Improv Expert Visits Mason: Wayne Brady and Company Crack Up Students at the Patriot Center

By Patrick Wall, Style Editor

Few entertainers today can really be called the triple threat. The days of performers being able to sing, dance and act may seem like a distant memory to some, but the spirit is kept alive in one man—Wayne Brady.

Yes, this might seem a bit dramatic; maybe even over the top. But to be fair, that’s the kind of spirit Brady brings to the table with his performances. And a zany brand of comedy is exactly what he brought to George Mason University when he visited the Patriot Center last Saturday.

By now, everyone knows Brady’s resume: he entered the hearts of audiences as the star of the improv comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway? where he showcased his singing, dancing and acting talents.

After winning a Primetime Emmy for his work on the show, Brady entered the realm of daytime television in 2001 with The Wayne Brady Show.

He is now set to host the remake of the popular game show Let’s Make a Deal. But for many college students, Brady’s most well-known work came from his 2004 appearance on Chapelle’s Show.

One popular catch phrase later, Brady was back in the spotlight. When he isn’t touring the country, Brady has found a home of sorts in Las Vegas.

Along with his “white dude” (his words, not mine) co-host Jonathan Mangum, Brady hosts “Making It Up!” at the Venetian Hotel.

The days of Whose Line? now a memory, Brady was free to do with the show as he pleased. Which, as it turns out, entails doing more of the same shtick we all loved from Whose Line?

That isn’t to say the show was stale. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Brady and his supporting cast of characters including a drummer, keyboardist and Mangum brought the best of the genius improv show without any of the unnecessary Drew Carey.

Brady started the night by channeling his inner will.i.am, re-doing the lyrics to The Black Eyed Peas’ “Let’s Get it Started.” Before coming onstage, audience members shouted out words for Brady to use in his song.

No, words like “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” weren’t allowed, but ones like “surreptitious” and “colonoscopy” certainly were.

Not surprisingly, Brady handled it with ease, showing off his improve skills and impressive vocabulary.

The staples were all there: Brady flexed his vocal muscles as he performed hilariously accurate send-ups of Creed, Prince and Rod Stewart, got a little ambiguously gay in a Batman and Robin parody featuring students as props, and re-created a hillbilly trucker scene in the style of, what else, The Godfather.

Naturally, audience participation was a must. Brady went through the audience, bringing students onstage to perform along with him.

“The show was a lot better than I expected.” said senior history major Kyle Roe. “He was high energy and a lot of fun.”

Audiences young and old packed the Patriot Center. Admittedly, some of Brady’s humor was a bit more racy than his squeaky clean image might suggest.

But any potentially awkward moments–like his song about herpes–were met instead with raucous laughter.

Much of America may have put Wayne Brady behind them, but as anyone who has seen him live can attest, Mr. Brady is far from history.