Jerrod Carmichael headlines final comedy show of the semester

Local comedians Ryan Barrett and Jean Nervil joined Jerrod Carmichael for a night of comedy on March 25.

Ryan Lynch, Staff Writer

Jerrod Carmichael helped provide laughs for students by headlining the final comedy show of the semester, hosted by the Student Government Program Board on March 25 in the Barry Kaye auditorium.

FAU students waiting for Program Board's March 25th comedy show to start. Mohammed F Emran | Web Editor
FAU students waiting for Program Board’s March 25th comedy show to start. Mohammed F Emran | Web Editor

The 26 year-old Carmichael has been active in the Los Angeles stand-up scene since 2008, but has recently gained national fame for the role of “Garf” in the 2014 film “Neighbors,” starring Zac Efron and Seth Rogen.

Multiple students had heard about Carmichael because of the movie. “Yea, I knew he was in ‘Neighbors,’” said freshman music major Jerry Cornelius. “He did a really great job in that.”

The show also included local comedians Ryan Barrett and Jean Nervil, who served as Carmichael’s opening acts. Nervil also served as the Emcee for the night, introducing both Barrett and Carmichael to the stage. He set the stage between acts, joking about various ethnicities and ways of speaking, as well as doing a bit on Haitian funerals.

Jean Nervil hosts Program Board's March 25th comedy show. Mohammed F Emran | Web Editor
Jean Nervil hosts Program Board’s March 25th comedy show. Mohammed F Emran | Web Editor

Barrett got the audience warmed up with his views on black culture, including his opinion on rap music, people from the Caribbean and pitching a show called Ghetto Island. He also made fun of stereotypes, like that white people can’t dance, showing off his Soulja Boy as well as his Carlton, and read sections from his “diary” of first black experiences.

Ryan Barrett dancing to Drake’s single “Hold on we’re going home” during March 25th comedy show. Mohammed F Emran | Web Editor

Carmichael was next up to the stage, after Barrett. His style was very relaxed and slow paced, with his subjects ranging from women’s rights to Tinder and relationships. He was very conversational and often looked to the audience for suggestions on what he should talk about.

Carmichael also joked about the empty seats on both sides of the auditorium. “I feel like those people really wanted to come to tonight’s show,” he said. “But all of their mothers died. We have a whole section of dead mothers.”

Jerrod Carmichael headlined Program Board's March 26th comedy show. Mohammed F Emran | Web Editor
Jerrod Carmichael headlined Program Board’s March 26th comedy show. Mohammed F Emran | Web Editor

Due to his controversial comedy and willingness to push the envelope on certain topics —like Bill Cosby’s rape allegations and abortion— Carmichael often got groans as well as laughs from the crowd.

Overall, students in the audience seemed to enjoy the show, with around 200 people in attendance laughing along and having a good time.  “I really liked it actually,” said freshman exercise science major Berneta Boldin after the show. “I didn’t take offense to anything.”

Cornelius said, “I thought [the comedians] were great … I prefered the two opening guys’ styles of comedy. They weren’t active; they told a story rather than asked for a story.”

While there are no more comedy shows for the rest of this semester, students can expect that the Program Board will bring in more comedians for the Fall.