Sonoma State Star

Issue date: 4/8/08 Section: Arts and Entertainment

The multitalented Paul Ogata will grace SSU with his sharp wit and observational humor. [Click to enlarge]

It's time for a change on these cold Sonoma nights and a comedy show just might heat up your social life. ?
ASP is showcasing The Best of The San Francisco Comedy Competition, with Paul Ogata as the headliner.
The competition has bred the likes of Dana Carvey, Sinbad, Jake Johannsen and Doug Stanhope-all past winners of the San Francisco International Comedy Competition.
At the 2004 Take-Out Comedy Competition, Ogata won "Funniest Asian American Comedian" and in 2007, won the 32nd annual San Francisco Comedy Competition. Ogata is currently on tour, which started in Thousand Oaks, Mar. 19 and ends in Hawaii in September of this year. ?
SSU is one of the many stops on his tour of the West Coast.
Ogata is a very big supporter of the Asian American community. ?As a proud Japanese American from Honolulu, Hawaii, Ogata makes jokes about his race's food and way of life.
According to his website, PaulOgata.com, Ogata has also done some acting. He will be playing John Smith in a movie called "Behind the Smile," directed by Damon Wayans.
Ogata also played an unappreciated superhero, in "Amazing Asian" in 2004. It was then shown in the Hawaii International Film Festival and other film festivals on the West Coast.
Ogata can also add recording artist to his list of many talents. His work, titled "Mental Oriental" won Ogata the 1999 Hawaii Music Award, in the Most Popular Comedy Artist category.
This colorful and multitalented performer is gracing California with a long tour, as he and his band of comedians travel up the coast, stopping in places like Ventura and ultimately ending in Hawaii.
"He is not very well known," says freshman Rachel Cruz, "But I watch 'Live at Gotham' a lot on Comedy Central and when I saw him on there I decided maybe he was worth watching."
Ogata's future seems very promising. He is the most recent winner of the San Francisco International Comedy Competition where esteemed finalists include comedians such as Robin Williams and Patton Oswalt.
The show will be held on Wed., Apr. 9 in the cooperage at 8 p.m.
For more information, contact the ASP, Residential Life and the SSU Student Union. Call 664-2382 or visit atsonoma.edu/as/asp.

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