Among stressful midterms, ramen eating and college drama, a Thursday evening dedicated to laughter was just what the doctor ordered for students who filled the Sonoma State University Person Theatre to see winners of the San Francisco Comedy Competition perform.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” said sophomore Marissa Sampston, “I have a feeling that it’ll be either really awful, or really great.”
Even though about half of the theater was filled, those who did attend the free event weren’t in for a disappointment.
The first comedian and host was Nigel Larson, whose main gimmick as a comedian was the fact he lives at his grandparents house and plays the part of a somewhat loser. Larson was mediocre at best, with a joke that said, “Did you fall from heaven? ‘Cause you’re the devil,” showing not much thought was put into his act.
Despite how bland Larson’s act was, the following comedian Roger Lazole, made Larson look like Eddie Murphy.
“He was kind of weird,” said sophomore Alfonso Campomanes. “He kind of seemed like he just wandered onstage aimlessly.”
Lazole provoked much nervous laughter from the audience, shaking the microphone uncontrollably, which prompted a student in the back to shout, “Is that guy on speed?”
The unorganized way that Lazole delivered his comedy material completely overshadowed the actual material, which, although racy, earned some laughs. He pulled out jokes reminiscent of the type an eighth grader might make.
It was obvious why the headliner, comedian Samuel Comroe, won the San Francisco Comedy Competition in 2013. Comroe, who has Tourette syndrome, made light of his situation throughout his act, and said, “I’m trying to milk this,” making for an extremely likable performance and onstage presence.
Impressively, Comroe has appeared on “Conan” on TBS, and is a regular entertainer at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank.
One thing that always tends to make good comedians great, is their ability to interact with the audience. Comroe did just that. After hearing an unusual sound from an audience member, Comroe said with a surprised look on his face, “I’m not sure if that guy was laughing or if he just got stabbed.”
Comroe’s improvised humor was half of the fun of the evening. To bring his interaction with the audience to the next level, Comroe then allowed the audience to ask him personal questions.
He was asked about the meaning of his tattoo of a lion and a rose, and to this he responded, “World Peace. Well actually it’s for my mom who passed away. Her name was Mufasa,” which earned a roar of laughter from the entire audience.
When asked what advice he would give to college students, he said, “Get a puppy. Live your life.”
This advice was not helpful for those who live on campus with the strict “no pet” policy, but hey, a goldfish will do.
“The show was more than a pleasant surprise. The first two comics were solid, but Comroe blew me away,” said freshman Steffan Grace. “He gave a stellar performance that felt fresh and genuine in today’s stale world of comedy, and kept me smiling for the rest of the night.”
Thursday’s evening of comedy was the perfect way to end a week full of Seawolf spirit, with the stress that comes along with college, one cannot forget to laugh.
