The anthropology of a silly goose: Student standup at Skidmore’s Comfest

Although its official logo — a mustachioed Parisian pufferfish holding a baguette and wearing a whoopee cushion — may seem exceptionally silly, the annual National College Comedy Festival (affectionately known as “Comfest”) is a seriously important tradition on Skidmore’s campus.  

Every February, some of the wittiest and wackiest performers from colleges across the country flock to Skidmore for a weekend of laughs at the largest collegiate comedy festival in the nation. The event was created by David Miner ’91, who later earned Emmys for “30 Rock,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt;” 2024 was the 35th iteration of this student-run affair. 

The February showcase featured groups from Wellesley College, Emerson College, Harvard College, Wesleyan University, Northeastern University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Yale University, who performed alongside Skidmore’s own robust lineup of talented comedy clubs. Sometimes “we even get Canadians,” joked Comfest performer Olivia Berenson ’24.  

Visiting comedians stay with Skidmore students over the weekend, creating a sense of camaraderie and community among Comfest participants. Their proximity to campus also enables them to experience other exciting events in the area, such as Chowderfest, a popular street festival that attracts thousands of visitors to downtown Saratoga Springs each year.

Sketch comedy groups comprise the majority of Comfest performances, but there are also several improvisation groups, such as Skidmore’s Ad-Libs, who provide extemporaneous entertainment to Comfest’s multi-school audience. This year, groups did everything from choreographed dance routines to nerf battles. The event is entirely organized by a team of Skidmore students, with support from faculty within Skidmore’s Theater Department.

When asked to describe the most exciting elements of Comfest, Olivia and Tommy Bachand ’26 both mentioned getting to perform alongside professionals, such as Hoodoo Hersi, a well-known comedian and writer who has performed throughout the United States and Canada. Georgie Svrcek ’25 performed as opening act for the first professional show.  

"Now that they’ve performed at this festival, students have some insight into what it’s like to pursue comedy as a career," Olivia said. 

“Yeah, welcome to the big leagues, kid!” Tommy quipped. 

Comfest is also an opportunity for students to creatively inject a bit of humor into their academic pursuits. The relationship between anthropology, “The Bachelor,” regrettable ear piercings, and Vector from the “Despicable Me” movie franchise might not seem immediately obvious, but to theater and anthropology double major and self-described “silly goose” Jordan Azzinaro ’26, the connection is clear: Jordan, who performed as the opening act for professional comedian and SiriusXM host Zach Noe Towers, used their background in anthropological field studies to create a side-splitting standup set. 

Comfest, Jordan said, pushed them to broaden their comedic prowess “beyond jokes about Chicken Finger Fridays and Skidmore a cappella groups” to appeal to a larger audience. In true Skidmore multi-disciplinary fashion, the study of anthropology also helped them craft their observational comedy.

Studying human behavior alongside theater helps me with my standup in ways you wouldn’t expect.

Jordan Azzinaro '26

Jordan’s stellar performance had the audience in stitches. 

The College’s well-known comedy scene provides a unique opportunity for expression through writing, acting, and occasionally, even interpretive dancing, highlighting the continual creativity and innovation of Skidmore’s student body. And, after more than three decades of hilarity at the National College Comedy Festival, the silliness shows no sign of stopping.