The Union Program Council hosted one of its monthly events, the Dumb Debates, an open forum discussion and performance series put on in collaboration with On The Spot Improv on Wednesday afternoon in the K-State Student Union Courtyard.
In the debates, students, faculty and passers-by are invited to engage in a series of debates over a variety of unusual topics ranging from simple questions, such as of what brand of soda is better, to more absurd questions pondering whether farts are the merely swallowed burps.
The debates were loosely structured, usually beginning with one of the two hosts or an audience member posing a questions. After a question was introduced to the room, one of two things would happen; the room would either go quiet as the audience seemed to quickly agree on an answer, or several hands would energetically shoot up as hosts and audiences members began to argue their stances on the proposed question.
Topics discuss at this session include, “Are cheetos chips?”, “Are pop tarts ravioli?”, “Are soups a form of salad?” and “Should K-State build an elevator to the moon to become a world famous college?”
The room often filled to the brim with laughter as participants argued with one another and with enthusiastic spectators.
“It was so random, but really fun,” Ashlan Kaleta, freshman in environmental design, said. “The MCs were really good about getting the audience to speak up in the discussions.”
Olivia Carter, junior in theatre and MC of the event, said she was happy to see students participating and enjoying the debates.
“It’s nice to debate about dumb stuff that doesn’t matter, especially when everything going on in the world is so crazy,” Carter said. “We get lots of audience participation, but it’s always nice to see the people who just stop by and think ‘that’s weird’ but leave smiling.”
Students and faculty flowed in and out of the audience throughout the hour-long debates, many of them stopping by for a quick laugh between classes. Even a few other members of the On The Spot team stopped by to add their humorous thoughts to a discussion.
“It was so funny, I’m definitely coming by next time they have it,” Jacob Soderling, freshman in mechanical engineering, said.
The On The Spot improv troupe will be hosting another round of Dumb Debates in the Union courtyard again on Oct. 24.
