Sac State UNIQUE hosts Comedy Night

Shikhar Mohan

Comedian Kirk McHenry from Oakland performs live at Comedy Night in the University Union Ballroom on Thursday, Sept. 5. McHenry discussed his age and time in the Marine Corps.

Jasmin Acosta and Shikhar Mohan
September 7, 2019

Comedian Kirk McHenry and opening act Daniel Eachus took the mic at Sacramento State UNIQUE’S Comedy Night Thursday in the University Union Ballroom. 

Daniel Eachus, a Fresno native, began the show by interacting with audience members and asking them questions to get engagement. Eachus got the crowd to uncontrollably laugh when he confused two cousins in the audience as being a couple after asking who was at the show with a significant other.

Eachus has featured on Comedy Central’s “Up Next” and Sirius XM’s Comedy Central Radio. Aside from performing on stage, Eachus is also involved in comedy off-stage, having written and produced the comedy sketch series, “Bigfoot Chasers”.

Eachus got the room to vibrate with cheers and laughs with a story about when he worked a second job dressing up as the Marvel superhero Spider-Man for children’s birthday parties. He emphasized how kids recognized his slim figure by saying, “You look like you need to be bit by the spider again.”

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“One day, I was driving with a friend and I was ranting about traffic signs and my friend laughed about it and asked ‘who says that?’” Eachus said. “I said I just made that up and she later advised that I should do stand-up. From that moment, I thought maybe I could do this.”

Eachus recently released a stand-up album with 800 Pound Gorilla Records and is currently doing commercial work while doing shows and touring. 

“I saw a poster about a week ago and I put it in my calendar to be here, I’ve been trying to go to shows more often but this was probably one of the best,” said Austin Phillips, a Sac State marketing major.

McHenry took the mic after Eachus and kept the crowd laughing about how he used to be scared of movies like “Nightmare on Elm Street”, but what scares him now at 50, has changed.

“You know what scares me at 50,” McHenry asked. “Uneven pavement. You don’t heal at 50 like you did in your 20s.”

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Kirk is well-established in the comic industry having already opened for artists like Paul Mooney, Bobby Slayton, Gary Owen, Charlie Murphy and Eddie Griffin. He has also made appearances on BET’s “Comic View’ and has worked alongside Kevin Hart on the show “One Mic Stand”.

In an interview with The State Hornet, McHenry said he knew he wanted to be a comedian starting in the second grade. 

McHenry thought it was fascinating how a person can be on stage with no props, only a microphone and have people hanging onto every descriptive word.

“I like to see people happy, smiling, laughing, and having a good time,” McHenry said.

During his performance, McHenry stated he recently did a performance for the troops and, as a former marine, gave an honorable mention to the U.S. Marine Corps while wearing a shirt from during the time he served.

The State Hornet also asked McHenry about any upcoming projects. 

“I’m not supposed to say this, but I have a big project coming up next year, we’re going to start shooting a bunch of stuff,” McHenry said. “I’m really looking forward to it, it’s a way to give back to comics in the Bay Area.”

McHenry ended the show with a positive message.

“Be good and love each other,” McHenry said. “Not just today, every day.”

Now in his twentieth year as a comedian, McHenry had many fans waiting to speak to him after the show.

“I think it was good, I never go to comedy shows but now I do want to,” said RJ Ghousel, a Sac State business major. “I liked how it was free, especially on the first weeks of school, I got to meet new people here.”