The Student Programming Association invited Nick Cannon to Nicholls’ SPA Comedy Night, free and open only to Nicholls’ students, faculty and staff, on Monday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. in Talbot Theater.

Cannon, along with comedians Rob Little and Jen Kobe, will be doing individual stand-up routines followed by autograph signing and pictures.

“We knew if we had a celebrity face that was coming to Nicholls, that would be something people would want to come out and do,” Jonathan Lynch, culinary senior from Ruston, said.

SPA booked Cannon a few weeks ago through a booking company that offers certain celebrities to do shows at schools.

“He fit within the budget that we had set for comedy night,” Lynch said.

Kobe and Little were picked out at by SPA at a Chicago convention that advertised entertainers. SPA thought Kobe and Little would be a great diversity package for both social and ethnical groups on campus.

Lynch did not give an exact cost, but he said Cannon’s price was between $5,000 and $10,000. Lynch mentioned that SPA booked him at a discounted price.

“We get these celebrities at good rates because what they do is, when they’re booking tours, no one is gonna book someone to come to Thibodaux, Louisiana. They’re booking them to come to Dallas, Houston or New Orleans.”

SPA created a Facebook group advertising the event to Nicholls students. Almost 400 people have already said they will attend.

“Whether or not you like him, he is still a celebrity figure that you can say, ‘Hey, I went and saw Nick Cannon, and he sucked,’ or you could say, ‘Hey I went to see Nick Cannon and got an autograph and a picture,’ ” Lynch said.  

Lynch wants students to know that this event is free, but it is only open to Nicholls students, faculty and staff.

“One thing that students don’t know about SPA is that a portion of their tuition goes to student activities so we can provides things like comedy night for you.”