Comedians Get Edgy at Mason’s Komedy Jam

The Johnson Center Cinema filled up on Thursday night as students rushed to find seats and prepare for a night of laughter. Although full of audacity and risk, the show was definitely not a disappointment. What started out as a cloud of noise as students socialized waiting for the show to begin, quickly turned to applause followed by silence while the first comedian, Arvin Mitchell, was introduced.

Mitchell was an instant hit, drawing laughter from almost everyone in the room. Originally expressing some reluctance as to whether he should curse or not, he was told he could speak freely, and the expletives came out like water from a hose that had been bent into a kink and then released. Nobody was safe from Mitchell’s sometimes offensive digs.

About 10 minutes into his set, a late arrival opened the door, accompanied by a friend pushing her wheelchair. Mitchell immediately called her out, saying he thought she was a midget until he realized she was in a wheelchair. “I really thought she was a midget — I was about to bust out with some height jokes,” Mitchell said after the show.

“It’s comedy. If you don’t want to be offended, don’t come to a comedy show.” The second comedian of the evening, Dan Ahdoot, felt much the same way. “It’s healthy for us to make fun of ourselves and to make fun of each other,” responded Ahdoot. “It’s fun to push the envelope.”

Ahdoot was the better comedian of the night, addressing less risky topics than Mitchell and focusing more on real social issues and day-to-day things we run into, while still being even more hilarious than Mitchell. With different angles, the two comedians brought with them a great blend of satirical and risqué humor that entertained the Mason Homecoming crowd.