Comedy Central comedian Greg Giraldo was in a foul mood Tuesday night.
About 70 students attended Giraldo’s 8 p.m. stand-up comedy act in Lecture Room 3 at the Technological Institute — a turnout that did not satisfy Giraldo, who is a star of the Comedy Central show “Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn.”
“I flew across the country for 40 fucking people,” he scoffed.
Despite a low turnout, Giraldo’s jokes caused the room to erupt with laughs and cheers during his hourlong performance.
“I feel like the fans who came really enjoyed it,” said Medill sophomore Nora Gardner, who is social chairwoman of the Residence Hall Association, which sponsored Giraldo’s appearance.
RHA sponsors one social event per quarter, said Greg Stegeman, president of Kemper Hall. Giraldo was chosen by RHA leaders to headline this quarter’s social event to “provide something fun for the winter, which is usually a down time,” said Stegeman, a Weinberg junior.
Audience members greeted Giraldo with enthusiastic applause as he engaged them in casual banter and addressed topics ranging from terrorism to Valentine’s Day gifts.
“Giving someone flowers is like giving someone something that was once a living organism,” he said, “and now you get to watch it shrivel up and die.”
Giraldo also did not shy away from commenting on current events, including the criminal charges facing pop star Michael Jackson.
“He’s done everything but set glue traps in front of the preschools,” he said.
The comedian also made fun of the audience. When one student expressed his enthusiasm about his Northwestern education, Giraldo expressed his disbelief, predicting that within three years the young man would be addicted heroin.
Many audience members were impressed by Giraldo’s quick wit.
“It feels like he improvised the whole thing, and it was really hilarious,” said Mark Mavrothalasitis, a Weinberg freshman.
Although he griped about lack of audience attendance throughout the show, Giraldo told The Daily that attendance at on-campus events tends to be spotty.
“I complain for a living,” said Giraldo, who added that divine inspiration causes him to perform on college campuses. “Jesus told me to do it — and Allah and Buddha and Moses. I don’t want to offend anyone.”
