On March 9, ‘Comedy Night’ returned to the Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union with performances from comedian John Jacobs and “The Academy” improv troupe.
At 6 p.m., students gathered into the Union Courtyard for a night of laughs, hosted by Associated Students.
The night started off with professional comedian John Jacobs. Performing since 2007, Jacobs has starred in the MTV reality shows “Are You the One” and “The Challenge.” He has also garnered a following on social media, garnering over 347,000 followers on TikTok, 25,000 followers on Instagram, and 11,000 on Twitter.
The comedian told a variety of jokes with many about San Diego. For instance, he said San Diego is like Los Angeles, but without the famous people, while mentioning the city’s many strip malls. He also poked fun at his social media and reality TV fame.
Jacobs talked about smoking weed by joking about his stoner physique, referring to his long and messy hair as the “elephant in the room.” The joke was met with applause. He made jokes towards students walking by the courtyard, comparing one passing group to the “Saved By the Bell” cast. There were also some edgier jokes thrown around, with jokes surrounding his Jewish heritage. Additionally, he made some political jokes, poking fun at Floridians who refused to accept COVID-19 guidelines, and a few lines about Donald Trump.
The jokes seemed to have a mixed response, with some receiving slight chuckles, and some getting loud, universal laughs. Jacobs made lots of jokes about the lack of energy, which worked out in the long run.
After Jacobs closed his stand-up, the audience gave a loud applause, with some students getting pictures with him after.
Around ten minutes later, improv group “The Academy” took the stage. Based in Brooklyn, the group is made up of comedians Rachel Javorsky, Gabe Zharov, Jaesa Rogers, and Jack Greenberg.
During their set, the group created storylines based on words the audience gave them. The word “school bus” prompted a storyline involving a bus driver, a school dance, a cheese producer, and student crushes. Like the first performance, this one got a mixture of slight chuckles to hysterical laughs from students.
Another bit the group performed involved them bringing a student named Maya on stage. They explained that a bit would be performed based on information she gave them. The story involved a student whose mom is a professor. Like the previous bit, it went in numerous directions with a similar audience response.
Throughout the night, the four actors maintained a funny and watchable chemistry, with everyone building off each other very well.
The audience’s response to the night appeared consistent with previous comedy nights, with the energy fluctuating from high to low. Since everybody’s humor is unique, comedy will always have a mixed bag of responses.
The event lasted around two hours and laughs were definitely had. For more information on upcoming campus events, check out the Associated Students website.
