Alumna brings back the laughs: Amy Schumer returns for TU’s 150th
By: Annie Sragner, Arts & Life Editor and Alaina Tepper, Staff Writer
Towson alumna Amy Schumer took the stage in SECU Arena to regale the crowd with tales from her time as a Towson student Sunday.
“I thought it was terrific,” Towson U President Kim Schatzel said. “It was great to have her back on campus and she gave so many examples of our life when she was on campus that really spoke to everybody. Talking about CVP, talking about the Towers, talking about the Glen—so it really just shows how much that she feels an affection toward the campus and it showed.”
Schumer took the stage after an introduction from co-chairs of the 150th Anniversary Committee Myrna Cardin and Gerard Gaeng and open opening set from Schumer’s half-brother, Jason Stein’s, jazz trio.
Executive Director of the 150th Anniversary Celebration Louise Miller said that having a Towson graduate here for the signature event brought things “full circle.”
“She’s an alum and is very successful, so she really was the perfect person,” Miller said.
During her standup routine, Schumer reflected on her experience while attending Towson with stories about her many adventures here.
As a well-known celebrity, Schumer’s return required a no-cell phone policy where audience members were not permitted to text, tweet or take photos during the performance.
“There was so much more security that was required,” Miller said.
After retaining some empty seats before the event, the 150th Anniversary Committee decided to release student-rush tickets for $20 at the door.
“We were like ‘why have empty seats? Let’s try to get them out,’” Miller said.
The committee wanted to give students a memorable guest to celebrate the University’s sesquicentennial milestone.
“We tried last September and she was in Hawaii filming, and they didn’t expect that she would be back to do anything,” Miller said. “So we had some other groups that we were considering. None of them hit a variety of age groups, and that’s what we were looking for.”
Known for her raunchy humor, many fans expected an evening filled with dirty jokes and crude punch lines.
“I think everyone built up the vulgarity to her show ahead of time, so I think I was expecting way more to the extreme and I think she had a good balance,” Towson alum Nick Mello said. “She wasn’t too vulgar, but she had a good amount.”
Her variety of jokes and anecdotes left many audience members smiling and recapping her material as they exited the SECU Arena.
“I think I underestimated it,” senior gerontology major Shannon McNeil said. “I was expecting it to be funny, but not as funny as it was tonight. I had a lot of fun and Amy is hilarious.”
The event left students proud to attend a University that also produced a well-known, successful comedian
“It’s pretty cool, it’s always good to have a famous alumni that you can kind of tell your friends about and be like ‘yeah she went to the same school I graduate from,’” Mello said. “And it’s cool to have her as part of the same alumni group here.”
