Baring the truth

When Stevie Jay performed his comedy show "Life, Love, Sex, Death ... And Other Works in Progress" in front of an audience at IU three semesters ago, he left an imprint on the minds on junior Michael Malone and sophomore Evan Merida. Since, then the duo has made it their paramount objective to bring Stevie Jay and his candid tales back to IU.\nTonight their hard work will pay off when Stevie Jay hits the stage to perform at Whittenberger Auditorium at 8 p.m. Malone and Merida believe the appeal of Stevie Jay's show is that he speaks frankly about sexual issues. \n"Needless to say, there is so much grief about sex nowadays -- and it's ridiculous and tragic -- because it's distracting us from what really matters. (It's) as if intimate relationships weren't already difficult enough for all people," Stevie Jay said. "It's a universal struggle, and as far as I'm concerned, the key question that needs to be explored is not whether one loves a man or a woman, but whether one loves at all."\nAfter the success of Stevie Jay's first show, which was sponsored by the Union Board, Malone and Merida expected the Board to bring him back. However, Union Board policy prohibits hiring the same act two years in a row -- and Stevie Jay had just performed during the 2003-04 school year.\nMerida remembers his actions immediately following Stevie Jay's first show and the miscommunication about his next appearance.\n"I signed up for Stevie's e-mail list that night. He sent his fan-base a note that he was planning to come back to Bloomington. When I wrote Union Board to thank them for bringing him back, I was told that there had been a miscommunication," Merida said. "...that they would bring Stevie back were it not for their policy which prohibits hiring the\nsame act in consecutive years."\nBut Stevie Jay learned of their desire, and he introduced the boys. Together they joined forces, raising money to bring Stevie Jay back to IU.\n"Michael and I met in the Main Library and shared our stories about Stevie's show, and within 15 minutes of meeting Michael, I was convinced that we would make this happen -- that Stevie would be back at IU this year," Merida said.\nFrom there they devised a plan to bring Stevie Jay back to IU, asking campus organizations to contribute money. Many did, including IUSA, which donated $500 more than the students asked for. They emphasized Stevie Jay's honesty along with his lack of discrimination.\n"Stevie Jay's (show) completely twists society's beliefs about a number of controversial topics in America today and leaves you feeling at peace with your soul after the curtains close," Malone said. "Yes, Stevie Jay is a wonderful comedian with some hilarious jokes and outrageous language at times, but even deeper than that -- he touches each audience member with a sense of vibrancy and honesty."\nMalone said one of the things Stevie Jay does best is bring up topics rarely discussed in society.\n"We all have our inner thoughts and deep secrets we do not share with people, and Stevie Jay expresses his inner thoughts and deepest secrets in a way none of us can," Malone said.\nThe students' plan worked. Stevie Jay appears tonight with support from multiple campus groups that were interested in the students' cause. Whittenberger Auditorium was donated free of charge by the IU Student Association, the cost of printing posters and flyers was donated by the IU Health Center and Chancellor Ken Gros Louis made a huge monetary pledge, making up nearly half of the donated proceeds. IUSA matched Gros Lois' contribution and then topped it within 12 hours of\nbeing asked to help out.\n"Chancellor Ken Gros Louis was the first to answer our call for help," Merida said. "He offered $4,000 to get us started toward our fund-raising goal of $10,700 and helped us establish a financial account through the Office of the Chancellor."\nThe team's efforts truly proved fruitful when they began to receive help from multiple organizations on campus.\n"Shortly thereafter the fund raising snowballed, and Michael and I were able to meet our goal with the additional help of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, the Commission on Multicultural Understanding, Indiana University Student Association, the IU Health Center, GLBT Student Support Services, the Office of Diversity Education and the Kinsey Institute's Sexuality Information Service for Students," Merida said.\nStevie Jay commends Malone and Merida for working diligently to bring him back to IU.\n"Here are two students who aren't even involved in programming. (They) are showing the world that it's possible to set aside differences and get to the heart of what matters in life: respect and human kindness," Stevie Jay said. "This is profound, given the issues facing our country right now around sex and sexual orientation. What Michael and Evan have done is rare and vital, and couldn't have come at a more crucial time -- for all of us"