On Oct. 22, at the University of Connecticut’s Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, a crowd of students filled the 2,600-seat auditorium to watch Lewberger — a musical comedy group consisting of entertainers Keith Habersberger, Alex Lewis and Hughie Stone Fish — take the stage. The event was a roaring success, with the group receiving rapturous cheers from the audience from start to finish.
The event was organized by the Student Union Board of Governors (SUBOG) Comedy Committee, which is headed by fourth-year digital media and design major Sarah Kavarnos. “I had been trying to get Lewberger since Weekend of Welcome, but we ran into a few scheduling conflicts along the way. So, when we finally found a date that worked for them to come I was ecstatic,” Kavarnos said. “I’ve been watching Keith on YouTube since middle school, and I saw Lewberger audition for “America’s Got Talent,” so it was a dream come true to bring them to UConn.”
You might know Keith Habersberger as one of The Try Guys, another wacky group of middle-aged, 30-something guys whose videos have also received considerable attention online. Alex Lewis is an actor and comedian whose roles include appearances on TV shows like “Dexter,” “This is Us” and “The Lincoln Lawyer.” Hughie Stone Fish is an Emmy-award-winning songwriter and music producer who also volunteers with The Arts Project, a non-profit based in his hometown of Syracuse, New York.
I’ve been watching Keith on YouTube since middle school, and I saw Lewberger audition for “America’s Got Talent,” so it was a dream come true to bring them to UConn.
Sarah Kavarnos, Comedy Chair of SUBOG at the University of Connecticut
Based in Los Angeles, the comedy trio has performed at numerous clubs and colleges throughout the country, and many of their songs (most of which can be found on YouTube) have gone viral, receiving millions of views from people around the world. In 2019, they appeared on the NBC competition series “Bring the Funny,” where they competed in the open mic, comedy clash and finale rounds. They also secured a standing ovation on “America’s Got Talent” in 2021 with their song parodying host Terry Crews. They have been described in the media as “the illegitimate love child of Lonely Island and Flight of the Conchords.”
The show’s musical set-up consisted of all three men on vocals, with Stone Fish playing the piano. Lewis also played the guitar during a few of the songs, and Habersberger demonstrated his trumpet skills to the crowd in the songs “Depression” and “When a Man Takes a Bath.”
The show began with the opening act featuring a set by stand-up comedian Brian Wohl, also from Los Angeles. Wohl, who has been friends with Habersberger since college, expressed his awe and admiration at the fall scenery here in Connecticut, something he’s relatively foreign to as a West Coast native. “It’s like Pleasantville over there,” Wohl joked. “Everywhere you go, it’s always the same.”
Lewberger then proceeded to dance their way onto the stage to perform their opening number, which was a song detailing their nearly long journey to UConn that included a three-hour car ride, which featured a pit stop in New Haven, where they indulged in the city’s iconic pizza. This was followed by the hit song “Disney Princess,” in which they sang humorously about wanting to be Cinderella, Jasmine and Ariel, just to name a few.
The group also performed another one of their most popular songs, “White People Taco Night,” which pokes fun at an American take on a Mexican cuisine staple. “White People Taco Night” also served as the basis for a social media trend on TikTok back in 2020, with users posting their own versions on the dish with the song playing in the background. During the performance, Wohl came back on stage and threw dozens of soft taco shells into the audience. After the song, Habersberger told the audience that this was the first time this was ever done whilst performing the number.
Other songs performed included “Wicked Waltz”, a satirical take on spooky Halloween-themed songs like “The Monster Mash,” and “Four Sexy Boys”, which featured an impromptu choreographed dance led by a student selected from the audience.
The show concluded with “The Vagina Song,” which, as it sounds, is a comical ditty on the female reproductive organ. Students were clapping and singing along throughout the duration of the number, especially during the final verses, which were sung to the tune of “Hey Jude” by The Beatles. After the show, audience members were invited to line up at the front of the auditorium to purchase signed posters, as well as Lewberger-themed t-shirts, hoodies and stickers. They were even given the opportunity of getting to know Habersberger, Lewis and Stone Fish personally.
Overall, the event was a smashing success, reflecting a fun and memorable night of lots of fun, laughs and most of all, musical comedy.