On April 5, I watched the Joe Gatto show at the Collins Center for the Arts (CCA). This show was free for university students and cost $38 for non-students. This event was a massive success in the area as the show sold out at the Collins Center. Despite leaving the Impractical Jokers, Joe Gatto still has it. The crowd seemed to be mostly students, and the campus was buzzing all week in anticipation of the show. I arrived 20 minutes early, and the CCA was already packed.
The opener of the show was Mark ‘Jiggy’ Jigarjan. Despite being billed as being from New York, he hammed up the fact that he was actually from Boston. He threw in a classic UNH joke to appease the crowd and get everyone going. Unfortunately, after that, it felt as if he didn’t know how to tell a coherent joke that would make the whole room laugh. He cracked a joke saying Joe Biden is old and sleepy, which seemed oddly way too political for an opener to make.
After an awkward laugh from the audience, he joked about how his friends from New York told him “to watch out for the big booty Latinas at UMaine.” He said, “I didn’t know they were talking about the men.” This joke resulted in a confused laugh from the crowd. He then wrapped his set and introduced Joe Gatto shortly after. I personally had a big problem with that last joke, as it felt like he didn’t know what jokes to make about the audience or the area. His jokes were “fill-in-the-blank” and controversial for an opener.
When Joe Gatto got out onto the stage, the crowd erupted in applause. Gatto started his set about the same way talking about the university and making a UNH joke as well. His joke seemed a lot more thought out than his opener’s remark. Gatto then described his reaction to finding out about our mascot being called bananas, and the crowd loved the bit. Next, he told a story about a trip he went on to Alaska and how he tricked his sisters into thinking he got attacked by a bear.
Joe Gatto’s show flowed amazingly. He was great at making jokes that recalled parts from earlier in the show. It felt cohesive and put together. He even told stories from his days on Impractical Jokers. Gatto’s set was sensational and well-received by the crowd.
Joe Gatto is probably one of the best comedians our student government could have gotten; his style of comedy is timeless. He made relatable jokes and connected well with the audience. Afterward, he took pictures with audience members. Overall, it was a phenomenal performance by Joe Gatto: 10/10.
