Comedian Jessica Kirson visited Keene State College Sunday, Feb. 2 as part of her college tour.
Despite the sparse turn out, the stand-up performer put on the show as if there were not an empty seat in sight.
KSC’s Social Activities Council put on the event. Originally scheduled to be Sunday at 8 p.m., the event had to be moved to 3 p.m. as to not interfere with the Super Bowl.
Hospitality Coordinator for the Social Activities Council, Sean Ballard, said, “While scouting for different people at the National Association for Campus Activities we (SAC) saw Kirson perform and thought she was hysterical and had to have her come to the school.”
When asked what his favorite part of the show was Ballard responded, “I enjoyed the atmosphere that Kirson created by being very much herself on stage.”
Kirson’s material kept the audience holding their sides throughout the hour the talent remained onstage.
Sam Lewis / Equinox Staff:
Comedian Jessica Kirson speaks in the Mabel Brown Room on Sunday, February 2. KSC freshman Christine Simmons said, “I liked her impressions a lot. I thought it was really impressive how she could change her voice.”
Not only did she draw on personal experiences and observations for material, but Kirson also utilized the audience for jokes.
In this way, Kirson broke down the barrier between audience and performer while simultaneously testing her own boundaries as a comic by making humorous remarks on the spot about her spectators.
After being asked how she heard of the event, sophomore Amelia Gallup said, “I found out about it on Facebook and through friends I have in SAC.”
When asked what her favorite joke from the comic was, Gallup said there was, “No specific joke, but her [Kirson] facial expressions were hysterical.”
Though the joke was not her favorite Gallup said that Kirson’s bit about the lack of enthusiasm white people have while singing happy birthday was, “so accurate.”
A freshman from the audience who wished not to be named said, “I wish more people had shown up, I only heard about this event from a friend in the Night Owl Café.” He went on to say that he enjoyed Kirson’s use of the audience even though he himself was used for a joke at one point. “I thought it was really funny, I liked her impressions a lot. I thought it was really impressive how she could change her voice,” freshman Christine Simmons said when asked about the event.
After the show, Kirson stuck around for a little while before driving to Boston to catch a flight.
She spoke to the remaining audience members, signed a couple of autographs and even snapped a few photographs with the members of the Social Activities Council.
“As a female comic, you have to appeal to guys,” said Kirson in a brief interview after the show.
She went on to say, “The only time it is hard to be a woman in comedy is when trying to get a headlining gig at big comedy clubs because they mostly book men.”
Kirson also mentioned that she will be cast in an upcoming film written and directed by Nicholas “Nick” Cannon for Lionsgate Entertainment.
Zachary Fournier can be contacted at zfournier@keene-equinox.com