He has been compared to popular comedians like Margaret Cho and Dave Chappelle. He hosted a show on FX for more than a year. But unless you are tuned into San Francisco’s comedy scene, you may never have heard of W. Kamau Bell, who opens the Hopkins Center’s fall season tonight.
Bell will perform “The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About an Hour,” which had originally been scheduled for early October but was moved up due to a family medical reason.
Hop student-relations advisor Ryan McWilliams ’14 said Bell was chosen because of his appeal to young audiences and previous experience touring college campuses.
Bell’s comedy focuses on everyday issues that affect society, from street harassment to privilege to religion. Some of these topics can prove uncomfortable, especially given Bell’s straightforward style, but the comedy removes some of the edge without diluting the message’s poignancy.
“He’s got this great approach to comedy,” Hop programming director Margaret Lawrence said. “He’s not angry, he doesn’t make you feel alienated or isolated. You’re definitely part of the party with him, but he does make you think.”
Bell is the former host of “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell,” a show in which he examined pertinent issues with fellow comedians, celebrities and New York pedestrians. Although this setup may sound like those of other late-night comedy shows, like “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “The Colbert Report,” Bell’s viewers would agree that his guests and topics distinguished his show from the rest.
Lily Brown ’15, a member of campus comedy group Improv to the People, said that “Totally Biased” featured significantly greater racial and gender diversity than other mainstream comedy shows.
Bell discussed the trend of white male hosts in late-night television — particularly those named Jimmy — in his first BuzzFeed piece titled “The Unbearable Whiteness of Late Night.”
“Late-night TV is big business and wants the biggest audience possible,” Bell wrote. “And the people who run it believe they have evidence the biggest audience comes with a white guy. And it will probably remain that way… at least until 2042.”
With one person at the front of the room scrolling through a presentation, tonight’s performance may initially look similar to a standard classroom scene or campus lecture, Lawrence said.
“[In this show] he’s kind of playing with the idea of being on campus giving a lecture,” she said. “But then what he talks about is completely turning that on its head.”
During his visit, Bell will also attend a Writing 5 course titled “Biracial Americans” taught by Melissa Herman, a lecturer in the Institute for Writing and Rhetoric.
Herman said she hopes Bell will discuss his writing process as well as how to feel comfortable talking about race and racism.
“Typically my classes have about half multiracial students, maybe 30 percent mono-racial minorities and the last group is usually white students. It’s the first time that most of them have ever been a minority, and it can be a little scary,” Herman said. “I thought that his humor and his comfort with the issue might help everyone feel more comfortable talking about these issues.”
Hop staff have included Bell’s performance in an offer that encourages first-year students to explore the term’s programming by offering free admission to select shows. Up to 400 freshmen can reserve free tickets to Bell’s show.
Bell’s show will begin at 7 p.m. in Spaulding Auditorium and contains adult language.
