The Pub was abuzz last Thursday night as a woman in a track jacket took the stage. Standing in the spotlight was one of Seattle’s most prolific comediennes, Alysia Wood. With a few words of introduction the hosts of the event, the SAC, welcome her. She receives a similar reception by the gracious NJIT students who comprised the audience.
Then she speaks. The crowd starts sleepily at first. Then the applause ramps up.
Alysia Wood is a native resident of Seattle, and a frequenter of Las Vegas shows. Despite her unassuming appearance, she is a comedienne best known for her ability to make the most awkward moments in life seem like hilarious yet fond memories. She bore all that night; she told the audience amazing and sometimes awkward stories of her psychiatric evaluation, family, and her dealings with ChristianMingle.com. Interweaving the extraordinary with the surreal, her sketches are believable and all too real experiences that could happen to anyone.
A memorable tale revealed her experiences on the flight to Newark. “A man handed me an envelope of money…. It was full of hundred dollar bills”, she recounted with a grimace. “He turns to me and tells me to give it back to him in thirty minutes. It’s for a ‘hostage situation’ he says.”. The complete sketchiness of the debacle was completed when the man returned to her to claim the money and thanked her, “…he said the situation was resolved! And I was like am I being punk’d…?”
Thunderous amounts of clapping and a bevy of fond farewells marked the end of the night. Usually the comedian/comedienne being hosted brings copies of their CDs to these events for distribution to the NJIT students, but unfortunately these were not available that night. However, she can be found on the web at “alysiawood.com”, followed on Twitter “#alysiawood”, and found on Facebook. All three sites provide links to where her comedy CD Princess can be purchased.
General reaction to the event was very positive, with several audience members participating and at times being part of the joke. The ever hardworking SAC members were lauded at the end of the night before the Pub emptied. Everyone who attended the event left with smiles.
This event was made possible by the SAC (Student Activities Council), which hosts comedy nights at least once a month.