Jake Johannsen is finally an honor student at Iowa State –

almost.

Johannsen, a comedian and former ISU student, was given an

“Honorary Almost Student Award” by members of the Committee

on Lectures.

Johannsen, who has appeared on “Late Show with David

Letterman” more than 30 times, performed for a crowd of nearly

600 at Stephens Auditorium Thursday evening.

He was a ISU student from 1978 to 1982 as part of the chemical

engineering, pre-veterinary and pre-advertising departments.

Johannsen said he was glad to be back in Ames.

“It’s very exciting to be back performing in Stephens Auditorium,

the same place I’ve seen many shows,” he said.

His show rhetoric ranged from former girlfriends to toilets in Hong

Kong to what he would do if he was in charge of the United States.

Johannsen joked that among those plans for the nation is an

initiative to build a machine for accurately counting ballots before

working on a far more complex missile defense system.

“I thought he had a great rapport with the audience,” said Brian

Garfield, an English and history major from Northwestern

University.

“He connected with us very well.”

Lindsey Fifield, freshman in English and secondary education,

said she enjoyed her first live humor experience.

“What I liked is that he didn’t try and force his comedy on us,” she

said.

“I have never seen stand-up comedy before, but this was

great.”

Before the show, Johannsen spoke to freshmen honor students.

He also had lunch with students in the Greenlee School of

Journalism at the home of Tom Emmerson, professor of

journalism and mass communication. Johannsen’s next

television appearance will be on the magazine show “Life 360.”

The show will air Oct. 5 on PBS.

“It’s great being back at Iowa State,” Johannsen said.

“I feel like Donald Trump going to his high school reunion.”