Saturday Night Live alum Jon Rudnitsky to bring night of laughs to Iowa State

Comedian John Rudnitsky will bring a range of comedic tools to the M-Shop on Thursday.

Photo Courtesy of SUB

Comedian John Rudnitsky will bring a range of comedic tools to the M-Shop on Thursday.

Cameron Bristow

Comedian and actor Jon Rudnitsky is set to perform for SUB Comedy Night at Iowa State’s Maintenance Shop this Thursday.

Rudnitsky previously performed at Iowa State in 2016. He is best known for being a cast member on the forty-first season of “Saturday Night Live” and for starring alongside George Clooney in Hulu’s “Catch-22” miniseries. Rudnitsky has also been seen on the big screen, recently leading in the 2017 film “Home Again” with Reese Witherspoon and Nat Wolff.

Rudnitsky is a master of the comedy craft, even earning the John Ritter Memorial Award For Outstanding Comic Performance from his studies at University of Southern California’s BFA Acting Conservatory program, in addition to being named as one of the “New Faces” at the renowned Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival.

In 2015, Rudnitsky joined “Saturday Night Live” as a featured player. During his time on the show, Rudnitsky brought his signature comedy stylings to a wide audience, best evidenced through his acclaimed “Dirty Dancing” bit on the show’s “Weekend Update” segment. He also did numerous impressions, including John Mayer and Wolf Blitzer, and was featuring in fan-favorite sketches, including “Space Pants” with Peter Dinklage and a commercial parody for Totino’s Pizza Rolls. Whether it is getting whipped cream licked off his face by Miley Cyrus or being a pirate alongside Chris Hemsworth, Rudnitsky knows how to make all audiences laugh.

Unlike traditional comedians, Rudnitsky focuses on all elements of his performance rather than exclusively telling jokes. In crafting his act, the “Saturday Night Live” alum proclaims to not only be a comedian, but a dancer as well. Recently performing stand-up on “CONAN,” Rudnitsky can be seen blending music, nonstop movement and his unique, eccentric, yet relatable comedy style together, bringing countless laughs to any given audience. Rudnitsky also proved his ability to perfectly mix dancing with improv comedy in a 2017 appearance on “Harry.”

Being on “Saturday Night Live” during the busy election season, viewers were not always able to see Rudnitsky’s full range in action. In his live shows, however, audiences are able to experience a super fun and high-energy night of laughs, Rudnitsky explained in a recent Kansas City Live interview.

“[People can expect] a lot of moving and shaking up there; it’s a big physical act, it’s a lot of dancing, it’s a silly good time,” Rudnitsky said. “Some impressions… it’ll be fun!” 

If Rudnitsky’s previous television show appearances are any indication, audiences can expect to be fully engaged in his captivating and dynamic performance, getting world-class entertainment from the comfort of their campus.

Doors to SUB Comedy Night with Jon Rudnitsky open at 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Maintenance Shop, with the event beginning at 9 p.m. Entry is completely free.