Fresno State’s The Bucket Grill and Pub was transformed Tuesday night from its regular restaurant setting into a small comedy club for the “Show Me Comedy” event. The two hour show put on by University Student Union featured five notable and professional comedians. In addition, Fresno State student Andrew Boydston was the night’s opening act.
Students and other patrons filled the open seats right before the show was set to begin at 7 p.m. The $2 fee for students and $4 for general admission didn’t deter a curious crowd from seeing what a full night of comedy at Fresno State’s campus had to offer.
USU staff prompted audience members to visit the free refreshment table in the very back of the room, supplying patrons with water, chips and salsa and vegetables.
Daniel Minch, a local comedian, played host for the evening, throwing in fragments of his own routine before introducing each act.
The young man playing DJ for the night confessed it was his first time on the job and was prey to comedians who routinely commented on his poor job cuing the music.
The show opened with student Andrew Boydston, a local comedian and regular at some of the comedy spots in town. The blonde-haired, bearded comic entertained audience members with his fast-talking and physical demeanor. His show was a forecast of topics that would be touched (literally) on by most of the comedians: sex, drugs, alcohol and the complex creatures known as women.
The show was filled with all male comedians who, understandably, found humor in women’s behavior and conduct. The jokes resonated with the mostly male audience and also the smaller female audience who could all relate to dating “that girl” or actually being “that girl.” Vulgarity and expletives are unspoken disclaimers that one agrees to when choosing to attend a comedy show and the “Show Me Comedy” event at The Bucket was no different.
Topical subjects such as Arizona’s recent immigration bill and Hollywood’s cheating spouses were well received by the audience. Racist jokes were a hit-and-miss, collecting hearty laughs or awkward giggles.
The show ended with headliner Andre Covington, radio host of The Juice Crew Morning Show on B95. His set was longer and well contended as the best set of the night. Covington began his act proclaiming he could “smell the broke” in the room, an observation most college students could confirm. His ability to fuse humor with a positive message for young people to finish school and have a strong work ethic was rejuvenating and a tad bit inspiring; and of course, hilarious.