By Leo Corman ’15

Many teachers like to think that they know their way around a joke or two. Some actually do, but very few actually have the talent needed to go on tour as a stand-up comedian. Math teacher Kevin Winiarz has this rare ability, and he plans to utilize it for a profit this summer. Winiarz will perform 20 shows in 17 states all over the country, with most of the shows already sold out in anticipation of this comedic sensation.

It all started earlier this school year on an average, rather mundane Monday morning in Winiarz’ Calculus with Applications class. “I thought it might be a good idea to liven things up with a little humor. I’d already done ‘Why was six afraid of seven?’ so I innocently asked, ‘Have any of you ever used an online family tree registry?’” said Winiarz, reminiscing on that fateful day. “I went on, ‘I recently found some very disturbing news about my uncle on one of those sites: he was a murderer! In the most gruesome incident, he drowned a man in a bathtub full of milk; the man’s name was Captain Crunch. My uncle, the cereal killer.’ Of course, most of the students were asleep at that point, but of those still awake, several smiled, and a couple audibly chuckled,” recalled Winiarz nostalgically.

According to Winiarz, it was at that special moment that he realized he had comedic potential: “Until then, most of my jokes were pretty spontaneous and off-the-cuff, but I recognized that, to perfect my craft, I would have to practice outside of class.” Winiarz began to insert his prewritten, original material into lectures, much to the delight of his students.

“I’ll never forget, one time he told me, ‘George, remember not to drink and derive, or you’ll be in Dyer straits.’ That just got me. He’s a comedic genius,” said senior George Dyer. Even if incorporating humor into lessons doesn’t always aid students’ learning, it certainly ensures that they get something out of the class. “I’m not sure I know what a derivative is, but at least I’ve had some good laughs,” said Dyer.

Winiarz’ colleagues have also greatly appreciated his witty presence in meetings and conversations, and they wish him success in this new calling. “I just thought [Winiarz] was a weird goofball,” said fellow math teacher Thomas Cohan, a good friend of Winiarz’. “But I guess some people find that funny. I’m glad, actually—now he’ll have someone else to test out his jokes on.”

While Winiarz will eventually try to expand his repertoire to include non-mathematical jokes, currently the domain of his act will still continue to include mostly math puns for the foreseeable future. When asked where he derives his incredible sense of humor from, Winiarz said that humor has always been an integral factor of his personality. “I feel like jokes help me function,” remarked Winiarz. “Some of my jokes might be irrational or hyperbolic, but I think that’s just a sine that I’m being creative.” Winiarz believes that math presents an infinite range of humorous possibilities, of which he has only plotted a fraction.