Greg Giraldo

Greg Giraldo made a bad decision and the ECU community is not happy about it.
The comedian, who has appeared on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, Last Call with Carson Daly, Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien ventured to ECU for the Comedy Central Indecision 2008 tour on Aug. 18. The show served as a kick off to the ECU Weeks of Welcome, and was free to students and friends at Minges Coliseum.
However, some students and staff deemed the show, most notably Giraldo himself, offensive and vulgar. According to student accounts, Giraldo based his routine on making fun of the hearing impaired, along with asking the audience which animal he or she would like to have sex with. 
"Greg Giraldo, in my opinion, was incredibly vulgar and offensive," said Joy Fitzpatrick, who attended the show. 
Fitzpatrick added that Giraldo intentionally allowed his comedy act to make fun of those who required interpreters, using them as backup material through the entire show.
"I anticipate my opposing argument to say that college students are adult enough to think for themselves, and although they are, I am more concerned that this particular event was endorsed by such a great institution," Fitzpatrick said.
Kay Christian, the interim director of Student Activities and Involvement, says that the administration understands the concerns of offended students and apologizes for the incident.
"Every year our department brings a comedy act for students to enjoy during the Weeks of Welcome and anytime you have that, you can't necessarily control the comedian's material or what they say and do," said Christian. "We strive to provide a wide variety of entertainment to students, but sometimes there will be moments when some enjoy the show and others are offended."
"In the future, we will work hard to be sure we set our expectations with our entertainment acts beforehand. Without stifling free speech, we need to make sure they have appropriate material for the audience."
However, while some attendants of the events found the routine too vulgar, others enjoyed the show, including student Jason Wallace.
"I think that Mr. Giraldo did what a professional comic should do," said Wallace. "Any comedian can tell a series of jokes, but he has the skill and confidence to break the fourth wall and interact with the audience."
Wallace adds that although Giraldo might have offended those who attended, anyone who felt uncomfortable with the material of a show can always leave.
"If one chooses to stay, then one chooses to be a part of the entertainment, even when the entertainment might be them," he said.

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