SPB’s final big virtual event of the year: Pete Davidson

Quinnipiac University’s Student Programming Board (SPB)’s virtual conversation with Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson on Sunday had mixed reviews.

The broadcast was moderated by fellow cast member Mikey Day and open to only Quinnipiac students.

Students attended virtually as the in person event was cancelled due to rain.

SPB Mainstage Chair Brianna Hasso was in charge of putting together the event.

“I have the freedom to bring whoever I think will appeal to the student body,” Hasso said. “Since Wake the Giant was unable to happen this year I decided to create the Cozy Comedy Night Series.”

Sunday night’s Cozy Comedy Night Series was the second one this semester following  the first one, held on April 14, which featured comedian and actor, Nick Kroll. 

“The Cozy Comedy Night Series is something I take great pride in since it’s something completely new that put a twist on what is traditionally done,” Hasso said. “The hope is that SPB will be able to put on a traditional Wake the Giant next year since COVID guidelines have been loosening.”

Hasso said it was her idea to pick Davidson for one of the virtual conversations.

“I knew that Pete Davidson has been extremely popular among college students and thought he would be someone that could gain a lot of attendance,” Hasso said. “ I brought this idea to administration and after a lot of talks about his content and who he is I was able to make it happen.”

Students who stayed for the duration of the event were entered into a raffle for a chance to win a Louis Vuitton wallet, a MacBook Pro or a Yeti Cooler.

“Prizes are totally up to me since it is my event,” Hasso said. “I chose things that I know people would want and things that we have not given out that much this semester.”

Due to contract negotiations, SPB was not allowed to disclose the cost of the virtual conversation with Davidson. Students who attended had mixed feelings.

Dominic Smorra, a senior software engineering major who attended the event virtually, said he was disappointed.

“I honestly was a little underwhelmed by the event,” Smorra said. “I was definitely expecting it to be a little funnier and energetic but he did tell some funny stories which I was expecting.

On the other hand, Megan Fonseca, a junior advertising major, enjoyed it.

“I watched it with my roommate and that’s pretty much all we talked about for the rest of the night,” Fonseca said. “It was pretty cool that SPB got them on for us.”

Fonseca said she would consider  attending a similar event again, although it would depend on who SPB got.

“If it’s someone I’m not familiar with then I probably wouldn’t go, but if I knew who they were then yes,” Fonseca said. 

Sydney Johnston, a sophomore in the physical therapy program, attended the event virtually and said that she would also attend an event like this in the future.

“If SPB held something like this again I think I would go,” Johnston said. “It is an opportunity to get to see someone you normally would not see in your everyday life.”

Like Smorra, Johnston also expected more from the virtual conversation.

“I thought the event was fine. It felt like I was intruding in on a call between Mikey and Pete,” Johnston said. “This event was not what I expected it to be. I thought it would be a little funnier or have more to it. It just felt very basic.”