New York comedian Ahdoot warms up Winter Carnival

Author: Aylie Baker

Dan Ahdoot, a comedian hailing from New York City, had students howling during his two performances last Friday night, Feb. 24, in McCullough's social space. His jokes - ranging from digs at Public Safety to the absurdity of common stereotypes - provided a fresh, hilarious routine that got rave reviews from many in the audience.

Ahdoot's journey as an aspiring comedian is, in itself, a comical one. Adhoot attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., where he graduated with honors as a pre-med student. Somewhere between cramming for organic chemistry and delving into the college social life, Ahdoot developed a taste for big-time comedy. After performing for four years as a member of Hopkins' improv group, the Buttered Niblets, Ahdoot decided to try his hand at standup at Winchester's Comedy Club in Baltimore. It was here that the prospect of performing professionally presented itself as a viable alternative to medical school.

Following graduation, Ahdoot moved to New York City, where he searched for professional gigs while working as an advertising sales researcher for Comedy Central. Soon after, he helped found Gun Show, an improv group based on the network's "Upright Citizens Brigade" sketch show, and began free-lance writing for the program "Crank Yankers." Since going solo, Ahdoot has established himself as one of the country's most in-demand comedy performers, opening for top comedians like Dave Chappelle, Lewis Black and Jay Mohr.

So what brought him to rural Vermont and Middlebury College? Ahdoot is currently engaged in a national solo tour, and the Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB) was fortunate enough to snag him for the Winter Carnival festivities. "We wanted to do something different this year at Winter Carnival," said Diana Chiu '09, an MCAB chair. "This was the first comedy night we've had in a long time."

When it came to finding a comedian, some of the board members had recalled seeing snippets of Ahdoot's performance on the hit show "Last Comic Standing." "Dan Ahdoot immediately struck MCAB as someone different," said Chiu. Having recently graduated from college, he also exuded an appealing familiarity with college life. With the help of a co-sponsorship from Hillel, MCAB was able to bring Ahdoot to Middlebury. Their efforts yielded considerable applause. "He was a riot," said Liz Callow '08, "just what I needed."

The overwhelming appeal of Ahdoot's performance was, perhaps, derived his knack for addressing a wide range of easily-relatable issues. In addition to recalling his experiences as a college student and first-generation American, Ahdoot adeptly integrated a comical interaction with the audience into his routine by placing a prank call to a student's parents during each performance.

Throughout his routine, Ahdoot was wary not to pick too frequently on any one person or ethnic group, instead mocking them all. As a result, many of Ahdoot's best-received jokes were those regarding race and ethnicity. While all of these jibes resounded with a certain risky, on-edge quality, they ultimately made light of some of today's most pressing social issues. Said Leah Bevis '09, "I thought the funniest aspect of his performance was his mocking people for being overly [politically correct]."

Whether he hit home with his jaunts at Google, his own "receding hairline and proceeding eyebrows," or the ability of Syrians to find a Danish flag, Dan Ahdoot's performance was met with popular acclaim, both for its witty hilarity and implicit gravity.