“We do like to say that the presidency has to be handed off by combat,” Jonathan Schweikert, an aerospace engineering junior and AA Stand Up Comedy Club president, said. “Some presidents thought it would be funny back in the day, which I agree with.”
Schweikert started doing stand-up in high school.
“I had a lot of things to say about my teachers at the time,” Schweikert said. “So I figured I might as well say it in front of a stage where the whole class can listen to me.”
Once he arrived at Iowa State, he started participating in the open mics at the M-Shop and ran into the then-president of the comedy club, and the rest is history.
You don’t have to want a career in stand-up comedy to join the club. “It’s definitely not what I want to do with my life at all, but it’s just a fun thing to do on the side,” Schweikert said. “A different way to flex a creative muscle that’s not just drawing, and it’s definitely not aerospace.”
A typical meeting starts with a video of a comedian, followed by a discussion and ranking of the performance. After learning some new comedic tips and tricks, they spend time affectionately known as “any knew ‘nee’ slappers this week.” This is an open forum for testing new jokes that members come up with during the week, looking for input and audience reaction. Time is then spent on writing and performing skits.
But each meeting can vary between weeks, depending on what needs to be worked on. The club also goes to open mics around town and takes trips down to Des Moines when they can.
If you’ve ever been to AfterDark, you’ve probably seen members of the AA Stand Up Comedy Club, as they are a sponsor of the event.
“A part of being a comedy club is you guys gotta be friends because you’re shooting ideas off each other, trying to make each other laugh,” Schweikert said. “It turns into a big social thing most of the time.”
When asked for a clever line to define the organization, Schweikert said, “Man — it’s hard to encapsulate the club.”
Along with sharpening your comedy skills, you get better at public speaking skills.
Arya Patel, an MIS senior and former president of the club, said, “I joined because I wanted to become more of an extrovert. Just as a general life skill, and it definitely has worked for me.”
When Patel joined the club, it was purely stand-up comedy, but the club is evolving.
“I would really like to see the club grow in the skit area,” Schweikert said. “I definitely also want to continue with the stand-up. I think that’s a different discipline.”
“It’d be cool if someone walks in with an idea and it’s like, oh, that idea would be good for either a stand-up bit or a sketch or this or that,” Patel said.
“But ultimately it really depends on who comes and what they want to do,” Schweikert said.
The club was created as an inclusive comedy outlet, as the only comedy class at Iowa State is an honors-only class. The original club structure was based on that class.
“I’ve always held the belief that if you’re an honors student, you’re not as funny as a non-honors student,” Schweikert said.
See the student organization listing here.
For more information, check out their website on the student organization catalog here.
