SUBOG hosted a comedy show in the Student Union Theater on Tuesday, March 4, showcasing a diverse range of hilarious comedians.
Ali Kolbert, a stand-up comedian and writer based in New York City, was first on the stage. Kolbert is popular on social media and has been featured on programs such as “The Tonight Show” and “The Today Show.” Kolbert was also mentioned in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list in 2019.
Kolbert’s sarcastic humor shone through her performance, as she playfully poked fun at men. The comedian joked that women are inclined to prefer serial killers because they are the first men they have ever met that know how to plan things, producing many laughs in the small, but hearty audience.
Identifying herself as a lesbian, Kolbert made many references to her romantic and college experiences as an LGBTQ+ person as well. She also poked fun at modern American politics regarding her personal life.
Justin Matson, a comedian based in Los Angeles, was next to perform. He opened with a series of classic “fat jokes,” relating them to his personal life. Matson’s best landing joke told the story of people shouting “cannonball” at him whenever he stands near a pool — even if that pool is at a wedding.
The latter half of Matson’s performance centered around his gay identity. He described himself as a “Bernie Sanders gay,” not the stereotypical “fun” gay best friend.
Ali Sultan was the third comedian to take to the stage. Sultan is currently based out of New York City and is Yemeni-Ethiopian American. From appearing on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert and “Comedy Central’s Hart of The City” with Kevin Hart, Sultan also has a large social media following.
Sultan used dark humor to play at many difficult topics, such as racism in the United States. He made playful passes at his White midwestern friends and their love for camping, which he coined as “refugee reenactment.” Sultan explained that all the reasons why his family left Yemen are the same reasons white people love to camp.
“[Act] three got the ball rolling. He ended on a good note for the night,” Kristina Clarke, a fourth-semester natural resources major said. “It was really fun. Wish there were more people, but I am not upset at that. It felt more personal.”
To close his performance, Sultan ended with a segment about his anxiety and smoking weed. He told a hilarious story about the time he had a panic attack on the subway after smoking a ridiculous amount of marijuana. This act filled the room with laughter.
Anthony Moore, a comedian originally from Philadelphia and residing in the New York area, was the final act of the night. Moore has appeared on Kevin Hart’s “LaughOutLoud” network, the Netflix show, “Tires” and was also featured on the HBO’s “Game Theory” with Bomani Jones. Moore identifies as a black man, which many of his jokes referred to.
Moore’s act was more conversational in nature, playing off audience responses to his questions. He previously worked as a one-to-one behavior specialist for children and made many jokes aimed at kids as well. One of Moore’s best lines referred to rap songs describing teachers that told young artists they wouldn’t be “shit,” to which he replied, “I’m that teacher.”
The event ran for about two hours and showcased a wide variety of talent, each with unique experiences as the basis of their shticks.
“I have never been to SUBOG Comedy before, this is my first time coming. It was really good. I would definitely come back again for another event,” Clarke said.