The cable talk show “Hardball with Chris Matthews” will kick off a year-long tour of college campuses later this month at Northrop Auditorium.

The live question-and-answer discussion, scheduled for Sept. 18, will feature Gov. Jesse Ventura.

Open to the public, the show’s producers said they hope students will attend to add energy to the show’s “town hall meeting” atmosphere. The event will be free and no tickets are needed to attend.

“It usually becomes a lively debate,” said Cheryl Daly, MSNBC spokeswoman. Daly said the show is coming to the University mainly because of Ventura.

Paulette Song, an MSNBC spokeswoman, said having Ventura and college students in a room together should make for a compelling show.

“It’s two voices coming together in a live format you don’t see often enough,” Song said.

Following the Minnesota show, the program plans to broadcast live from a different college campus once a week throughout the season.

– Courtney Lewis