The University Honors Program presented Calvin M. Trillin last night at the Student Center as part of their 1995-96 lecture series. Trillin is a well known columnist who choose to speak about humorous issues rather than his personal career.

The audience members exchanged looks of confusion when the first funny word left Trillin’s mouth. Everyone paused for a moment and then laughed.

Mark Simon, a Senior from Peoria said, I really enjoyed the speech and I was surprised that Calvin was funny. I thought he would have spoken on how to be a good writer.

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Trillin spoke at the speech on humorous events pertaining to his life.

Trillin said at the speech that he does not talk about politics that much anymore. Instead, he said he focuses on comedy.

When I went back to my 25th Yale reunion I realized that the academic standing of a person results from financial income, Trillin said. Trillin talked about how he is from New York but originally from Missouri.

Cab drivers in New York mention Illinois a lot. They say he was from Idaho, Iowa, Illinois or something, Trillin said

Trillin said that his family was always going on long trips in the car.

We traveled to the South and all the white people their have ancestors in the Civil War who were majors. I finally realized the reason the South lost the war is because their were no enlisted men, Trillin said.

Trillin also talked about how in school he was not that focused.

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I was never able to persuade my math teachers that my answers were meant ironically, Trillin said

Trillin ended his speech by reading a humorous article on corrections in a newspaper that he wrote for The Nation.

Trillin has had a 35-year career, and has written investigative news stories for The New Yorker and The Nation. Trillin has also written humorous pieces and social and political commentaries. He went on to work for Time Magazine in 1960 after graduating from Yale in 1957.

My father was a poor immigrant and he always had the dream of sending me to Yale, Trillin said at a press conference held yesterday.

He used to save money that he got from a bread company for displaying their bread in his store.

The Honors lecture was part of the Michael and Nancy Glassman lectures that happen every autumn. The Glassman’s are both SIUC alumni. They established their lectures with a $75,000 gift to the college.