What do sliced cheese, toilet paper, sweatbands and a pen from the Motel 6 have in common? These were all props given to audience members at the semester’s first live show at the University Center’s Down Under Sept. 5.
Jonathan Burns entertained a full set show. His act took on many forms, consisting of contortion, comedy and even some magical illusions. This triple-threat show started quite tame. While waiting for more attendees, Burns danced, played music and watched the auditorium fill up.
“Before the show it’s actually funny because I’m making all this stuff, it’s all custom,” Burns said. “So first, I try to find out as much as I can about the venue. Like the poncho or Whitewater on my butt. It very quickly goes from me behind the scenes hanging by myself, to then jumping out here and everyone’s very energetic and excited. I get to come out of my shell.”
Almost immediately, the front row viewers were seen. From posing for their 0.5-zoom photos to sprinkling them with pocket confetti or even adding them into comedy routines, Burns made sure they were part of the show.
“Over the years I’ve been to 500 colleges,” Burns said. “I work at all kinds of places, like this summer I went to Paris for two months. Next I’m going on a cruise in the Caribbean. It’s a cool job, I get to see the world and make people laugh. But college students specifically are energetic, you can be more of a rock show and that’s always fun.”
Whitewater at the Down Under located in University Center on September 4, 2025. (Fleuretta Phipps)
His plan for audience involvement did not stop at poking fun at the front row guests. Three separate students were called on stage and asked to participate in sporadic games and tricks.
“It was my first on campus event and of course I got picked,” freshman Erin McCrudden said. “He made me count cheese and do some dances. Definitely a fun first week of college.”
After an appeal for “we want more” from the crowd, Burns worked his way through various tricks. Despite juggling an assortment of items, balancing a knife upon his tongue, or even swallowing a failed balloon animal whole, the fan favorite was his contortion.
“I just did magic for a birthday party,” Burns said. “I was always a goofy kid and I was always bendy so it all came kind of naturally to me. That was my favorite party trick; putting my foot behind my head. But then I tried to incorporate it into a magic show and people loved it. And now I’ve been doing it for 20 years.”
For his final act he bent his way through a toilet seat, a tennis racket and finally zipped himself completely into a suitcase.
“I just love when people laugh at something I find funny,” Burns said. “I just come up with this stuff in the car or the shower, but when it works there’s nothing better than that.”
If both the student audience reaction and attendance suggest anything, it is that UC Live has a very promising future for entertainment.
