Jay McNamara, an SIU alumnus from Schaumburg, performs a comedy routine Monday during open mic night at Hangar 9. McNamara said he has been passionate about comedy since junior high and first performed at an open mic during his sophomore year at SIU. He said he draws from real experiences such as his Hobby Lobby job and writes material relatable to the young audience members who attend the shows. “What I enjoy most is that there’s literally no rules on that stage, whatever you want to say you can say,” McNamara said. “I just love hearing the laughter. It’s like music to my ears.” — Tiffany Blanchette | Daily Egyptian

Photo by Tiffany Blanchette of the Daily Egyptian