The lights dimmed and two spotlights shined on a stage set in UIndy Hall where laughter immediately filled the room as standup comedian Pete Lee began his show for the first night of family weekend on Sept. 13.
He spent his time on stage not only teasing himself, but also teasing the audience.
From coffee addiction, names of different cities, or dresses with pockets, there was almost nothing Lee did not make a joke out of. However, Lee said that his journey has not always been easy.
“I was really good at making my friends in the cafeteria laugh. My friend would always tell me to start doing standup comedy, but I was creatively afraid,” Lee said. “I noticed he would write things down in a notebook when we would hang out and at the end of the year, he gave me the notebook and said, ‘These are all of your jokes,’ and I looked through it and said, ‘Oh my god I’m funny’, and that’s how it all started.”
His biggest struggles were financial issues, according to Lee. He said that averaging out a years worth of wages would come close to minimum wage, but he found the inspiration to keep doing stand-up. Being a people-pleaser makes it all the more rewarding, he said.
“I identified with what a lot of college students go through, working hard and not really seeing any financial rewards,” Lee said.“Even when I was broke though, the comedy was still fun. Even on the nights I didn’t do well, I still learned something.”
Freshman exercise science major Sarah Hewitt said she thought the show was hilarious and the comedy was almost nonchalant.
He had a presence that was sweet and kind, while also being funny beyond belief, Hewitt said.
“There’s nothing better than making a whole room full of people laugh,” Lee said. “It’s just an overwhelmingly good feeling to have my career be going really well to where I can make millions of people laugh.”
Lee’s show ended with him handing out t-shirts that said “Snugglestorm,” the title of the podcast he does with his girlfriend. He talked about his new Comedy Central sitcom.
