by Bekah Ervin
news editor
Major Madness, an annual week of activities, starts this week at Millsaps College. The Programs and Activities Council (PAC) provides students with free T-shirts, games, parties and performances for the entire week. One of the events will be a performance from standup comedian Iliza Shlesinger. Executive Director of Programming (EDP) Ariel Decoteau describes Schlesinger as “energetic, quirky, and fun. She animates her stories by making sound effects and using her whole body to elaborate her stories. She often talks about the herd-like nature of women and how they interact with the world. However, she also talks about everyday occurrences that many people can relate to.”
PAC first got the idea for booking Shlesinger when advisor Brittney Paxton and former EDP Samesa Hoskin attended the 2015 National Association for Campus Activities Conference in Minnesota. “When Samesa and I saw her performance at the conference, we loved her!,” Paxton said. “We met her after the show and Samesa knew she would be a great performer for Major Madness.” Paxton said she knows Schlesinger will bring an energetic spirit to the show this week.
Decoteau relayed information from the comedian’s manager that new material performed on Thursday evening, and that there is a great possibility that Blanche, Shlesinger’s dog, will make an appearance at the show. Decoteau said she became familiar with Shlesinger after watching her Netflix specials, War Paint and Freezing Hot, and said she “knew her fellow Millsaps students would love her.” Paxton said Shlesinger has been in high demand for about a year, making the show an incredible event for Millsaps and PAC. “If there is a high energy from the audience,” said Paxton, “Iliza is more likely to stay and meet students and sign autographs. It all depends on her schedule, though.”
Paxton said PAC plans to have an opening act for Schlesinger, as well, and will announce that performer soon. Students must reserve their free ticket for the event by filling out the Google form sent out from Paxton via email (but can also be found here). Upon arriving at the show, students who have filled out the form will be admitted after showing their student ID. Non-students can also attend by filling out the form and paying $10 at the door.
The excitement for the show is building as Major Madness begins this week. “The Programming and Activities Board is so excited about Iliza’s show and we hope the student body will be too!” said Decoteau.