Multi-talented comedian set to lighten the mood
Pete Holmes, the man behind E*Trade’s baby commercials will entertain Marty’s April 20 with a night of stand-up comedy and laughs
By: Alli Brenny, A & E Editor
When the famous E*Trade baby commercials first hit television during the Super Bowl game a few years ago, the man behind the baby was a mystery. This mystery man, comedian Pete Holmes, will take the Marty’s stage April 20 at 9 p.m.
SAC Spotlight brings Holmes as one of their last shows of the semester. After several types of bands and performers, a comedian will help round off the year’s list of events.
“We had a really busy and diverse year for Spotlight,” outgoing SAC Spotlight co-chair Jacob Johnson (‘10) said. “Of everything we did this year, we lacked a stand-up comedian.”
Instead of ending their year in March with White Light Riot, the SAC Spotlight co-chairs decided to add another event this month.
Holmes is often the voice of all characters in the E*Trade commercials. On one of the most recent E*Trade commercials titled “First Class,” Holmes voices the baby, the pilot and wrote the jokes.
Holmes is a versatile comedian; his cartoons have appeared in The New Yorker, he is a regular on CollegeHumor.com, has appeared on various VH1 comedy shows including “Best Week Ever,” designs shirts for BustedTees.com and has his own half-hour “Comedy Central Presents” special.
Holmes has studied and performed at theaters in Chicago, New York City and Boston, including Improv Olympics, Improv Asylum and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Holmes’ latest endeavor is a stint on Comedy Central’s new show, “Ugly Americans.”
His repertoire is current; he makes jokes about Facebook status updates, YouTube comments and everyday things college students can relate to.
“Pete Holmes’ personality really drew me in,” Johnson said. “On top of that, of all the
comedians I checked out, he was the one that made me consistently laugh out loud.”
Holmes is currently touring Iowa, with stops at Drake University and Iowa State University prior to Luther.
Johnson hopes that Holmes’ show will help with end-of-semester blues.
“Given that it’s a busy time of the semester with senior papers being written, as well as a lot of the heavy work in a lot of classes, I thought that a comedian would be a good idea to help take the edge off some people,” Johnson said.
