A&E
Davidson delivered a controversial set that asks stu- dents to reconsider comedy’s function in our society.
Unpacking the role of comedy through Davidson
By Kyandreia Jones ’19
February 23, 2017
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The Campus Activities Board brought SNL performer, writer and comedian Pete Davidson to Wellin Hall last Wednesday, Feb. 15. Tickets for the show sold out, nearly filling the venue with students. Buzzing excitement hummed among audience members as many anxiously awaited the Staten Island native. Everyone wondered what the young comic, who has appeared on shows such as MTV’s Guy Code, Nick Cannon Presents: Wild N’ Out and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, would bring to our small liberal arts college. Although some audience members were previous fans of Davidson and followed his work faithfully, others simply embraced the chance of having a good laugh.
Regardless of individual reasoning for purchasing the $10 ($7 if bought earlier) ticket, when Davidson approached the stage in all his 6’3’’ glory wearing a baseball cap, a vest, tan pants and a Hamilton sweatshirt, the whole crowd erupted.
In his set, Davidson joked about personal aspects in his life. The 23 year-old comedian discussed his time in rehab and his early-onset baldness. Going into detail about the latter, the comedian shared with the audience that the pill he takes for combating his baldness came with a warning that users should avoid having sex more than five to six times a day. The comedian wondered who his doctor thought he was when the man shared this concern with him. “I’m lucky if I have sex once a week,” the comedian laughed.
“I have a new outlook on bald people,” the comedian added, considering that some men would rather forfeit their hair than their sexual capacity. In the Question and Answer portion after the show, a student asked Davidson if he knew that our president David Wippman is bald to which drew a burst of laughter from the audience.
On the subject of strange connections to sex, the comedian mentioned his unwillingness to watch The Walking Dead after the show did not feature anyone trying to have intercourse with a walker. Davidson could not believe that no one had tried to engage in sexual intercourse with a zombie. He admitted he himself would. He continued to imagine waking up in a zombie apocalypse and having several zombies tied up in his backyard. “Morning, bitches,” he said, to the imagined undead. He imitated the sound of walkers as a response. “They already want you,” he said, imitating the noise again.
Davidson briefly talked about his relationship to his hometown Staten Island which he considered a mess riddled with pill problems and lowlifes. “Don’t take pills,” the comedian told the crowd. “Smoke weed, even cigarettes, drink alcohol...but no pills. They make you a monster.”
“Which do you think is worse,” one audience member asked during the Q & A, “Jersey or Staten Island?” “Staten Island,” the comedian answered. “Because Jersey’s always been bad, you know?”
Although he can’t understand her admiration, the comedian bought his mom a house in Staten Island because she loves it. He seems to have a very close relationship with his mother, speaking of her fondly. She has always supported his comedy, even driving him to comedy gigs when he started performing at age 16.
Like many comedians who came before him, the young comedian talked about Hamilton’s unfavorable location. He inquired about what we do on The Hill and why we live here, where it’s cold and smack in the middle of nowhere. He wondered if any of us committed murder because we could get away with it up here in Upstate New York. “You could kill someone,” the comedian said, shrugging, “and just...[tosses imagined body to the side].”
This conversation prompted him to ask more about the concentrations offered on The Hill. “What’s everyone majoring in?” he asked. Shouts of “Econ, Econ, Econ!” answered his inquiry. “Econ?” He repeated. “What’s that?” “Economics,” an audience member responded. “And…” The comedian questioned. When that got laughs, Davidson went on to refer to himself as retarded and an individual who often wondered about his own mental state and intelligence.
When the audience pulled back at the word “retarded,” the comedian reprimanded the crowd of students. He brought up a woman who blogged about his use of language at another college. The discussion took around five to ten minutes but it seemed longer because of the audience’s discomfort. The tension this part of the set created took a while to dissipate and for many students turned them off to the rest of the performance.
A lot of students on campus spoke ill of the comedian after his performance, disgusted with his behavior and comments. Many felt cheated because he did not seem well prepared––even by his own admission. Others hated that he showed up under the influence which also subtracted from the level of professionalism they believed he owed them. Several attributed his laidback style of comedy to his appeal to the other hyper-male “bros” in the audience.
On the subject of his use of language, I think it’s important for critics to understand that Davidson is a comedian. Comedians, by definition, push the boundaries of language. They bend it, break it, play with it––all for the sake of laughter. They value shock and often embark on discussions of the taboo like Davidson’s use of the aforementioned word. Granted, he did not seem to want to dismantle the larger implications of the term. However, he does create a space to discuss political correctness, our understanding of language within the context of a comedian’s set and our expectations of the use of language in comedy.
I have been to almost every comedy show CAB has sponsored since my time here and have heard many conversations about a comedian’s material “going too far.” Comedian Kevin Barnett’s visit last fall also featured controversial commentary on political correctness. Comedians Neko White and Tracey Ashley (whom I consider the best comedian that has visited campus) engaged with the idea of political correctness as well. Being P.C. restricts language and their job is to strip language at its bare bones, getting to the marrow of the taboo.
Hamilton allows us to engage with language with more care and consideration, but outside this bubble, everyone does not adhere to these same values. Comedians rarely do and for a variety of reasons. Each time one attends a comedy show they should prepare themselves for risqué material and for the possibility of hearing opinions with which they do not agree. Those who cannot sit through tough topics or find themselves disgusted by individuals as a result of their contrary individual opinions, should have a conversation with themselves before attending future comedy shows.
There is much to learn through controversial performances such as Davidson’s. These performances give mature audiences the opportunity to further discuss, with greater honesty, issues of race, class, mental health and other topics that often go unaddressed, or spoken about with a degree of caution. Our laughter reveals an aspect of our characters. What makes us slap our knees or grab our stomachs, as well as what makes us stiff-lipped, begins a valuable engagement with our understanding of larger issues and the language used to propel these conversations.