The laughs were big and they kept coming at Memorial’s first ever MUNdays comedy show.
The event took place Oct. 18 at the School of Music in front of almost 300 alumni, students and friends.
One-night only
Alumnus and Corner Brook native Trent McClellan returned to headline a one-night show, and it sold out well before the event. He didn’t disappoint, giving an enthusiastic audience his take on everything from relationships to ugly babies, haunted house real estate and American fast food culture.
Universal themes
The show comes at the end of an almost three week tour for Mr. McClellan, who spends up to 150 days a year on the road, doing shows at comedy clubs and other venues across Canada and in the United States. He’s been on the professional comedy circuit for over 10 years, and his act reflects that experience, touching on themes that are universally applied.
“I’ve learned over the years, those things that we can all relate to, what makes us tick,” he said backstage before the show. “When you go to a different city, or a place you don’t know, just ask what the toughest part of town is and make sure they’ve got a Walmart. When you can connect people to specific references that allow you to explore universal themes — the jokes take off from there.”
Sea-Hawks, HSS alumnus
A graduate of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Mr. McClellan was also captain of the men’s varsity soccer team, competing with the Sea-Hawks from 1992-97. While on campus this week, he took the time to speak with current student athletes.
“For athletes, the game doesn’t stay on the field in the same way it used to. And that’s hard.”
“I do feel that students today, especially student athletes, are under tremendous pressure,” he said. “It’s different now, especially with social media giving anyone the ability to judge and criticize — and usually not in a constructive way. For athletes, the game doesn’t stay on the field in the same way it used to. And that’s hard.
“One of the things I was talking about with the students was mental toughness and how important that is. I’ve learned a lot about that in the comedy world, things that definitely would have helped me in my younger days.”
Diverse talent
The comedy show also featured current Memorial student Chris Dunn. Mr. Dunn won a contest sponsored by MUNdays, where students could submit a video of their standup act. As the winner of the contest, Mr. Dunn was given the opportunity to open for Mr. McClellan and deliver five minutes of original material.
Also included in what was a fantastic lineup were local comedian Nicole Downton and K-Rock’s on-air personality J-Lac, who was the emcee for the evening.
Mr. McClellan summed up his feelings via Twitter after the show: “Thanks so much @MemorialU @MUNathletics and @MemorialUAlumni for a great day. The athletes were great & the crowd tonight was equally so.”
One Night with Trent McClellan was part of I Love MUNdays, a week-long series of events that includes reunions, alumni events and student focused activities. These events take place thanks to the generous support of our partners, including Johnson Inc., MBNA, Steele Communications and The Telegram.
