TXST Has the Last Laugh

Article by Tommy Moriarty

For some, getting up in front of a crowd to speak can be daunting, especially if the crowd starts laughing at you. But others, specifically those dabbling in stand up comedy, are drawn to the crowd and that laughter is the ultimate goal.

Moon Police plays a game called “Irish Drinking Song” where the team sings a song based on suggestions from the audience. This particular song was mammograms.

At Texas State, these comics have found each other and formed the Texas State Comedy Association headed by theater junior, Garrett Buss. On Friday the association had their last showcase of the year at George’s in the L.B.J. Student center. This showcase featured stand-up, improv and the club’s first video sketch.

The air at the showcase was light and fun with performers bursting with energy on stage. The audience’s laughter could be heard echoing throughout L.B.J. But the club hasn’t always enjoyed such a large turn out.

Chairman of Stand-up, Jordan Pilkenton says, “At our first showcase five people were in the audience, and they were all in the club.” Pilkenton says he joined the club after an R.A. told him about it. His main goal was to make people laugh and gain enough practice to one day earn money performing.

Now the association has 50 members and many more people to make laugh with about 30 to 40 audience members showing up at each showcase. Members of the club range from complete novices to seasoned veterans with over five years of stand-up under their belt.

An audience member cracks up over a classic Cortez bit.

Gabe Cortez, mass communications freshman, says he saw the club on the quad and new he wanted to join since he’s done stand-up since high school.

Caitlyn Martinez, mass communications junior, also started doing comedy in high school through improv, a different form of live comedy where groups put on skits instead of telling jokes. When she found the club, she wasn’t completely into it until she met other members.

“I saw signs on campus and didn’t really think anything of it, until I saw an electronic sign lit up in George’s and decided there might be something here. It wasn’t until I met them on the quad that I really felt like joining,” says Martinez.

All three members agree that the best thing about the group is that it offers people resources to improve their comedy in a fun, supportive environment. The club hosts open mics throughout the week, all over San Marcos and they have weekly writing meetings where they bounce jokes off each other to figure out what works. All of these resources culminate into the showcases they do at George’s.

“Anyone that just has that urge to do stand-up or enjoys laughing just come out and join,” says Cortez.

The Texas State Comedy Association can be found on Facebook @Txstatecomedy and Twitter @TXSTcomedy

Audio story by Wally Perez