Macy Aiken’s comedy will knock you out of your seat
Macy Aiken’s comedy will knock you out of your seat
SU senior Macy Aiken brings her signature blend of comedic timing and fearless charm to host the University Union Comedy Knockout show.
As Macy Aiken walks onto the stage, the crowd lights up. A sea of familiar faces eagerly awaits the comedian’s first joke of the night. She’s made a name for herself in the Syracuse comedy community with her “honest, vulgar and intuitive” performances.
The Chicago native, who splits her time between making people laugh at venues like The Playground — SU’s student-run comedy club — and studying math and philosophy, performed her fourth hosting gig at University Union’s “Comedy Knockout” show on Friday.
Throughout Aiken’s Comedy Knockout set, the audience leaned in around her, charmed by her casual coolness while delivering each joke.
“In my experience, what makes something funny is 20% writing and 80% performance,” Aiken said.
Despite her nonchalant energy throughout her hosting gig, Aiken appeared caught off guard by a surprise appearance by Otto the Orange while she was onstage.
“I have a crippling fear of mascots and large puppets,” Aiken said. “I actually saw a post saying, ‘We want Otto people,’ and you have to be five seven and about 150 pounds. I was like, ‘How better to conquer your fears than to literally be inside of them?’ So, Otto, can I get inside of you?”
Aiken’s foray into comedy began her sophomore year when her friend and fellow comedian, Noah Weinberg, hosted SU’s sketch comedy show, Live From Studio B!, and invited her to watch him perform.
“I’m watching him and thinking, ‘This is totally something I could do.’ I’ve always deemed myself the funny friend, and I ended up talking to Noah and applying to be a writer,” Aiken said.
Now, Aiken holds a head writer position, but her interest in stand-up comedy sprouted somewhere along the way. After her first stand-up routine for a Studio B comedy show, Aiken said she noticed a great response from her peers. Thus began her solo comedy career, which has seen her perform at The Playground ten times since her first performance in her junior year.
Weinberg, a fervent supporter of Aiken’s comedy, said he is grateful for the opportunity to watch her grow as a comedian since she started two years ago.
“Wow, what a shining light in the Syracuse comedy scene. Since starting, she’s a lot more confident as both a writer and a performer,” Weinberg said.
Friendship fuels the comedy Aiken produces; her most profound inspiration when she writes is her close-knit friend group.
“I say something, and if they laugh, I write it in this running notes list on my phone, and whenever I need to write a new set, I go look at the list I’m editing,” Aiken said. “When I reference my list, I talk it out, see how it feels, see if it flows well, see if I hit the beats, and then write out the joke and memorize it.”
Aiken workshops her jokes with her Studio B collaborators and Playground regulars, like Tim Wong, a performer who Aiken introduced to the Syracuse comedy scene.
“I think, in addition to being one of the funniest comedians, she is definitely one of the most gracious,” Wong said. “She’s ready with honest feedback. She’s always ready to hear other people’s riffs or suggestions, even mine. Some of the hardest times I have laughed have been working with Macy.”
While Aiken has undoubtedly found a passion in stand-up comedy, she plans to pursue mathematics following graduation. That said, if she were handed a Netflix special and a full-time career as a comedian, Aiken said she “would take that in a heartbeat.”
“Comedy is so accessible, and I wish people knew that because many people commend me for my ability to go on stage and talk to people, saying they’d never be able to do it. At one point, I thought I could never do it. It’s all a matter of mind.”