

But Finnegan’s career began with a lot less glamour.

“I think it’s sort of the misconception that it all of sudden just starts,” he said. “I started to go to open mics about 12 years ago. I actually did some sketch comedy for a couple years, and then I started doing more stand-up. It’s probably been about seven years since I didn’t have to work at another job … I’m very old.”

Finnegan said the nature of a career in comedy can be quite topsy-turvy.

“There’s no point where you are officially set for life as being a real comedian because in this day and age there are so many people coming up all the time; you kind of have to ride the roller coaster,” he said.

“Things will be going up for a while, then down for a while, and you kind of have to just not drink yourself to death – I always try to remind myself that I’m never as good as my best night, and I’m never as bad as my worst night,” he said.

Stephen Lynch’s performance, on the other hand, was a lot cruder than Finnegan’s. He made multiple complaints on censorship in his line of work and made fun of Comedy Central’s issues with the controversial words and topics of his songs.

Even though some might have found him offensive, his talent for music and range of voice is quite impressive, and the hilarity of his music is undeniable.

He performed, perhaps his most widely known song, “Special Ed,” about a “childhood friend” who ran into walls, talked to trees and got hurt playing checkers. He also played a song about a guy named Craig, who is supposed to be Jesus’ brother. Craig sounded a lot like a typical college student and was nothing at all like his alleged kin.

Junior nutrition major Megan Martin agreed that Lynch was offensive, but said it comes with the territory.

“People have to know that about comedy … it’s funny-offensive,” she said.

After the show, Lynch was in a hurry to leave, but he was nice enough to take a few group pictures and sign some autographs.

Both Martin and Matt VanHeiningen, junior political science major, said Finnegan was the better comedian.

“I’ve liked Stephen Lynch for a long time, but Finnegan was the better one tonight,” VanHeiningen said. “Of what I’ve seen of the Osprey Productions, this was the best one.”

Both Finnegan and Lynch have new material coming out soon. Finnegan has a stand-up special on Comedy Central that will premiere May 9 and a DVD in stores May 12.

Lynch has a new CD entitled “3 Balloons” that will be out in March. Finnegan and Lynch are on tour now, so in case you missed them, Lynch will be in Fort Myers Feb. 24 and Finnegan performs Feb. 14
in Tampa.

E-mail Jackie Lerch at [email protected].