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Unless you’ve had your nose in the books for the past two weeks, you’ve most likely heard about the controversy surrounding Travis Cowing, a local comedian and columnist for The Maine Campus. Protesters recently gathered at Wells Conference Center where Cowing was performing his stand-up comedy act. The Maine Times ran an editorial calling Cowing’s columns “artless, thoughtless and unworthy of the debate they have sparked.”
Cowing has written numerous articles for The Maine Campus, including “What the hell is an izzo?” “Did you do your homework for PMP 101?” and “No need to meet the parents.”
Originally from Milo, Cowing attended art school in Portland after high school. Cowing eventually decided he disliked the difference and decided to move to the University of Maine-a destination closer to his Milo home.
Currently an art major, Cowing is trying to get his degree in physical education and says he will probably remain at UMaine for a long time to come.
“My children will be graduating before I do,” Cowing said.
Cowing was originally approached last year about stand-up comedy by a representative from Channel 2 who had read a Cowing column in The Maine Campus. The rep, who was organizing a story on the controversy Cowing was stirring up, asked the columnist to take a shot at stand-up in Portland.
Cowing took up the challenge. While Cowing performed well, he was disqualified from the contest by running over the allotted amount of time. However, he was asked to come back as a regular comic, something that doesn’t occur frequently.
Now, Cowing performs regularly at clubs in Portland. His show consists of “a little of everything with a cynical touch.” Cowing pokes fun at growing up in a small town atmosphere here in Maine with jokes like: “People can relate because if you’re from Maine chances are you’re from a shit hole town like me.”
Regarding the ongoing and current criticism of his writing, Cowing said, “I enjoy the negativity to tell you the truth. If I can anger a group so much that they protest and put up signs then I think that only adds to my notoriety. I’m sure there were people at my show that didn’t like my humor, but they wanted to be there to see what I was going to say. In that situation I’m really the winner. Likewise, if I anger someone so much that they write a letter to the editor, that’s great.”
Cowing says he has no plans to tone down any part of his columns or live stage shows.
“I will continue my outrageous columns as long as I can,” Cowing said. “Which will be until someone stops me or someone kills me. And believe me, the chances of me being killed are increasing. Probably by some big bull dyke.”
Cowing freely admits he doesn’t believe his columns are right for everyone.
“If you want something intellectual, there are plenty of other important stories in The Maine Campus,” Cowing said.
According to Cowing, his articles and stories are so far over the top that he finds it difficult to understand why people take them so seriously. He said that he pushes them so far it’s impossible for someone to take them for face value.
Cowing actually won an award while in high school for his writing. His grades in college in writing and English classes have always been exceptional.
But as for putting that writing ability to some “good” use?
“Leave important literature to Steven Hawking,” Cowing said , “Let me write about the puck sluts.”
Although Cowing’s friends and family now support his comedic endeavors, it hasn’t always been that way. When he started out his parents were worried it would reflect badly on them, and were a bit embarrassed, That has changed now Cowing said.
Cowing’s mother keeps a scrapbook of his column work for him.
Cowing’s dream is to attend a comedic improvisation school in either Los Angeles or Chicago, schools where the regular comedy show “Saturday Night Live” picks most of their comedians. Since he was a child, Cowing has dreamt of fame and having a reoccurring role on Saturday Night Live.
Cowing’s preparation and innovation routine is fairly simple. The comedian said he simply sits in front of the computer and thinks “What would make people laugh and say, ‘I can’t believe he just said that?’”
