He has been seen by millions on Saturday nights, has graced the big screen with his film “Hot Rod” and poked fun at celebrities as the host of the MTV Movie Awards. But on Sunday, famed comedian and actor Andy Samberg was bringing the laughs to Ohio State.

A large crowd packed the Archie M. Griffin Grand Ballroom at the new Ohio Union to see the 31-year-old comedian best known for his work on the long-running, late-night sketch comedy show, “Saturday Night Live.”

The show was originally slated to start at 7 p.m., but it did not begin until close to 7:40 p.m.
Logistical issues plagued the night, one of them being enough seating to accommodate the large crowd. In addition to bringing extra chairs into the ballroom, at around 7:30 p.m., an event representative went on the microphone and urged the crowd to maximize the seating to fit all the guests.

The event began with a video compilation featuring a wide array of Samberg’s SNL skits and notable songs from his comedy troupe, The Lonely Island. Unfortunately, the video marked the beginning of another major issue with the event: video sound.

Once the video finished, Samberg was treated with a standing ovation. The comedian was quick to poke fun at the early technical difficulties.

“I’m so psyched I brought my clock radio speakers so we can play that,” Samberg told the crowd. “How can we punish people who were waiting in the rain even more, how about terrible audio?”

The event was structured in an interview style. Nicholas Dekker, a professor in the Department of Theatre, moderated the event.

Dekker was picked for the opportunity by a former student of his who recommended him to the Ohio Union Activities Board, the creator of the event. Once on stage, he was able to establish a casual rapport with Samberg.

“Even just from the moment he came in during sound check he was so laid back,” said Dekker, 31. “You can tell that he was ready to have fun with it. That really made the whole thing really easy.”

Some questions included the origins of Samberg’s comedic background, his work with celebrities and a James Lipton, “Inside the Actors Studio” style series of questions. Before the event, students submitted their own questions.

Throughout the segment, students watched videos that Samberg handpicked. To continue with the night’s technical pitfalls, the first video was met with audio troubles.

“There’s like 30 dudes on speed back there,” Samberg said in reference to the people running the video. “The good news is they’re going to reimburse everyone’s tuition.”

The final part of the show was a question-and-answer session from the audience. Some audience members asked Samberg serious questions, but many did not. Many asked Samberg for personal favors, such as hugs and a marriage proposal, as well as a couple random, nonsensical questions. This was something that irritated many in the crowd, including Michael Chang, a first-year in biology.

“I thought he was pretty funny, he did what he had to do,” Chang said. “But I thought the end was kind of annoying.”

Hours before the show, fans lined up to get a good seat. By the time the doors opened, a long line wrapped its way outside the building and down High Street. The cloudy skies and slow rain did not seem to stop anyone from seeing Samberg.