Bingo Night at the Underground is Punbelievable

“I-2” know what you are thinking. When you think of Bingo, you think of old ladies in a retirement home fighting over who’s going to win the prized banana (it’s easy on their dentures). Well, “B-4” deciding that Bingo is a bit too old school, you might want to read on.

Have you met junior Chris Vellucci? The sexy, single Bingo host calls out numbers with more gags than a sex shop.

Honestly, the Bingo aspect of the night was much less entertaining than watching Vellucci attempt to have a joke with every number combination.

I’m not kidding; you’ll get your kicks with “0-66” at the frequency of jokes per minute. And if you didn’t like a joke, or you just have something funny to say, feel free to yell out whatever is on your mind.

Vellucci started hosting in February. He notes that some material is borrowed from the previous year’s host, but many of the jokes are new.

“It’s so much fun,” he said. “I’m really happy to do it. I love getting people out here and meeting them. I really love the regulars; that’s why Veteran’s Bingo is so much fun.”
Veteran’s Bingo? Bingo at the Underground is not your Nana’s bingo. Of course, they do play traditional Bingo.

But they also have variations like “Keep-Up Bingo” where Vellicci calls numbers as quickly as possible and “Story Bingo” where he tells a funny story as he calls the numbers.

But the most difficult one by far “Veteran’s Bingo,” where Vellucci only says the joke and the audience has to recognize the corresponding number (“Boron” means “B5,” for instance).

And don’t call “Bingo!” just because you have the classic 5-in-a-row. Vellucci likes to do many different shapes, anything from the letter “P” to the “Eiffel Tower.”

Graduate student Kelly Caldwell has been attending Bingo every week for the last 2 years.

When asked why she continues to come, she simply says, “Chris is funny.” Although she has only won one consolation prize in her Bingo career, Caldwell remains a regular.

But Bingo has not always been this fun. Junior Liz Bradley has attended Bingo since last year, and actually won a prize the first time she came.

“Last year, I didn’t know why I kept coming. This year, I come for Chris.”

Last Wednesday, she won both a sweatshirt and a hat.

Although the most fun is from Vellucci, it is more like a “G-6” to take home a prize.

Wednesday night Bingo generally gives away 20 prizes, ranging from poker sets, disc shooters, silly strings, mini-basketball hoops, and picture frames. But the ultimate prize is the blender.

“It’s the holy grail,” said freshman Katharine Huffman. “The blender is why I came out…[it’s] why I came to Mary Washington.”

When going for the first time, it is easy to become overwhelmed with the pace at which games are played. But the experience makes more sense the longer you go, and there are so many cult regulars who are more than happy to help. Besides, what’s better than taking someone on a “D8” to Bingo?

If you’re looking for a good laugh with the chance at some pretty sweet prizes, make sure to hit up Bingo on Wednesday nights in the Underground at 8 p.m.

[Photo: Bingo host Chris Vellucci is the reason why many students play week after week. Credit: Paul Tindall/Bullet]