From Chicago to Los Angeles, those in the business of making others laugh were surprised recently when one of their own, California comedian Vinson "Vince" Champ, was identified as a suspect in at least eight sexual assaults on college campuses in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska and California.

"I'm totally shocked because the people who had him perform always had nice things to say about him," said Ross Ario of Ario Professional Artists in Chicago who has booked Champ on the Midwest college circuit for the last four years, usually for about two months each year.

"We've been on the phone for the last few days with police agencies around the country who have requested his schedules and other information," Ario said.

Another of the comedian's booking agents in Chicago noted, however, that Champ's schedule, which took him to nine states in three months, resembled "a road map of where these rapes occurred."

The 35-year-old comic was arrested last week on a warrant charging him with a rape on a Nebraska campus. He was extradited from New Jersey to Nebraska on Friday. He also faces charges in California for an alleged sexual assault on the campus of Pasadena City College.

As news of the comedian's arrest and widespread travels spread last week, other law enforcement agencies began to examine their unsolved cases to see if they might be linked to Champ.

Mike Grosbard of the Los Angeles County district attorney's office said he has been "inundated with inquiries" regarding Champ's possible involvement in other rape cases across the country.

Even as police studied Champ's travel itinerary and activities, those who had caught his act generally described him as unusually reserved and polite. Most noted that his comedy routine was rarely "raunchy" as described in some media reports.

"Nothing about his act strikes me as raunchy," Ario said. "He did a classic standup act. No props, no gimmicks, no hooks."

Carlita Scott, student activities coordinator at Illinois State University in Normal, has seen Champ perform several times over the last eight years in auditions.

"He was never raunchy or offensive at all. His humor was geared toward college students, and one agent told me he was so popular and personable that some schools invited him back three or four times," said Scott who never booked Champ at ISU in spite of her favorable view of him.

A darker image of the comedian began to emerge last week as it was revealed that last year Champ was placed on probation in Hollywood for lewd conduct and destroying a woman's stereo. He was ordered to attend domestic violence counseling.

It also was reported that he had filed for bankruptcy last year although he was earning $800 to $1,000 for each performance, according to booking agents.

While Champ spent a good deal of his time in recent years performing on the road on campuses, cruise ships and comedy clubs, he is known and respected in some of the top comedy clubs in L.A.

"There are a lot of violent comics out there that you might think would do something like this, but Vince was not one of them," said comedy dean Bud Friedman, owner of The Improv comedy clubs in Hollywood and across the country.

"Everybody I have spoken to is shocked. He is a very nice guy, very polite," said Friedman, who invited Champ to perform at his club several times, including for "Evening At The Improv" television specials, after first seeing him perform in a San Jose comedy club about 10 years ago.

"I still remember vividly one of his lines from that first night," said Friedman. "He said, `I'm different from all other black comedians because I don't have a white girlfriend.' "

Friedman and others said that although Champ never has had a major breakthrough into regular television and movie work, he was successful enough to make "a nice living" working full time as a comedian.

"He was a regular here for a while, and there was a little heat over him among some of the big agents and television people a few years ago but nothing much happened, and he started working on the road a lot," Friedman said.

Los Angeles agent Nancy Chaidez of Shirley Wilson and Associates talent agency said she has represented Champ for four years and that his resume included opening for Jay Leno, Gary Shandling, the late Pat Paulsen, Joe Cocker, Leon Redbone and Chuck Mangione.

Champ also had appeared on "Star Search," "Into the Night with Rick Dees," "The Byron Allen Show," and had once had a recurring role on "The Match Game," she said.

"He was an established comedian who made a nice living so there would be no need for him to rob anyone," Chaidez said.

In several of the reported sexual assaults on Midwest campuses, the attacker also robbed his victims. In many of the cases, the assailant, who wore a ski mask, spit on his victims, asked them about their sex lives and requested that they pray for him.

In early April, warnings of a possible serial rapist on Midwestern campuses were circulated on a nationwide computer network. Some campuses hired extra security guards. At other schools, teachers turned their desks around to face doors, and women students were instructed to use campus escort services at night.

While the arrest of a suspect in the reported rapes may have given students and others on campus some cause for relief, those who know Champ said they find it hard to believe the easygoing professional comedian could be capable of the attacks.