Improversy Comes to Pittsburgh

During a visit to Pittsburgh in early October, former Oxford debaters and European parliamentary debating champions Fraser Campbell and Gavin Illsley visited Department of Communication classes, staged a public debate on smoking that drew a capacity audience in the English Nationality Room, and capped their stay by helping Pitt debaters debut a new soapbox speaking event: Improvised Controversy, "improversy," on the Schenley Plaza lawn.

Inspiration for the improversy concept came from Illsley's dual training in parliamentary debate and improvisational comedy. As the emcee for the Schenley Plaza improversy, he attracted a roving audience of lunchgoers and solicited topics for debate, including controversies such as public funding for education, unions, and legalization of prostitution. WPDU debaters Tom Marvit and Melina Forte took turns at the soapbox, joining with Campbell to tackle both sides of the questions and more.

Also during their stay in Pittsburgh, the visiting European debating champions squared off against WPDU coaches John Rief and Carly Woods in a parliamentary debate on the motion "This House Would Lift the Smoking Ban." Campbell and Illsley supported the motion, arguing that government prohibition was a losing battle destined to cause angst and even riots. Rief (himself a smoker!) and Woods spoke up for non-smokers' rights and criticized partial measures by pointing out the futility of trying to ban peeing in part of a pool.