As the face-cracking wind chill made its way south to Carbondale Friday, it brought along an up-and-coming comedian to perform for Student Programming Council’s Last Laugh Comedy Series.

Having worked at such nationally acclaimed fund-raisers as Comic Relief and working with comedians Roseanne and Richard Lewis, Brian Noonan got his start on stage right here at SIUC during a contest that his friends convinced him to enter in 1984.

My friends and I were going out, like any other Friday night, when we heard about a stand-up comic contest in the Old Main Room of the Student Center, Noonan said. After a couple of drinks, Whammo! I won $50, a jean jacket and a chance to perform with Yakov Smirnov later on in the year. It was pretty wild.

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Noonan, a 1985 radio/television graduate, was a write-in after the original comedian scheduled for the night, Eddie Brill, was forced to cancel because of illness. He said he was glad to help out SPC in its time of need.

It was great to come back to Carbondale and perform where I actually got my start, Noonan said. Any time you go home, so to speak, you want to do well. It was nerve-racking.

Noonan’s performance consisted of quips on everyday life, family values, traveling and growing up. Most of the subjects were things that people can relate to, like trying to cash a $3 check in the Student Center, deciding to purchase a calculus book or have an enjoyable night of drinking on the Strip.

The Strip always won, Noonan said. I have very fond memories of my four years at SIUC. The University is more conservative now, more responsible.

Noonan said the crackdown on SIUC’s party image may not be the best alternative to underage drinking, but it gives younger kids a chance to do something else on weekends with events such as the Last Laugh Comedy Series.

The party image will always be here, Noonan said. I mean, the friends I graduated with liked to go out and have a good time on Halloween and Spring Fest, and they are all very successful.

Noonan said being a comedian is like getting paid to sightsee, although the traveling gets tiring at times.

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I love the performing aspect of my job, Noonan said It beats punching a clock every day.

Since he is booked through the summer, the best bet to see Noonan and his hilarious antics is in his hometown of Chicago.

I think everybody had a good time, Noonan said. It was nice to get carded again. I didn’t know you had to be 65 to get into a bar down here.