An icon of American comedy will be celebrating his birthday at Emens Auditorium at Ball State University Saturday at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
"Larry the Cable Guy" will appear at Ball State for the second time in two years. When "Larry" appeared at Emens in February 2005, his act sold out the 3,406-capacity auditorium, resulting in two shows being scheduled this year.
Contrary to his stage name, the comedian's birth name isn't Larry, and he isn't a cable guy. He was born Dan Lawrence Whitney in 1963 in Pawnee City, Neb.
Whitney said his cable guy persona has its roots at a Tampa Bay, Fla., radio station.
"A buddy of mine had a radio station in Tampa, and so in '92 I started calling it as a cable installer," he said. "I used my middle name and called up not thinking anything of it; it was just something to do, but it became really popular. Then two other radio stations called and wanted me to do the same thing, so I was doing all these acts as Larry the Cable Guy."
Since then, Whitney's persona has earned him acclaim and popularity across the nation.
Whitney said he got his start in comedy shortly after dropping out of college.
"I went to college for three years, and I started working as a hotel bellhop," he said. "I went up on stage one night at an open mic night, and I never went back to school. The first time I was on stage was in 1985, and the first real comedy club was in 1986. I went full time in '88."
In addition to his stand up comedy, Whitney has appeared in both films and television shows. He may be most well-known for the "Blue Collar Comedy Tour" movie and subsequent television show, but he has also been featured as the voice of a tow truck in the animated film "Cars." The "Blue Collar Comedy Tour" was the highest selling concert DVD in 2003, 2004 and 2006. He has appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "The View" and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
Though Whitney has been featured on Comedy Central and produced four comedy albums, a group of Ball State students said they don't find the comedian funny, and they won't be in Emens for the show. Instead, they'll be outside protesting.
The Ball State Facebook event invitation "Larry the Cable Guy Protest" has 60 confirmed guests, and event creator Landon Knepp, a junior, said he expects about 50 students to be at the protest, which will be on the corner of McKinley and Riverside avenues.
"It's mostly for fun, but we're pretty passionate about how not funny he is," Knepp said. "We're just going to try to be out there and spread the awareness that he's not funny."
Junior Andrew Carey said the protest will include signs and chants.
"It's stupidity, and it's overdone," he said of Whitney's humor. "Saying 'Git 'R Done' is well over and done."
Knepp and Carey said they also take offense to the bigoted humor that Whitney uses.
Though Carey was unsure of all the details of the protest, he said the group would protest outside Whitney's shows for about two hours.
Though Whitney has received criticism for his act, he said the Larry the Cable Guy character isn't a far cry from his real personality.
"I am a country boy, so it doesn't take much to get into character," he said. "I put on my accent a little thicker when I am on stage."
Emens Associate Director Darcy Wood said about 1,000 seats remain for both of Whitney's performance. Tickets are $34.75 for students and $39.75 for the public.
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