Rich Hall

Rich Hall, comedian and author, will be the star performer at the fourth annual "Bring Hope to Heroes" benefit for Special Olympics beginning at 5 p.m. Sept. 23 at The Hop, 5201 Clark Ave., Lakewood. Hall, an alumnus of NBC's "Saturday Night Live," has written five collections of "Sniglets," words that should be in the dictionary, but aren't, and "Vanishing America," a cross-country odyssey through the United States.

Re "Big Oil buys Berkeley," Opinion, March 24 Jennifer Washburn rightly points out that UC Berkeley is selling its services on the cheap but missed that it is California taxpayers and Cal students who are subsidizing British Petroleum as part of the deal. With 50 BP scientists in control of unnumbered studies, we can assume that a great number of students would in essence be paying to work for BP. State dollars funding the university would similarly be helping BP fill its corporate coffers.

As a stand-up comic, Rich Hall is known for having strong observational and verbal skills combined with a distinctive flair for satire. But the one-time "Saturday Night Live" cast member and former regular on HBO's "Not Necessarily the News" has his own way of summing up his unique comedy style. "I'd describe it," he says, "as facets of human behavior interpretted through adagio dance--sometimes with a 19-piece orchestra."

As a stand-up comic, Rich Hall is known for having strong observational and verbal skills combined with a distinctive flair for satire. But the one-time "Saturday Night Live" cast member and former regular on HBO's "Not Necessarily the News" has his own way of summing up his unique comedy style. "I'd describe it," he says, "as facets of human behavior interpretted through adagio dance--sometimes with a 19-piece orchestra."

NBC, how could you lose last year's cast of "Saturday Night Live"? Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Christopher Guest, Rich Hall and Harry Shearer were the ones who made last year's season one of the best in the show's history. After viewing the season premiere of "SNL," it doesn't look like this year will be nearly as good. Jonathan Levy, Sepulveda

Re "Big Oil buys Berkeley," Opinion, March 24 Jennifer Washburn rightly points out that UC Berkeley is selling its services on the cheap but missed that it is California taxpayers and Cal students who are subsidizing British Petroleum as part of the deal. With 50 BP scientists in control of unnumbered studies, we can assume that a great number of students would in essence be paying to work for BP. State dollars funding the university would similarly be helping BP fill its corporate coffers.

Rich Hall--comedian, author and creator of "sniglets" (words not in the dictionary that Hall thinks should be)--will headline tonight at the Improvisation in Irvine. In a rather unconventional approach to a two-night stand, Hall will return to the club for a second performance next Monday. On the other hand, no one's ever accused Hall of having an overly conventional career.

There's an old category of performer of whom it's been said, "He'd break his own leg for a laugh." There's a more recent category as well, the performer whose public recognition isn't based on some resonant cultural achievement, like a powerful movie or theater role, but on an accumulation of commercial TV bits into a montage of familiarity that's almost purely pictorial. Joe Piscopo, who appeared with Rich Hall Thursday at the Wiltern Theatre, encompasses both.

Laugh Aid: Jerry Seinfeld, former "Saturday Night Live" star Rich Hall and other comics will donate their laughs to raise money for the Tel Aviv residents left homeless by Iraqi missile attacks on their city. Two benefits have been scheduled for tonight and Wednesday at the Laugh Factory on Sunset Boulevard. Guests will be asked to make a minimum donation of $300. All proceeds will be sent to Tel Aviv to help families directly affected by the attack.

To help victims of the recent firestorms, the Improv comedy clubs in Brea and Irvine will donate $3 of every paid admission tonight and Sunday to the American Red Cross. Anyone with a pass will be asked for a $3 donation at the door. Doug Benson of MTV will perform in Brea (945 E. Birch St.), and Rich Hall of "Sniglets" fame will be in Irvine (4255 Campus Drive). Tonight and Sunday were chosen because they are nonsmoking nights (get it?).

Rich Hall, comedian and author, will be the star performer at the fourth annual "Bring Hope to Heroes" benefit for Special Olympics beginning at 5 p.m. Sept. 23 at The Hop, 5201 Clark Ave., Lakewood. Hall, an alumnus of NBC's "Saturday Night Live," has written five collections of "Sniglets," words that should be in the dictionary, but aren't, and "Vanishing America," a cross-country odyssey through the United States.

Rich Hall--comedian, author and creator of "sniglets" (words not in the dictionary that Hall thinks should be)--will headline tonight at the Improvisation in Irvine. In a rather unconventional approach to a two-night stand, Hall will return to the club for a second performance next Monday. On the other hand, no one's ever accused Hall of having an overly conventional career.

NBC, how could you lose last year's cast of "Saturday Night Live"? Billy Crystal, Martin Short, Christopher Guest, Rich Hall and Harry Shearer were the ones who made last year's season one of the best in the show's history. After viewing the season premiere of "SNL," it doesn't look like this year will be nearly as good. Jonathan Levy, Sepulveda

Compiling an anthology of humor is a thankless labor, as readers invariably ask, "Why wasn't so-and-so included?" and "You call that funny?" Having chosen to tap-dance through a mine field, William Novak and Moshe Waldoks manage to step on just about every mine. They omit most of the innovative and/or representative humorists of the era: Berke Breathed, Bill Cosby, Jim Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin, Bette Midler, Eddie Murphy, Lily Tomlin, Charles Schulz, Bill Watterson.