A&E

Communication sophomore Chelsea Jacobson noticed a lack of talk show style comedy at Northwestern and decided to do something about it.

Created by Jacobson, “The Blackout” will be a live variety talk show that will be taped and put online once a month. Producer Devon Kerr, also a Communication sophomore, said it will be structured like a “typical American talk show” and include monologues, interviews, games and sketches.

The name of the show reflects the edgier tone the show hopes to adopt for its audience: college students.

Jacobson said she was inspired to create “Blackout” after attending a Q&A with the producer of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” over the summer and seeing how much fun a variety show could be. In October, she applied to a media arts grant given out by the Department of Radio, Television and Film and recently found out she had received the grant.

“I realized that the variety show format is really conducive to the college campus and I wanted to bring that here,” said Jacobson, who is also the host of the show.

Before the show premieres, there will be a “pregame” to the “Blackout” in December during reading week, Jacobson said. The creators will use the footage as promotional material to spread word on campus. After Winter Break, they will officially launch the show.

Despite the fact that people always cite Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers as examples of successful NU alumni who have become talk show hosts, the school itself does not have a comedy platform like a talk show, Kerr said. He said this platform is missing in the comedy scene at NU.

“It’s kind of crazy that we just don’t have that (kind of) show here, so we’re looking to start it,” Kerr said.

Joshua Razo, head writer of “Blackout,” said there is a big comedy presence at Northwestern for students involved in the scene, but very little diversity in what is available.

“Hopefully (the show) perpetuates the performance and comedy culture,” the SESP junior said.

Razo said he wants to make the show specific to Northwestern, adding that the writing team will focus on a “very heavy topical tone” that is also “all-encompassing and fun.”

If they can build a live audience, Kerr said they hope to interview subjects like University President Morton Schapiro and football coach Pat Fitzgerald, as well to bring Boomshaka and Fusion Dance Company to perform.

Jacobson said she has been conscious about how best to adapt “Blackout” to the Internet, because it will not be shown on television as late night shows traditionally have been. Citing Kimmel, Kerr said they are looking to upload short five-minute clips covering highlights of the show in addition to the full length program online.

Despite receiving feedback from the RTVF department to scale back the project and take it in a direction that more aligns with film, Jacobson said they’re very excited for the show and have received a lot of support from people on campus.

“The hope for (the show) between all of us is that this can last beyond our years as students,” Razo said. “Hopefully people would want to host us, people would want to do something similar to that, just because it is a fun performance opportunity.”

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Twitter: @kimberlygo2018