



Comic Dat Phan Comic Dat Phan

'Last Comic Standing' winner Dat Phan performs Aug. 25 at UTSA

(Aug. 25, 2004)--Dat Phan, winner of NBC's "Last Comic Standing," performs at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 25 at the UTSA Convocation Center on the 1604 Campus. Doors open at 7 p.m.

The event is free to UTSA students, staff and faculty with UTSACard. Each UTSA community member may bring one guest, also at no charge.

"I stumbled across comedy by accident, but then I ended up having something to say and that's why I stayed in the business," said Phan of his comedic beginnings. "And you kind of have to have that message or otherwise you won't be able to survive in this business. I got a lot to say to people."

According to Campus Activities magazine, Phan's endearing style of comedy earned him the title of America's Funniest Person by virtue of being the Last Comic Standing. The final vote came from America's viewers after they had become familiar with all the finalists.

Dat Tien Phan was born in Saigon, Vietnam, in 1975. He and his mother emigrated to the United States and suffered through financial hardships for most of his childhood. He grew up in San Diego, Calif., and attended West Hills High School in Santee, Calif.

After the Sept. 11 attacks, realizing that life is short, Phan moved to Los Angeles to focus on his stand-up comedy career. For a time he lived out of his car, and one night was robbed at gunpoint while working at the Hollywood Improv.

Feeling he had nothing to lose as he auditioned for the NBC reality show, Phan found himself one of the five finalists and on Aug. 5, 2003, he became the Last Comic Standing.

--Tim Brownlee