Page 1 - The Lamppost - Fall 2014

Fall 2014 | Alumni Relations Offce | P.O. Box 80828, Atlanta, Georgia 30366 | 770-903-3987 From the Alumni Spotlight: Jason M. Kanter ’99 Alumni President Dear Fraters, Editor’s Note: For this edition of the newsletter we’re shining the Spotlight on Frater Jason Kanter ’99. From the hometown ust a few weeks J ago, more of Mayfeld Heights, OH, Jason came to Ohio State in pursuit of his degree in Psychology. As graduation neared, and a successful than 75 alumni LSAT performance opened the door to law school, Jason decided gathered at the to explore his talent for comedy instead. Having served the chapter Omicron house as Secretary, Vice President, and Prytanis, Jason found that his for a pig roast love of comedy and entertaining others was more appealing. Jason before the Homecoming football game. has performed on AXS TV’s uncensored standup show Gotham Despite the cold and rainy weather, the Comedy Live and he’s also been a returning guest on The Artie event brought together new recruits, Lange Show on DirecTV and simulcast nationally on radio. He has active members, and alumni from all also made regular appearances on Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld on generations. Some alumni dropped Fox News. He is a fxture in comedy clubs nationally and in NYC. by with their families (including some future Tekes) for a quick house tour, and others spent the afternoon at the house What led you to join Omicron? Prytanis as well. These oftentimes involved sharing stories and reconnecting with Initially, I think it was really the physical recounting, in detail, stories from the previous old friends. For me, the day was a great structure of the castle at 234 East 17th Street. week/weekend. People need to be called out for chance to catch up with friends and to I never really thought of myself as a “fraternity their stupidity/greatness. learn some new faces, including Steve man,” but knew some guys from my high school Sklavenitis ’91 and Brian Asbury ’96. in Cleveland who had joined something called What changed your mind about going to It also reminded me of why I decided to “Teke.” After walking westbound down 17th law school? rush TKE ten years ago this fall. Street while apartment hunting, two friends and There were a few factors in my decision not In 2004, I was looking for a social I stumbled upon the house and were captivated to attend law school. One was that my father environment that would help me to build by it. When we got to the front and saw the was an attorney (retired, not dead) and he’d a network and have a lot of fun during “TKE” letters on the chimney, we decided to introduced me to hundreds of lawyers in my my time at Ohio State. I found TKE give the other guys a call. And it was an instant life, and only one (one!) had recommended the within a few days of moving into my ft. The guys in the house were very welcoming profession. Every single other lawyer told me freshman dorm and never hesitated to and interesting. And they knew a lot of girls. to follow my heart and do anything other than get more involved. I think these are the That helped too. practice law. Their collective opinion seemed same reasons that most of us rushed – to to be that the feld was already too crowded have some good times and meet some How did you utilize humor in the chapter as and the work was soul-sucking. To paraphrase good people. Prytanis? a Tom Hanks quote, “It’s like doing homework President (Continued on Page 3) When I frst joined the house as a freshman for a living.” Another big factor was that being a and started going to chapter lawyer, although the pay can be great, was going meetings, I really appreciated to be another desk job – and I hated desk jobs. the older offcers that were I wanted to do something that involved travel, Members of Omicron attend the Scott Harman creativity and adventure. And standup covers all Memorial Golf Outing in Oakwood, OH to funny in their presentations. remember our late brother. I’d heard from fellow dorm- of those. Plus free booze. dwellers who had joined other What was your frst open mic experience houses that their meetings were like? very dry and stale. So even when I started out in my frst offce It was brutal. I felt like I was dying up there. Like as Grammateus, I would write physical and mental breakdown-dying. I audio- top ten lists and fake multiple taped the whole thing and couldn’t bring myself choice tests peppered with jokes to listen to it for six full months. I fgured I was to make the meetings more one-and-done with standup. But soon after, I’d entertaining. That continued read an interview in Playboy with Jon Stewart when I was Epiprytanis and Kanter (Continued on Page 4) TKE TKE TKE TKE TKE TKE TKE TKE TKE