Some parts of who you are always stick with you. Though calling from Los Angeles, Jasper Redd's cell phone comes up as a Tennessee AM number. The host of American Eagle's Campus Comedy Challenge, coming to Marquette on February 10,AM has come a long way, both geographically and in his career.

His first move out of Knoxville, Tenn. AM was to San Francisco, which at first glance, is an unlikely city for trying to establish oneself in comedy. Redd's reasoning in 2002 came from research and a gut feeling. "I was listening to a lot of comedy, and some of my favorite albums were being recorded in San Francisco," he said. Richard Pryor, Steve Martin, Woody Allen and Lenny Bruce were some of his favorites that "tipped (him) off as a good scene to do comedy in."

With a past appearance on Comedy Central's Premium Blend, and a two-day stint in England for a Comedy Central show called World Stand Up right in the middle of the CCC, the move is proving fruitful. He also feels that now he's in the "big time" with AE behind the tour.

But has he reached the status where groupies are included on the tours? "If I do they haven't made themselves apparent," he said, modestly, as he has a Web site created by a super fan that he links to on his MySpace page.

He describes his trek, beginning in 2002 at the age of 22 as enjoyable. "My journey's been fun," he said. "Every year I say I've gotten better at the craft and also at advancing my career at the same time."

Before moving, Redd was working as a janitor with aspirations as big as his smile of becoming a musician, cartoonist or sheriff. "I still have a deep appreciation for music," he said, but doesn't have plans to follow this dream as comedy is his main mode of self-expression.

Though the clunky tour name comes because of being sponsored by American Eagle, it means the performances are free. Redd said that AE is "hooking a brother up," as he got to pick out his clothes on tour. The student performers are also treated to a new outfit, so in essence, they are getting paid in an AE staple- khaki cargo pants.

As far as Redd's comedic style goes, he began his career by imitating Jerry Seinfeld's observational humor. "I try to joke about things that are personal, I try to write jokes that come from my life and aspirations and are attached to who I am as a person," he said.

His quirky, timed style sometimes has to lend itself to comedic routine archetypes, such as "Yo Momma" jokes. He is the 2005 "Yo Mama Joke Champion" at Club Deluxe in San Francisco, and though his jokes are usually clean, he struggled to think of a joke in this category that was appropriate.

For the actual performance, Redd opens things up, followed by another professional comic. Next the student performers do their routines, and two more professionals finish the set.

In the future, Redd said that he'd enjoy writing, especially in the vein of comedy, which lends itself to his current locale in Hollywood. "You put all this time and effort into being a comedian," he said. "People are like alright, your funny, but what else you got in your bag of tricks."

This sentiment was also noted by late comedian Mitch Hedberg: "As a comedian, they want you to do other things besides comedy… if I was a cook and I worked my ass of to become a really good cook, say, alright, you're a cook, can you farm?"

So for mass appeal, Redd is trying to do a little bit more "cheesy stuff," trying to "do a little acting eventually," but said that if he was doing comedy five years from now, "I'd be happy."

His advice for young comics? "Comedy is trial and error," he said. "Just stick to your guns- that's all you can do as a comedian- do what you think is funny and don't get discouraged."

The CCC is on Feb 10 at 9 p.m. in the Weasler Auditorium, and is co-sponsored by MUSG AfterDark.AM The winning student performer has a chance to perform in Cancun, Mexico, for AE's Spring Break. AM