Photo by Cara McLaughlin
“Black and Gay All Day” comedian Raneir Pollard performed for Point Park students and faculty Feb. 15 in the University Center GRW Theater. A meet and greet was available after the show.
The chatter of students in the audience changed to cheers as comedian Raneir Pollard ran onto the stage. But laughter from students was tentative to Pollard’s off-the-wall jokes, as they were unsure of how to respond to the jokes about racial discrimination and LGBTQ+ stereotypes.
Feeling the awkwardness in the room, Pollard turned to a topic that’s a staple in the comedy industry.
“Laughing at a comedy show is like farting when you’re alone. Just let it rip,” Pollard said, eliciting a round of laughter from the crowd.
That was one of the highlights of Campus Activities Board’s first comedy night that took place at 9 p.m. last Monday night in the G.R.W. Theater, where about thirty students gathered to watch Pollard perform.
Pollard was discovered by CAB executive board members last fall at the annual National Conference on College Cost Accounting where he performed.
“He was super into it,” said Justina Cincotti, sophomore global and cultural studies major and leader in CAB’s Special Events Committee.
The idea of hosting a stand up event was born out of student input.
“It was something we saw from surveys that [students] want to see more performers brought to campus,” Cincotti said.
Pollard, who is openly gay, is an advocate for both the African American and LGBTQ+ communities and didn’t shy away from controversial issues such as the #AllLivesMatter trend versus the #BlackLivesMatter trend and the stereotypes surrounding African Americans and LGBTQ+ individuals. Pollard broached these topics in a relatable and humorous way, using stories of his own experiences as a college student.
After recounting a wild spring break adventure, in which Pollard won a series of alcohol-based contest, Pollard said his friends asked him why he acted like a frat boy when he was drunk.
“I’m black and gay all day, straight and white all night!” Pollard said in response, playing off the stereotypical frat boy image.
As the show went on, Pollard’s abrasive and sometimes controversial style was acknowledged and embraced by the audience.
“He didn’t hold back for us,” Ally Hindman, a freshman sales and entertainment management major, said, referencing Pollards’s taboo subjects.
By touching on these topics, Raneir connected Point Park’s diverse population of students.
“[Raneir] did a really good job of relating to Point Park because of our diverse campus,” Hindman said.
However, Pollard’s serious subjects didn’t affect students’ enjoyment of the night.
“He made it seem like he was one of our friends, just talking and laughing with us,” Hindman said.
During the show, Pollard frequently poked fun at his own beliefs and at the modern idea of activism.
“I’m a new age activist, I want to see something on Facebook that bothers me and hit share,” Pollard said in reference to the idea that our generation is all talk and no action.
He also took jabs at various stereotypes surrounding the gay community.
“Clothes this tight only come in gay and European,” Pollard said when explaining his style choice for the evening of skinny jeans and a black muscle tee.
Other bits addressing this topic included the lack of gay assassins in spy movies, with Pollard acting out exactly how this assassin would trick his way into sneaking past security by jumping around and rolling across the stage.
After the show, Pollard insisted on the audience joining him onstage for a giant group photo, insisting to get a serious and a silly photo saved onto his iPhone.
During a short post-show reception Pollard chatted with the students while drinking a Red Bull and munching on complimentary cookies, discussing his career, inspirations and offering insight into life as an entertainer.
As for advice for aspiring performers, Pollard acknowledged that the industry is tough and full of rejection.
“The thing that will keep you going is performing and feeling that love,” Pollard said.
