As the temperatures rapidly drop, students— some coughing, some sneezing, some absolutely drained from the work they’ve put in over the semester— are counting down the days until winter break. The only thing standing in the way of their warm, cozy beds are finals.
Whoever said laughter is the best medicine had the perfect prescription for Loyola students ready to slap their knees in hilarity from the comedians who took the stage November 3rd at the annual Comedy Jam in Mullady Theatre.
The stage. That’s where you’re likely to find Godfrey C. Danchimah Jr., 44, more commonly known as Godfrey. He’s made guest appearances on television stations like Comedy Central, VH1, BET and found his way to the big screen in feature films such as “Zoolander,” “Johnson Family Vacation” and “Soul Plane.”
But don’t let his publicized giggly demeanor fool you. “Unlike many comedians, my comedy is smart,” the University of Illinois Champaign alum said. “I’m not your average comedian. I’m 6 feet tall, Nigerian and angry.”
So what draws a then 26-year-old college graduate away from psychology and towards comedy? “This is freedom of speech,” he said. “I became a comedian because I got tired of listening to professors. I didn’t want anyone telling me what the f**k to do.”
Success, like in many careers, doesn’t always come by playing it safe. “When I got tired of scouting women while working the produce section at Dominick’s,” he said, “I started doing shows with Tracy Morgan, Steve Harvey, Bernie Mac and Dave Chappelle. Eventually, I got an agent—because I’m different.”
Born in Lincoln, Nebraska and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Godfrey works to incorporate the most unique aspects of everyday American life into his comedy. “I like to make people think while they laugh,” he said.
But no matter how he works to be unlike mainstream comedians by commenting on the unexpected, Godfrey said he gets his share of criticism—fans even encourage more competition.
“I think Godfrey is a little too full of himself,” said Hayley Bullock, a Loyola University senior Dance and Business Management double major who has been to many of Godfrey’s comedy shows. “He’s funny because he talks about real issues,” she said. “But I’d be more impressed if he took shots at his competition.”
And Godfrey is completely aware of the stigma. “’Why aren’t you like Kevin Hart?’ That’s something I always hear,” he said. “I love Kevin, but I’m not trying to be Kevin. My name is Godfrey.”
Although many push for more rivalry, not everyone feels he should change his ways. “He’s a great guy,” Rukyra Ambrose, Loyola University’s Black Cultural Center president and annual Comedy Jam coordinator said. “When I saw Godfrey on the list from the comedy agency, Funny Business, I said to myself ‘he’s going to be our headliner because he can put on a good show.’”
As an entertainer of 18 years, Godfrey knows some comedians in the industry aren’t all fun and games. “The problem with comedy is it keeps audiences occupied, but it’s evil, racist, sexist… It lessens the blow of the severity of issues,” he said. “But people like that I guess.”
Not all people. To Ambrose, there is a fine line between confidence and offensiveness. “I think he is a little cocky, but the difference between Godfrey and the average comedian is you don’t think he’s a bad guy, you think, ‘he’s a performer—he’s hilarious,’” Ambrose said.
The fact that the crowd of students boomed with chuckles and snorts and produced the occasional tear isn’t any indication of achievement, according to Godfrey. “I’m flattered, but it’s not like I’m doing rocket science,” he said. “I’m just telling the truth, but being funny because what I’m saying is real, relevant and important.”