Big names highlight Brick City entertainment

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Rihanna (left), Howie Mandel (right), and Steve Wozniak to perform and give speeches at brick city weekend.

An innovator and an entertainer will headline festivities at Brick City Homecoming this year. Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple Computer, and comedian Howie Mandel will take to the Gordon Field House and Activities Center stage Saturday, Oct. 6, for the 10th anniversary of RIT’s homecoming tradition.

Wozniak, the 2007 Horton Distinguished Speaker, will speak at 2 p.m. Wozniak was instrumental in developing more user-friendly personal computers, such as the Apple I and Apple II. He is currently the co-founder, chief technology officer and chief visionary officer for Jazz Technologies Inc. “We chose Steve Wozniak because he embodies many of RIT’s qualities,” says Ed Wolf, RIT’s student government president. “When he invented the Apple I back in 1976, not only did he bring personal computers to the average user, but he also opened the door to an industry that many of our students are currently pursuing degrees in.”

Mandel may best be known for hosting NBC’s hit game show Deal or No Deal, but his career in television extends far beyond that. He was the creator and producer of the Emmy Award-nominated animated children series Bobby’s World, providing the voice of Bobby and other characters for eight seasons. Mandel also spent six years on the Emmy Award-winning series St. Elsewhere and he hosted his own syndicated talk show, The Howie Mandel Show. Mandel performs at 8 p.m.

Rhythm and blues performer Rihanna will kick off the weekend’s entertainment Friday night in the Field House. Rihanna, who recently released her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad, topped the charts with her lead single, Umbrella, which was a collaboration with rap superstar Jay-Z. Tickets for each event are available at the Gordon Field House and Activities Center box office or online by visiting the Brick City Homecoming website and clicking on “register now.”