The SUB Ballroom was filled with bright red faces and boisterous laughter as James Yon hosted a comedy show. 

CAB kicked off homecoming week with a comedy show last Monday, starring Yon and Chloe Hillard.

James Yon hosts his own show on Dish Network titled “Viral Breakdown” and was a finalist on NBC’s “Stand Up for Diversity.” As a native of Florida, he was the 2011 and 2012 winner of the Orlando Improv’s “Clash of the Comics.”

“My inspiration comes from my family, especially my kids. It can be crazy trying to be a good father and a comedian at the same time. This is the first college gig I ever did. Everyone was so warm and friendly and everyone laughed. I had a good time,” Yon said. 

Yon covered a large ray of topics, from shouting in a Catholic church to how to catch beads at Mardi Gras. Letting the abundance of laughter be the judge, the highlight of the night was when Yon striped off his shirt to reveal a hot-pink brazier, which sent some students rolling out of their seats. 

Chloe Hilliard followed his act with her tale on how her grandmother thinks she should catch a man, which apparently was through baking and picking cotton.

Hilliard was raised in a Hasidic Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. She started her career in journalism, but later used her unique experiences and knack for spinning stories to become one of America’s great comedians.

“All of my material comes from my life,”said Hilliard. “To be a good comic you have to start from what you know. So I don’t try to talk about stuff that I don’t know or it wont seem genuine.”

Her performance drew out a roar of Warhawk laughter, especially among the young men of the crowded ballroom. 

Robert Johnson, a sophomore psychology major, enjoyed Hilliard’s act most.

“Comedians are friends,” said Johnson.

Hilliard recently appeared on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing” and was featured on AXSTV’s “Gotham Comedy Live.” Hilliard enjoyed coming to tour Monroe and trying fried alligator for the first time. 

Yon said that this was the best stand up comedy experience that he’s had in Louisiana thus far, and described his audience as gracious. 

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