Anyone who thinks history is boring hasn't heard it explained by Colin Quinn.
The former "Saturday Night Live" star proved his talent for making fun of the past with his one-man show "Long Story Short," which humorously summarized the history of the world in 75 minutes.
Now Quinn returns to historical comedy with his new show "Unconstitutional," coming to the South Orange Performing Arts Center on Friday, Oct. 18. This time, the funnyman is focusing his sharp wit on the Constitution and how it shapes American society today. The premise may sound highbrow, but Quinn's unique, hilarious perspective guarantees it will be a night of laughs at SOPAC.
Yes, the show will be educational. But Quinn said being funny is the most important part of "Unconstitutional" because it's through comedy that he clarifies the subject matter and makes it relatable to the audience.
"(The comedy) is the part that makes it worth seeing," Quinn said. "It's the part that you could understand things easily because I'm sort of explaining it to myself.... I'm trying to find a way to break it down. "
Quinn said he likes to incorporate history into his comedy because it's a globally-minded topic that also is connected to what's going on today. He said the Constitution, in particular, is a subject that doesn't feel historical because it so relates to events currently in the news.
"It gave everybody personal rights," Quinn said. "But the downside of it, as we're seeing right now, is when the emphasis is on your personal rights, the community comes second."
One might assume that Quinn, as a stand-up comedian who usually performs a different set each night, would grow tired of making jokes about the same topics every show. But he said he's always changing "Unconstitutional" to reflect the most recent news items.
Therefore, it is likely Seton Hall students will learn something by attending the show. Quinn said it's a great way to learn about one of the nation's most significant documents while laughing.
"If you wanted an easy way to learn about the Constitution that's actually funny and might stick in your head, I think (attending the show) is the only thing you could possibly do," he said.
For more information and to order tickets, visit http:// sopacnow.org/603/colin-quinn- unconstitutional.
Sean Quinn can be reached at sean.quinn@student.shu.edu.
