STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Lines stretched across the lobby of the HUB on Thursday, November 4, as crowds gathered in anticipation to see actor and stand-up comedian Jimmy O. Yang.

The Silicon Valley star’s performance made audiences cackle and caw, as he delivered a show that was both hilarious and satisfying to watch.

As the lights dimmed and Yang jumped onto the stage, he was met with a mighty roar from the many students and residents that came to see him.

His material was real, relatable and clever. He discussed the struggles about being a short guy, taking a jab at all the tall people in the audience.

He also talked about his unsuccessful dates with tall women, especially with those that wear heels.
Yang’s dirty jokes and one punch lines put smiles on the faces of many in the crowd.

Some of his jokes at the beginning were centered around his long journey to get to Penn State, and how he thought the school was in the middle of nowhere, making every member of the audience break out in laughter.

Yang joked about himself, with subjects ranging from his own identity to his 2.7 GPA in college - the latter making much of the crowd hoot, clap and holler.

Current topics were also brought up such as wearing masks, COVID-19 and his unsuccessful attempts in trying to interact with A-list celebrities.

He did not shy away from talking about the funny - and for many in the crowd - relatable struggles of growing up as an Asian-American, remarking on the challenges of growing up with Asian parents.

Although he made a lot of jokes relating to a lot of the Asian members of the audience, he always seemed to tie it back to the rest of the diverse group of people watching him, making it fun for everybody.

He also joked about the sensitivity surrounding cancel culture in the U.S., especially in universities.

The delivery of each line, his overexaggerated hand gestures and energy were on-point. The show didn’t run long at all, with it ending after about an hour.

A lot of the audience members that came to see him sat in their seats, perfectly engaged, with almost no one getting up to leave the room.

In the end, the show was very successful, and very fun. Some jokes started to become a little redundant near the end, but if Yang came back in town he can probably expect to see just as big of a crowd.

Rating: 4/5

Jon Mead is a third-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email jkm6040@psu.edu.