Comedian Jordan Peele visited campus on Monday.
Gabby Moline | Assistant Culture Editor | gmoline@butler.edu
Lizzy Hackl | Culture Editor | ehackl@butler.edu
People filed into Clowes Memorial Hall on Monday to hear comedian Jordan Peele speak as part of the Celebration of Diversity Distinguished Lecture Series.
Peele is best known with his counterpart, Keegan-Michael Key, from their sketch show Key and Peele. A successful comedian, actor and screenwriter, Peele has been nominated for multiple awards and won his first Primetime Emmy Award this year.
Butler and the mayor’s office collaboratively gathered to create this event to inspire inclusivity.
Clowes’ staff was excited for the night of the show. Receptionist Carrie Barcus said she appreciates Peele’s ability to connect with all ages through humor.
“He is greatly approachable to Butler’s younger crowd,” Barcus said.
Prior to his talk, Peele visited with Dr. Terri Jett’s Politics through Humor class in the Krannert Room. Jett said Peele’s easy-going nature helps make him more relatable.
“What I really hope for my students is that they were encouraged to follow their dreams and learned something from Jordan Peele that will stay with them,” Jett said.
The master of ceremonies for the evening was Kyle Inskeep, Fox 59 Indianapolis reporter and Butler alumnus.
Inskeep began the evening by asking Peele questions dealing with comedy and politics. Peele introduced his Obama impersonation that received a roaring applause from the audience.
Coincidentally, when Inskeep asked if there were topics Peele would never address, an Amber alert sounded through the building.
Peele then said he uses comedy as a tool to address tough topics.
“You hit at something that is a universal truth,” Peele said.
To lighten the mood, Inskeep brought up key political figures and asked Peele to give his first impressions of them. Peele shared his views of Biden as America’s “tipsy uncle” and how Bill Clinton will become “The First Lebowski” instead of First Gentleman, if Hillary gets elected.
