You’ve seen him as the humorously vain lead on NBC’s hit show Community and crack up in hysterics watching him host E! Network’s The Soup, but laughter cascaded through all of Cole Field House October 12 when stand-up comedian and television star Joel McHale took on the college-aged crowd at the first of UMD’s many Homecoming events soon to come.
In addition to past entertainers such as Gabriel Iglesias and Bob Saget, College Park’s Student Entertainment Events (SEE) added McHale onto the long list of renowned comics who have now graced the Maryland campus with their hilarious material. But between marketing the funny man’s talents and setting the stage (literally) for his showcase, SEE put in loads of work to bring the occasion to reality.
While the marketing team spent hours chalking up the sidewalks, hanging banners, and placing signs on every corner for the past month, SEE’s tech crew and volunteers all pitched in the day of to position the lights, connect the cords, and of course, snap a few selfies during some much needed down time after all the heavy lifting.
By 8 p.m., McHale took the stage to perform for all of us excited Terps and made sure not to disappoint with his signature sense of snarky humor, entertainingly chatting up the audience about a variety of subjects in a sarcastic manner and holding nothing back in the process.
For freshman studio art major Melanie Outtarac, McHale’s jokes were fun and refreshing. “I love how uncensored the show was,” she said. “[McHale] wasn’t afraid to take any low blows or embarrass anyone with his material… It may have been a little risqué, but sometimes that’s what makes it so funny.”
Those familiar with McHale’s comedic style were also engaged throughout the set. “I’m a big Community fan so I liked that I got to see Joel McHale live and in a new environment,” said sophomore biology major Belton DeLaine Facey. “And being from New Jersey, I liked his jokes about Rutgers.”
Freshman business major Katharine Sudbrook also felt captivated by the popular small-screen celeb, who before Saturday night, she did not know much about McHale. “I haven’t seen Community or The Soup, but I still really enjoyed the show,” Sudbrook said. “Both the opener and Joel McHale were really funny.”
In addition to McHale’s comical performance, spectators all over campus were greeted by a pleasantly surprising fireworks show lit in honor of the official start to the many terrapin Homecoming events we all can’t wait to attend.
In fact, freshman architecture major Allexxus Farley-Thomas was merely hanging out in her dorm room when she heard the fireworks erupting. “I was so confused for a minute because it kind of sounded like thunder,” said Farley-Thomas. “But when I looked out the window, I saw all the lights and it was really cool. My roommate was freaking out, she was so excited.”
Sudbrook expressed enthusiasm as well with regards to the unexpected fireworks. “The fireworks were actually even better than the ones they have back where I live,” she said.
SEE’s Comedy Show featuring Joel McHale proved to be a majorly spirited blowout, but there is plenty more where that came from. Occasions such as the Residence Hall Decorating Competition, the Homecoming Tailgate Contest, and of course UMD’s Homecoming football game against the Iowa Hawkeyes have captured the attention of all fellow terps so show your Maryland pride and stay tuned for all the much anticipated action!