Has anyone ever said you were the funniest person in the world? Have you ever dreamed of breaking into the glamourous business of professional comedy?

Well, now you have your chance. The U.S. College Comedy Competition will be held Tuesday, February 13 at 7:00 P.M. in the Diversions Lounge of the Holmes Student Center.

The competition is open to all full and part-time NIU students. All interested students should prepare a three minute routine of original material and arrive at Diversions one hour before the start of the contest to register.

The U.S. College Comedy Competition is a nationwide search for new comedy talent. The contest is being conducted at 80 universities throughout the country.

The 80 schools are divided into three regions. A panel of judges will then view videotapes of the 80 individual winners and select three regional semi-finalists.

The three semi-finalists will each receive a trip for two to Daytona Beach to compete in the national finals, which will be held on March 22.

The finals will be hosted by nationally known comedian Jerry Seinfeld. Seinfeld has appeared several times on HBO and Showtime, as well as numerous guest spots on the Late Night with David Letterman and Tonight shows.

The national winner will then be flown to New York where he will be given the opportunity to audition at several comedy clubs.

According to Ray Steinman of the marketing firm U.S. Concepts, the first and second place winners of last year’s competition have each gone on to careers in comedy.

They have each performed all over the country playing various clubs, including the comedy mecca of Las Vegas.

“The press and publicity from the event helps them to get work,” said Steinman.

Anyone who thinks he is talented enough should enter the U.S. College Comedy Competition. It could be the first step on the road to fame and fortune.