Students crowded into Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall last Saturday anticipating an evening full of laughter courtesy of Tracy Morgan. For most, that is exactly what they received. The former “Saturday Night Live” star and his special guest Bradley Lewis had the crowd — all those that didn’t leave in disgust, anyway — roaring for upwards of two hours. The subject matter largely consisted of race, sex and other material that many parents would consider wildly inappropriate, which resulted in a night of sometimes shocking hilarity for the student audience.

p. Lewis burst onto the stage and immediately pointed out the racial distribution of the audience, joking incessantly about the lack of black people in attendance. By the end of his set, Lewis had offered three awful pieces of advice: drop out of college, smoke weed and drive drunk. Lewis’ touchy humor proved horribly funny. He interacted with the audience throughout the set, poking fun at kids in the front rows. While this may have been unfortunate for them, the rest of the audience certainly enjoyed it. After impressive applause, Lewis introduced the evening’s headliner.

p. Morgan, currently starring in NBC’s stellar new sitcom “30 Rock,” is most famous for his tenure on “SNL” between 1996 and 2003. He has also appeared in movies such as “Are We There Yet?” and “Half-Baked,” and was featured as a prank-calling puppet on Comedy Central’s “Crank Yankers.” Additionally, his sketch comedy characters and impressions of figures like Al Sharpton, Harry Belafonte and Mike Tyson have earned him widespread acclaim.

p. Like Lewis, Morgan’s first comments addressed how uncomfortable he felt to be in an auditorium full of white people. Still, his act was not as focused on race as that of Lewis; instead he proceeded to preach mostly about sexual conquests and endeavors, even giving the audience his own sex advice. He too targeted the front row when, in an effort to convey his manliness and sexual prowess, he invited an audience member to verify that his finger smelled like a vagina. T

p. he audience member sat back down, only to be informed that the smell was actually the scent of Morgan’s own butthole. This is indicative of the type of humor that dominated the rest of his set. He mused on the differences between men and women, marriage and adolescence, all in an over the top, sexually graphic manner. Hysterically laughing at his own jokes, Morgan at least seemed to be having a damn good time up there.

p. One of the funnier moments occurred when Morgan dealt with a heckler in the audience. Some comedians — cough, Michael Richards — don’t handle such situations well. Stomping his feet, shouting at the balcony, “I don’t know why you do that! There is no way you’re going to be funnier than me!” Morgan proved he’s no pushover. Later on, when a girl, seemingly disgusted by Morgan’s perverted humor, stood up and left, Morgan called her out, saying,

p. “Ehh, she’ll be back. She’s just going to poop.” Only a few people walked out in disgust when Morgan told the story of his first love, a victim of cerebral palsy. Most found this bit hilarious, as Morgan somehow avoided crossing the very vague line separating going-too-far from acceptable.

p. After closing out with a rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Man in the Mirror,” Morgan left the stage to wild applause. The entire show was a laugh-riot from the second Lewis stepped onstage to Morgan’s exit. The two comedians complemented each other very well, and PBK Hall, filled to capacity, was a great venue for the show. While racy comedy may not be thought of as an integral part of Charter Day, considering how much everyone enjoyed the show, maybe it should be.

“Alpha Dog,” based on the life of Johnny Truelove, a small-time drug lord, opens on Truelove’s gang — a group of boys who seem to be living the life. They make a small fortune from their business, enjoying an endless supply of drugs, girls and shockingly careless parents. Truelove is played brilliantly by Emile Hirsch (“The Girl Next Door”). Hirsch commands the screen, effortlessly pulling off Truelove’s no-bullshit attitude toward everyone he encounters. The conflict begins after a drug addict fails to pay Truelove money that he owes him. Just days later, Truelove and a group of friends happen to see the addict’s brother, Zach, on the street. Without thought or consideration, Truelove decides to kidnap him out of revenge.

p. A rush of controversy surrounded the release of “Alpha Dog.” Since Truelove was just apprehended in 2005, after years on the FBI’s 10-most-wanted list, he has yet to be tried for his involvement in the crime. Truelove’s attorney requested to delay the film’s release, arguing that it might taint the jury pool. However, a judge denied the plea, allowing audiences across the country to enjoy this surprisingly creative and fascinating film.

p. At no point do the filmmakers attempt to portray Truelove as a smart criminal. In fact, the movie makes a mockery of the entire kidnapping plot and everyone involved. Following the kidnapping, each time someone sees Zach with any of Truelove’s friends, a witness count appears on the screen. Over a period of only three days, there are more than 50 witnesses to Truelove’s crime. That fact alone shows the gang’s complete lack of foresight. In fact, it takes Truelove two days to even realize that by taking the kid off the sidewalk and throwing him into a van, he could actually be charged for kidnapping.

p. The filmmakers create a convincing portrayal of how a simple choice can escalate into a mistake that can ruin a life. These boys aren’t saints, but they also don’t seem like the type of people who would be serving life sentences in prison. After their thoughtless decision to kidnap the teenager, Truelove and his friends develop a “no turning back” attitude, refusing to even consider the possibility of serving any jail time. Although it starts off as a simple payback scheme, three days later the boys realize they could face life in prison, even if the boy were returned unharmed. In a matter of days, Truelove goes from being a small-time drug dealer to one of the 10 most wanted criminals in the United States.

p. The film’s biggest surprise is Justin Timberlake’s impressive performance as Frankie Ballenbacher, Truelove’s best friend. It is often difficult for musicians to cross over into Hollywood, but Timberlake does it effortlessly. Critics will be hard-pressed to find fault with this former boy band member, since he essentially carries the movie. Ballenbacher seems to be the only character to show any hesitation toward the numerous crimes he and his friends commit.

p. Though his character is a clear accomplice, Timberlake’s performance draws both sympathy and understanding from the audience. While every other character follows Truelove’s orders without question, Frankie continues to fight back, refusing to accept that the only solution to their problem is murder. He gets caught up in a bad situation and is forced to suffer for his friends’ poor decisions.

p. The weakest performances were given by film veterans Bruce Willis (“Sin City”) and Sharon Stone (“Basic Instinct”). Truly, the film’s greatest strength stems from its cast of up-and-coming young actors. Along with Hirsch and Timberlake, Anton Yelchin (“Huff”), gives an incredible performance as Zach, the endearing victim. Despite being a new actor, he seems like a pro, creating a character who is able to walk the fine line between naïveté and carelessness. Despite his numerous opportunities to return home, Zach chooses to remain in the dangerous world of sex, drugs and what appears to be zero responsibility. While he knows that Truelove can’t just send him away, he fails to think about the next step. If they can’t let him go, what will they do with him? Yelchin becomes Zach, a boy who is clearly not dumb, yet remains completely oblivious to the plans that form around him.

p. As a character-driven film, “Alpha Dog” is entirely dependent on the actors’ abilities to convince the audience that their characters are not as guilty as they seem. The transition of each character from boy to criminal leaves the viewer mesmerized. It is a great success for any actor to be able to portray a character that commits such heinous crimes, yet still manages to elicit sympathy from an audience. In the end, it is up to us to decide who is to blame for the terrible events that surround the thoughtless kidnapping.

For their annual Culture Night this past Saturday, the Filipino-American Student Association performed a play entitled “Tatlong Daan, Isang Biyahe: Three Paths, One Journey,” exploring the theme of Filipino-American assimilation into modern society. The two-act play, filled with a number of traditional and modern-fusion Filipino dances, follows the interconnected stories of three people: Mae Kalinawan (played by senior Jen Tan), her brother Tony (sophomore Steven Enriquez), and Diego (senior Josiah Peterson), Tony’s former best friend. The primary figure and narrator of the play is Mae, who runs a Filipino cultural center in New York City.

p. Lately, Mae has been bogged down both at work and at home. With the former, she’s been trying to make ends meet by writing a proposal for badly needed grant money, while also preparing the choreography for a young community member named Michelle, who will make her debut in a traditional coming-of-age celebration at the Center. At home, she has to deal with both a distant, disapproving father and an aloof brother who is absorbed by his law studies and a looming ROTC service commitment. Diego is thrown in the mix as a man who had a falling out with Tony in high school and has since fallen in with a bad crowd. Nevertheless, he is doing everything he can to care for his sickly grandmother, Lola Ising, played by senior Danielle Espino.

p. While the plot unfolded with a number of foreseeable twists (like Lola Ising’s sudden worsening of health) and commonplace character dynamics (like the romance that builds between Mae and Diego), the production was held together by the colorful and sometimes intense dances scattered throughout the play. There was “Traditional Tinkling,” the national dance of the Philippines, where the performers carefully jumped between snapping bamboo poles. This maneuver served as an integral element to many of the night’s dances and, for one dance, was fused into a modern, hip hop-themed version, which made for an exciting pairing.

p. The highlight, however, was when the debutante Michelle, played by junior Maera Busa, made her first appearance toward the end of the play. The bamboo poles were deftly navigated by an ornately dressed Michelle, who was garbed in traditional Filipino clothing, as she simultaneously whipped fans around her body and maintained a dignified countenance. As the pace of the music increased, several other performers also made their way through the bamboo poles and joined in the dance. Though followed by a hip-hop finale and senior dance, this stylish routine was a vibrant peak for the production.

p. FASA’s Culture Night came together well. Despite some of the play’s cliches, it was an enjoyable event. Even when some of the more serious exchanges between characters fell flat or were strained, a consistent rapport between the actors and audience mitigated any theatrical awkwardness. The play was followed by a dinner that featured a number of delicious traditional Filipino dishes and desserts — a fitting way to end a night which celebrated the dynamic and varied traditions of the Philippines.

What do you get when you combine a popular horror franchise with a fever of prequels (think “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning”) and mass marketing? The end result is “Hannibal Rising,” a movie executives want you to think is from the creators of the Hannibal Lecter franchise, when really the only creator involved is the author of the books, Thomas Harris. There is no Anthony Hopkins, no Jodie Foster and no Julianne Moore.

p. Intending to reveal the dark past of Dr. Lecter, this prequel is set in war-torn Lithuania during World War II. The Lecter mansion is attacked and invaded by war criminals, pillaging everything in sight and murdering the Lecter family. (It’s a Hannibal movie, what did you expect?) Left for dead, young Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel, “A Very Long Engagement”) survives, but is scarred beyond belief and seeks refuge with his aunt, Lady Murasaki Shikibu (Li Gong, “Miami Vice”), in Paris. Murasaki teaches Hannibal how to cope with his demons and his loss, but it all seems for naught as young Hannibal has a one-track mind: vengeance.

p. Young director Peter Webber is given the chance to end the franchise on a bang. Instead, he lets it go out with a whimper. While the material he was given to work with may have not been top quality, Webber does not present the audience with anything new or fresh. Everything about the movie screams ordinary — surprising considering that his previous effort, “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” was an absolute gem.

p. The performances in the film are adequate at best. Ulliel has the insurmountable task of not only trying to live up to Hopkin’s Oscar-winning portrayal of the deranged madman in “Silence of the Lambs,” but also to Brian Cox’s critically acclaimed performance as Lecter in “Manhunter,” the original Hannibal film. Ulliel does little except brood and sneer. Ulliel manages to handle the serial killer persona well, but he brings no sympathy to the table. He gives the audience no reason to cheer for him as the protagonist, rendering the film a battle between two evils. Plus, what should have been a fascinating journey through the mind of a serial killer instead goes from an 8-year-old Hannibal to a Hannibal in his 20s, skipping over the character’s formative years and missing the point.

p. Gong has the same problem of working with a very one-dimensional character and also does little to elevate herself beyond it. Thank goodness her lines are minimal; though her English is vastly improved since her role in “Miami Vice,” she still has trouble delivering some of her more dramatic lines effectively. Gong has the ability to develop into a fine actress, but she’s just not there yet.

p. The film’s biggest problems come from the screenplay. Scenes that could have been cut drag on and the script lacks any character depth whatsoever. This could have been expected — the book it’s based on is the only one in the series that received largely negative reviews. This alone should have been enough to make the studio stay away from this project.

p. Even the music can’t pass muster. The franchise is known for beautiful music that is the complete antithesis of the Lecter character. The music in this installment is generic and even inappropriate in places. When music should have made a scene more dramatic, it instead added comedy.

p. “Hannibal Rising” is long, dull and boring. It might not be a terrible film, but it is nowhere near as good as its predecessors. Exploring the roots of one of the most iconic characters in film history should have been handled meticulously and delicately — instead, the end product is uninspired and mediocre. All we can do is hope that film-goers will not allow this prequel to taint one of the best franchises of the past few decades.

Daily routines at the College often cross over the boundaries of monotony. There seems to be little that can interrupt the distinctive aroma of coffee and sense of stress, both of which permeate throughout academic buildings and dormitories from the Wren Building to Morton Hall. Yet, for many students, a unique and pleasurable activity provides a necessary interruption from meticulous studying, glazed-eyed restlessness and tired limbs.

p. Hookah smoking, also known as shisha or nargeelah to the seasoned veteran, has emerged as a popular campus trend over the last several years. The trail of smoke can be seen late at night outside the Daily Grind, on picnic tables in the Botetourt Complex, on Thursday nights at the “Blue Caterpillar Hookah Night” at The College Delly and everywhere in between.

p. Hookah’s origins can be traced back to India and Persia, where its ancient pioneers originally smoked hashish or opium instead of the various forms and flavors of moist tobacco and molasses commonly used today. Since reaching the Americas during colonial times, shisha’s use has become widespread, particularly in larger North American cities where hookah bars and cafes are abundant.

p. The appeal of hookah is as widespread as the trend itself. Shisha smoking is enjoyable, relaxing, legal and distinctly more socially acceptable than most forms of smoking. Several students can enjoy one hookah, passing the hose from hand to hand, often while studying or discussing campus and global issues.

p. “I live in the Arabic house and we frequently come together to smoke hookah to share our aspirations in life and debate issues varying from the removal of the Wren cross to the war in Iraq,” junior Anthony Feghali said.

p. For one freshman hall during the 2005-2006 academic year, a hookah served as a social and unifying activity for a group of campus neophytes. At times, the second floor fire escape of Dinwiddie Hall was occupied by up to 20 people passing around a single hose and listening to stories from the previous night.

p. “I would say it was the best icebreaker we could have had,” sophomore and former Dinwiddie Hall resident Will King said. “At the beginning, when we were all strangers to each other, it was really easy to just sit out by the hookah together.”

p. Sophomore Kate Matthews, who also lived in Dinwiddie last year, agreed that having a hookah helped formulate cohesiveness among the residents. “It brought together the whole dorm. Everyone would chill outside and get to know one another and just hang out — a release from all the schoolwork,” she said. “Plus, I like the head buzz.”

p. Timur Tsutsuk, also a sophomore, brought the hookah to the dorm during Freshman Orientation, never anticipating the effect it would have.

p. “I have been smoking hookah since junior year in high school and I was really excited to buy one secretly the day before orientation so my parents wouldn’t find out,” he said.

p. Despite it’s growing popularity at the College, many students who arrive on campus are unfamiliar with the aromatic art. Some may have heard the terms “hookah” or “water pipe,” but the idea of creating a unique and relaxed social atmosphere with a communal smoking device is often quite foreign. Judd Kennedy, a junior Middle Eastern studies major, said that he had never even heard of a hookah or nargeelah before arriving at the College.

p. “To be honest, the first one I saw scared me,” he said. “I smoked but didn’t inhale.”

p. It wasn’t until Kennedy spent the summer of 2005 studying Arabic in the West Bank that he began to understand what he refers to as “the cultural significance” of a hookah or nargeelah in Middle Eastern society.

p. “Water pipes are used as a way to relax after a long day at work or a satisfying meal. For the people I lived with, they embodied the desire for communal growth and support,” he said. “I found myself in many social situations where it was expected — and sometimes demanded — that I smoke the pipe as a sign of respect for my host.”

p. Senior Victor Sulkowski and juniors Greg Cooper and Patrick Perlmutter were primarily responsible for lighting a fire under the popular trend last spring. They worked with The College Delly to provide the weekly “Blue Caterpillar Hookah Night,” where students are welcome to socialize and smoke hookah with their friends for a small fee. According to Cooper, they initially petitioned the College’s Space Management Committee to hold the hookah night at an on-campus location, but partnered with the Delly after their application was rejected. Still in it’s first year, the Blue Caterpillar has met with considerable success.

p. “I think it’s a great idea,” King said. “Every time I ended up seeing a bunch of people I knew and meeting people I didn’t. The atmosphere was, in general, very social, and everyone was eager to share and invite people to join them in their circle.”

p. Cooper believes that having a hookah night offers an alternative to drinking and an off-campus social atmosphere for students under 21. “Essentially, hookah bars are the only legal nighttime social event for students who want to interact in a social atmosphere, and William and Mary needs all of the social atmosphere it can get,” he said.

p. While certain studies have been conducted identifying the health risks of smoking hookah, there is a general perception, both on campus and elsewhere, that these risks are milder than those associated with cigarettes or other forms of tobacco,

p. “No one should think that hookah has any positive health benefits, but instead should think about it comparatively,” Cooper said. “Hookahs are not addicting in the same way that cigarettes are, and knowing that shisha tobacco consists of natural tobacco and flavored molasses, I believe that hookah in moderation is fine.”

p. From the Delly patio to campus benches and residences, hookah culture is spreading like smoke. The wide variety of hookah sizes and colors, not to mention the almost limitless selection of flavors and scents, enhance hookah’s appeal to students, but are by no means the core of the hookah smoker’s experience.

p. “A hookah isn’t valued because of its flashy silver exterior or sweet smelling tobacco,” Kennedy said.

p. “Hookah appeals to college students because it’s centered around community and connectedness. In the fast-paced, resume-building world of William and Mary, more students should stop and smoke. Or talk. Or both.”

It is nearly impossible to traverse the College’s campus — New or Old — without passing by at least one of the works of art that dot the grounds. Students regard these statues as pieces of College lore, installed on some indeterminate date and scheduled to remain there indefinitely. But each piece has its history.

p. The statues range from the ancient Lord Botetourt in the triangular area at the mouth of Colonial Williamsburg to the modern orb statue situated behind Rogers Hall and mysteriously called “Oliver.” As it turns out, many of the pieces are remnants of the College’s Tercentenary CelebratiCon in 1993, which may seem like ancient history to today’s students, but is much more recent relative to the school’s lifetime.

p. A natural place to start describing the art on campus is the statue of Lord Botetourt that greets stray CW tourists and students returning from the Cheese Shop. The current version was sculpted by Gordon Kray, ’73, and was installed in 1993 as part of the College’s observance of its Tercentenary.

p. Botetourt as we now know him is actually an interpretation of the original statue, sculpted by Richard Hayword and commissioned by the Virginia House of Burgesses in the 18th century. The original is currently on display in the basement of Earl Gregg Swem Library, but is missing several of its original elements, including an arm and the nose, according to Louise Kale, director of the historic campus at the College.

p. “It would be incorrect to call [the current statue] a reproduction or a replica of the marble original,” she said. “Gordon Kray interpreted the marble statue and added the missing elements as he thought they would have appeared.”

p. The original statue resided in Ancient Campus from 1801 until 1958, with a brief respite during the Civil War. Kale said that before Kray’s interpretation was installed, alumni used to wax nostalgic for the time they had attended the College and endured a freshman “hazing” that required them to “recognize Lord Botetourt with a bow or curtsey each time they passed the statue.”

p. Proceeding into campus, past the Christopher Wren Building, students will find the infamous statue of Thomas Jefferson. If you took a campus tour with one of the College’s best backward walkers before you arrived for orientation, you were probably told about how the statue was a gift from the University of Virginia for the College’s Tercentenary. It was, although it was officially given to the College in 1992.

p. There are tales that the statue is gazing toward Charlottesville, the university that Jefferson founded in 1824. That fact seems to be, at best, unsubstantiated. You might have also heard that an intrepid math major once measured the angle of TJ’s line of sight and found that his stare is directed at the third floor girls’ bathroom in Washington Hall. Any tour guide will tell you that this is great tour fodder, but you’d probably be hard pressed to find one who can prove it.

p. Looking across the Sunken Garden, one is met with the imposing gaze of the Reverend James Blair, yet another member of the statue class of ’93. This piece was sculpted by professor emeritus of art Lewis Cohen. Cohen, who retired last spring, donated many of the plaster models that he created to the Muscarelle Museum, according to museum Director Aaron De Groft, ’88. While most of the pieces are in storage, students can view a scale plaster model in the first floor lobby of James Blair Hall.

p. Cutting across Landrum Drive and around Rogers Hall, students encounter what, to the untrained eye, may look like an alien space vehicle. In fact, it’s just “Oliver,” a statue designed and executed by Robert Engram, the artist-in-residence at the College in the spring of 1979.

p. Several students have wondered about the curious name. Kale, who at one point was the registrar of the Muscarelle, had an insight about its origins. Kale remembered that Engram was having trouble coming up with a name during the construction of the statue. “Miles Chappell, [then the chair of the art and art history departments,] had a young son at the time whose name was Oliver, and he happened to have a round head that resembled Engram’s design,” she said. “Everyone is intrigued by the big mystery of the name, and then you find out it’s just because Oliver Chappell had a big head.”

p. Just around the corner of Andrews Hall lies the Muscarelle, a logical spot for the discussion of art on campus. The Muscarelle is home to the solar wall, perhaps the College’s most visible piece of art. Officially titled “Sun Sonata,” the wall of pillars filled with colorfully dyed water was the creation of renowned color field painter Gene Davis.

p. The project was originally designed as a way to cheaply provide heat to the museum — the water in the pillars would be heated by the sun and distribute heat to the inside of the building. However, when the wall was first constructed, the tubes were left uncolored and were considered an eyesore.

p. Then-Muscarelle Director Greg Lowry, who is now the director of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, contacted Davis because of his extensive knowledge of color theory. The solar wall endeavor represented a departure from Davis’ usual medium, but De Groft said he is fond of the results.

p. “It’s been an icon along Jamestown Road for a long time now,” he said. “It’s a unique, one-of-a-kind light sculpture. People have come to recognize it, especially at night, because it’s such a neat thing for our campus to have — it sticks out.”