After the disappointment of Sarah Silverman at last year’s Homecoming Comedy show, expectations were high for “Ask Donald Glover Anything,” this year’s show featuring the “Community” star and rapper.
When Reggie Watts, Glover’s opener, took the stage Saturday it looked as if the disappointment might extend to another year. Watts, dressed in a full-on Cosby sweater and sporting a massive afro, spent the first minute of his time talking nonsensically. “Hey… guys… winter… snowfall… guys.” The crowd giggled nervously. Confused looks were exchanged. People whispered to their friends. It did not look good.
But Watts’ act picked up, albeit in a similarly bizarre manner. Most of his spoken comedy was made up of non-sequiturs and hypotheticals (“Imagine we’re single-celled organisms just cruising through a petri dish”) and it drew plenty of laughs from the crowd. Then he started singing.
Watts sang several long, strange songs that drew mixed reviews from the audience. Part of the problem was that the acoustics made it difficult to understand him; the other part was that Watts’ strange version of comedy is definitely an acquired taste. Nonetheless, he got a huge cheer from the audience when he finished his bit.
When Glover took the stage, energy was high. He admitted to being unprepared and not having any new material, so the format of the show would be Q&A—and Glover said he wanted the sick questions. Northeastern did not disappoint. Questions ranged from Avatar porn and Fleshlights to drugs and everything in between, and Glover gamely and hilariously answered each one, even talking candidly about his celebrity friends and hookups.
Glover was relaxed and casual, frequently having conversations with audience members who asked him questions and never refusing to answer even as things got raunchy. Both diehard Glover/Childish Gambino fans (and there were quite a few in the audience) and people just looking for something to do had plenty to laugh at, despite the non-traditional format of the show.
The highlight, though, came at the end, when Glover agreed to perform a song off of his yet-to-be released album. Watts came back on stage and laid down a beat on the spot while Glover/Gambino rapped. Watching the two performers produce something on the spot was amazing—not to mention the fact that Glover had never performed the song live before.
All in all, the show was a success—and it’s safe to say the Sarah Silverman fiasco of last year has been forgotten.
_____________________
Jamie is a third year journalism major and English minor at Northeastern, and the editor-in-chief of Woof Magazine. In the past, she has written for Boston magazine, New Hampshire magazine and the Huntington News. Interests include reading magazines, brunching, watching Chopped, sale section stalking at Madewell and having an inappropriate enthusiasm for DMX and power ballads.
379 thoughts on “Ask Donald Glover Anything”
Comments are closed.