A Tuesday night comedy show hosted by Turning Point USA at ASU blended politics with jokes, a combination that attendees said can make difficult conversations easier.
Comedian Alex Stein, known for his podcast "Prime Time with Alex Stein" and viral moments where he disrupts government meetings and confronts politicians, performed a 30-minute set to a crowd of about 100 people in the Life Sciences Tower on the Tempe campus.
His set was followed by a Q&A portion.
Stein's set included quips about the LGBTQ+ community, immigration and other political topics. He also offered commentary about the late Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk and provided advice for college students.
Among his suggestions were to limit student debt and enjoy college.
"In reality, if you just have a degree, that's enough. People don't really care," Stein said. "Just try to really savor the flavor and have some fun in college."
Stein also advocated for like-minded people to pressure government officials for increased transparency.
"We think that we're powerless. That's the opposite of the truth," Stein said. "You guys, we hold a lot of power. We outnumber everybody."
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R.C. Maxwell, a Phoenix-based writer and political commentator who Stein called a friend, also spoke briefly at the show and told the attendees to "make fun of the lefts" and "be a happy warrior."
"When you use humor, it really tells a story in a way that's more powerful than any lecture or any argument I've ever made," Maxwell said. "So, find the humor in situations."
Vikram Ganesh, a junior studying management, said he was a "big supporter" of Turning Point and was glad to see Stein come to support the chapter at ASU. Ganesh follows Stein on YouTube and Instagram and said that his set was "incredible."
"I just love the comedic side of things," Ganesh said. "Comedy is a great way to break through the political divide."
Ganesh also said the events can help people get involved in ideas they may already be interested in.
Maria Palacios, a freshman studying biological sciences, said comedy can help relationships and increase people's understanding of one another.
"Humor is something that humans like to use to connect," Palacios said. "If you're gonna disagree, the least you can do is have some compassion."
Palacios said attending events like the comedy show is important for students to expand their viewpoints on issues they might not be aware of.
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The events can also help people defend their political perspectives, Palacios said.
"As a person who has a lot of friends that don't agree with me, it helps me understand what to say back to them," Palacios said. "Not because I want to fight, but because I want to have an answer for them."
Vansh Jain, a junior studying computer science, said events like the comedy show are an important "exchange of ideas" in the college environment.
The comedy show was the first Turning Point USA at ASU event that Jain had attended, and he said he had a good time.
"I like that I was with a lot of like-minded people. It's kind of hard to find these days," Jain said. "It was really enjoyable, and I like that I was able to speak my mind."
Edited by Carsten Oyer, Senna James, Katrina Michalak and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at msweador@asu.edu and follow @miasweador on X.
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