‘StarTalk’ Co-host Headlines Tuesday Night Live

Photo by Steve Fallon

Accomplished comedian Leighann Lord performed stand up in the most recent installment of Tuesday Night Live hosted by the College Programming Board. Lord is a familiar face to Ramapo as she performed in the Ladies of Laughter tour that just last year made a stop at Sharp Theater as a part of the Berrie Center’s fall season. She has most recently gained acclaim as a co-host of popular podcast “StarTalk” which is headed by fellow comedian and scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson. In addition to this, Lord has appeared on a variety of television networks including Comedy Central, HBO, ABC, BBC and VH1.

The evening began with pizza and a mid-sized audience as freshman Josh Rogoff took the stage with guitar in hand. Rogoff performed a variety of covers including “No Interruption” by Hoodie Allen, “She Looks So Perfect” by 5 Seconds of Summer and “Wake Me Up” by Ed Sheeran.

Lord warmed up the audience with casual commentary on typical icebreaking topics like weather and the location of the performance but swiftly moved into telling stories about herself. She discussed the frustrations of a former bookstore job that opened up into conversation about the “Game of Thrones” and “Harry Potter” novel series. Lord spent a good deal of time discussing fandom with a single audience member in which a humorous back and forth ensued.

Another large portion of Lord’s set featured her personal difficulties with losing weight and alternative forms of exercise like yoga, Pilates and mixed martial arts fighting. This relatable subject garnered the most laughs from the crowd and it was in this middle section that Lord found her stride and reached a connection with the crowd. From this point on she told very amusing tales of her experience as both a comedian and everyday person. Outlining the differences of cats and dogs, and more importantly the people who own them, Lord successfully split her audience which was an effective method in keeping the crowd interested. She wrapped up her routine with the subjects of dating and television, which were also a hit.

A seasoned comedian on a variety of stages, including dozens of colleges, Lord performed a very respectable and funny set that continued the recent trend of increased attendance at Tuesday Night Live hosted by CPB. 

brocha@ramapo.edu