USC Students Find Serious Skills in Stand-Up Comedy
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Despite increasing debate over acceptable discourse on college campuses, the University of Southern California offers a unique program: a minor in comedy performance. Launched in 2015, the program isn’t about churning out the next generation of Hollywood stars, but rather equipping students across disciplines with valuable life skills – from confidence and dialog to leadership and connection.
The program, housed within the School of Dramatic Arts, enrolls roughly 15 to 20 undergraduates annually. While some students are pursuing careers in acting, a surprising number are future doctors, scientists, and engineers. “Comedy offers a chance to develop skills that could be useful in their hoped-for professions – and in their daily lives,” the university states.
Take Joshua Ou, a 20-year-old junior majoring in human growth and aging with plans to become a nurse. He found the “Introduction to Stand-Up Comedy” class unexpectedly beneficial. “I find that this class has taught me a lot [about] self-confidence and how I portray myself,” Ou saeid. “I’ve learned more than just the performance aspect.”
Associate professor of the program, Brent C.Miller, notes the financial commitment students make to pursue the minor. Tuition for the 2023-2024 academic year is $69,998 per year, and adding a minor costs an additional $99,139 per year. Senior Malaya Galindez, a health and human sciences major aspiring to be a physician, initially faced resistance from her father when she declared her intention to minor in comedy. “At first,” Galindez recalled, “my dad was like, ‘Oh no. Why am I paying tuition for this?'”
However,galindez and others successfully argued the program’s value.Senior Arjun Bedi, a computer science major, initially took a comedy class to fulfill a general education requirement but ultimately chose to minor in the subject. He and his parents believed it would provide crucial training for a corporate habitat, emphasizing interpersonal skills, communication, and leadership.
The Raw Edge of Student comedy
What does a stand-up class at USC actually look like? The “Introduction to Stand-Up” course, often a starting point for students, is led by assistant professor Judith Shelton, a veteran comedian with credits on “Seinfeld” and “The Great North.” Shelton emphasizes that “comedy is not safe,” and encourages students to mine their own lives for material.
Recent classes have featured a range of topics, some more provocative than others. Performances included jokes about a “homophobic robot,” being “diet Black,” and comparisons of anatomy to everyday objects like edamame and thumb tacks. One student’s joke referencing his teenage sister’s promiscuity drew gentle but firm criticism from Shelton, who questioned the motivation behind the material. “It’s not easy for me to laugh at that joke,” she said, urging the performer to consider, “Why am I saying this? is it just to get revenge?”
Shelton also serves as a mandated reporter, obligated to report suspected child abuse, and offers practical advice: “If you can’t laugh about it, it’s too soon to bring it onstage.” The class is held in the Stop Gap Theater at USC’s Dick Wolf drama Center,designed to mimic the atmosphere of a comedy club.
from Classroom to Stage
The introductory stand-up class culminates in open-to-the-public shows on December 4 and 5 at the stop Gap Theatre. Looking ahead, Shelton anticipates Thanksgiving gatherings will provide ample comedic inspiration. “Who knows what will happen over Thanksgiving,” she said, “but don’t surprise me with a crazy set that is racist.” Everyone laughed.
USC boasts a lineage of triumphant comedians and comic actors, including Will Ferrell, John Ritter, Ego Nwodim, Kyle mooney, and Beck Bennett, tho none of them formally minored in comedy during their time at the university. The program’s focus, however, isn’t solely on launching careers in entertainment.It’s about providing students with a unique toolkit for success in any field, proving that sometimes, the moast serious skills are learned through laughter.
