University Union Speakers is looking at bringing Jon Stewart, comedian and host of Comedy Central’s ‘The Daily Show,’ to Syracuse University this spring.

After the Student Association secured $30,680 in funding for the event at Monday night’s assembly meeting, UU Speakers will hold a logistical meeting today to hash out the final details of Stewart’s potential April 29 visit.

‘We can’t guarantee or be confident he’ll be at Syracuse,’ said Chad Bender, the UU Speakers chair.

Bender said UU Speakers has been in contact with Stewart’s agents for the past few weeks and now that the funding is secured will write up a contract and submit it by this Wednesday.

But Bender warned that even though UU Speakers has received funding, it does not mean it will be able to book the act.

‘There hasn’t been a bid, it hasn’t been solidified,’ Bender said. ‘In fact, (Stewart) rejects 50 percent of his offerings. Everything is contingent on him agreeing to a contract.’

Bender also said that, despite this fact, Stewart does favor visiting schools in the upstate New York area because of its close proximity to New York City, where he films ‘The Daily Show.’

If Stewart does agree to come to SU, Bender said the event will be held in the Carrier Dome with approximately 10,000 seats available.

Upon Stewart’s agreement, tickets should go on sale by April 1, and be available at a reasonable price, compared to the $30 to $80 students at other campuses are paying to see him, Bender said.

Cornell University sold 5,000 tickets in less than four hours for Stewart’s March 4 visit to the campus.

‘Students (at Cornell) lined up before midnight to get tickets,’ Bender said.

Published on February 21, 2005 at 12:00 pm