Imagine living in a society where you are deliberately identified as “the other.”
Now, imagine attending a college where a decent percentage of the campus labels you the same way. Geneseo’s late-night comedy show, The ToKnight Show, tackled those issues in its first performance on Tuesday Oct. 24.
The presentation which took place in the MacVittie College Union Ballroom, emphasized the importance of LGBTQ+ rights, dating and race issues in a way that had the audience both touched and entertained.
The ToKnight Show’s main motives were to “build a community outside of Geneseo” for “people who are not normally heard in a setting that’s entertaining and educational,” according to one of the show’s creators senior history major Jenna Lawson.
The show accomplished these motives, especially with the segment that interviewed a panel of Geneseo students who struggle with being falsely and degradingly identified. When asked about dating issues, a major theme present was how transgender students can be often used or exploited merely for how they identify, making it hard to find honest relationships.
“Hookup” culture was another theme largely addressed in the show. A few students on the panel mentioned how wanting to have sex and enjoying sex should in no way be shameful, and the concept of “sex positivity” was made important.
Students at Geneseo and at several other campuses around the world are constantly surrounded by the push for “hooking up,” especially with dating apps such as Tinder. The idea is also spread through prominent party scenes. The point was that there should be no shame in wanting to or not wanting to be included in the hookup culture, with the theme being: no matter what you do, your sex life should not be criticized by others.
To add a bit of humor, the show incorporated a game where two volunteers from the audience had to listen to three different pickup lines from someone on Tinder and guess which one was made up. The most concerning aspect of the game was how ridiculous all the pickup lines were and how hard it was to determine which one was fake, since each were either drastically grotesque, hilarious or just plain stupid.
The show inarguably emphasized how those on this campus who are constantly pointed out as different deserve to be heard. The ToKnight Show gave them the chance to be the feature of satire and lightening musical performances. The show’s next topics will cover student activism, mental health issues, disability and racial inequality.
Another major theme of the show stressed that it’s fine to not know a lot about a major societal issue, such as LGBTQ+ issues, and that it is acceptable and encouraged to ask questions.
The ToKnight Show fantastically delivered an entertaining and intriguing show. The next installment of The ToKnight Show will be Thursday Nov. 2. All students should consider attending for a night full of comedy that grapples with important issues.u
Late-night comedy ensemble The ToKnight Show held its first show of the year on Tuesday Oct. 24 in the MacVittie College Union Ballroom. The topics of its discussions and activities all pertained to issues that marginalized individuals face on a daily basis. (Troy Hallahan/Advertising Manager)