Comedy Strikes at WVU Parkersburg

by Stephen Story

The ​ Backdoor​ ​ Comedy​ ​ Club​ ​ ​at​ ​WVU ​ Parkersburg​ ​ ​hosts​ comedy​ acts​ ​regularly ​ in​ ​ ​the​ ​auditorium ​ at​ ​ ​the​ ​college.​ ​The​ Backdoor​ ​ ​Comedy​ Club​ ​ features​ many​ professional ​ ​and​ hilarious​ ​ acts​ ​ on​ ​ ​the​ ​college​ stage​ ​ and​ ​ ​continues​ ​to​ ​this ​ day.​ ​ ​

An​ incredible​ performance, ​followed​ ​ ​by​ ​boisterous​ ​laughter,​ flooded​ ​ ​the​ auditorium​ ​ in​ ​ the​ ​ ​college​ ​when comedian ​ Lauren​ ​ Hope​ ​ ​Krass ​ delivered​ ​ ​50 ​minutes​ ​of​ ​unique ​ material​ ​ ​to ​ the​ ​ ​crowd.​ ​At ​ first,​ ​ ​the crowd​ ​was ​ ​unsuspecting ​ ​of ​ ​the​ ​comedian​ ​who​ ​had ​ never​ ​ ​been​ to​ ​ ​this​ town​ ​ ​before,​ but​ ​ ​once​ ​she graced ​ the​ ​ ​stage,​ it​ ​ was​ ​ ​clear ​ ​that​ ​this ​ wasn’t​ ​ her​ ​ first​ ​ rodeo.​ ​ ​She ​ ​subconsciously demonstrated​ ​lowering ​ your​ ​ ​defenses ​ ​to​ ​the ​ ​audience, ​ ​and ​ they​ ​ responded​ ​ ​with ​ ​open​ minds​ ​ ​and  hearts.

The​ ​main​ ​idea​ ​of​ ​Lauren​ Krass’​ ​ routine​ ​ ​was​ ​loving​ ​everything ​ ​about ​ ​yourself ​ ​and​ ​being honest ​ about​ ​ the​ ​ flaws​ ​ ​you​ ​unconditionally​ ​love.​ ​The ​ ​stand​ ​up’s​ ​set​ ​was​ filled​ ​ ​with​ energy​ ​ ​and vulnerability​ ​that​ could​ ​ ​only ​ harnessed​ ​ ​in​ such​ ​ a​ ​ ​way ​ ​by​ ​a​ ​trained ​ ​professional.​ Although​ ​ the​ routine​ ​was ​ ​a​ ​genuine​ ​and​ ​hilarious​ ​look ​ ​into​ ​the​ ​trials ​ and​ ​ ​tribulations​ of​ ​ dating,​ ​ plus-sized​ clothing​ and​ ​ ​striving​ ​for​ ​equality​ ​as​ ​a​ ​modern​ ​young​ ​woman,​ the​ ​ ​comedian’s​ ​approach​ ​was ​ ​no joke.​ ​

From​ ​start​ ​to​ ​finish,​ Lauren​ ​ Krass​ ​ delivered​ ​ ​humorous​ ​blows​ ​to​ society’s​ ​ beauty​ standard​ (​which​ ​is​ ​don’t​ ​be​ ​anything​ ​but​ ​a ​ size​ ​ ​two​ ​and​ ​quiet). ​The ​ ​honest ​ content​ ​ of​ ​ the​ performance​ ranged​ ​ ​from​ ​passive​ ​aggressive​ plus-sized​ ​ ​clothing​ ​messages​ ​compared​ ​to​ their​ slimmer ​ counterparts​ and how​ ​excited​ ​your ​ ​friends ​ ​get​ ​when​ ​you’ve​ ​been ​ ​single ​ ​for​ ​a​ ​while ​ ​and someone’s ​ weird​ ​ friend​ ​ ​is ​ ​crushing​ ​on​ ​you.

Lauren​ Hope​ ​ ​Krass’​ ​stand​ ​up​ ​routine ​ ​was ​ everything​ ​ ​you​ ​expected​ from​ ​ ​a ​ ​comedy performance.​ ​It​ ​was​ ​an​ ​evening​ ​of​ ​harsh ​ ​truths​ ​and​ ​complete​ ​candor​ ​with​ ​strangers.​ The​ ​ stories​ were​ personal​ ​ and​ ​ ​offered very​ ​ ​behind​-the-scenes​ ​ look​ ​ ​that ​ you​ ​ ​don’t ​ even​ ​ ​get​ ​with ​ ​a​ ​lot​ of​ mainstream ​ ​comedians. ​ ​Krass​ ​broke ​ down​ ​ the​ ​ barriers​ ​ ​between​ ​the​ ​audience,​ ​and ​ both​ ​ sides​ used​ ​that​ ​moment​ ​to​ ​their​ ​advantage.​ ​

She​ ​was​ able​ ​ to​ ​ take​ ​ a​ ​ crowd​ ​ ​of​ ​people​ ​who​ had​ ​ never​ seen ​ ​her ​ performance​ ​ before​ ​ ​and​ ​get​ ​them​ ​to ​ laugh​ ​ ​and​ applaud.​ ​ Any​ ​ actor​ ​ ​or​ ​writer​ could​ ​ ​get up ​ ​on ​ stage​ ​ ​and​ ​deliver​ clever​ ​ ​one-liner​ after​ ​ one-liner​ ​ ​behind​ ​a​ ​mask​ ​that​ protects​ ​ ​the​ ​artist from​ ​the ​ ​audience, ​ ​but​ ​Lauren​ ​Krass’​ performance​ ​ ​was​ ​engaging​ ​and​ full​ ​ ​of​ ​human​ ​experience that​ ​could​ ​really​ ​leave ​ the​ ​ ​audience​ ​with ​ ​more​ ​than ​ ​jokes ​ ​to ​ ​tell ​ ​your ​ families.​

Lauren​ ​Hope​ Krass​ ​ ​is​ ​a​ ​comedian​ from​ ​ ​Charleston,​ ​South ​ ​Carolina ​ who​ ​ ​lives​ ​in ​ New​ York ​ City.​ ​ ​​ ​She​ received​ ​ 3rd​ ​ ​place ​ ​in ​ ​the​ Charleston​ ​ ​Comedy ​ ​Festival’s ​ Standup​ ​ ​Competition ​ in​ 2012​ ​and​ ​2013. Also, ​she was​ ​1st​ ​place​ in​ ​ the​ ​ Corona​ ​ ​Dave​ Ugly​ ​ Put​ ​ ​Your ​ ​Money​ ​Where​ Your​ Mouth ​ ​Is​ ​Standup ​ competition​ ​ ​in​ 2014.​ ​ ​Lauren ​ ​Hope ​ Krass​ ​ ​has​ been​ ​ featured​ ​ ​in​ ​The​ New​ York ​ ​Times​ ​for​ ​her ​ ​show,​ “Laughter​ ​ ​School​ Special,”​ ​ ​and​ ​is​ ​a ​ ​playwright​ ​who​ has​ ​ penned​ ​ works​ such ​ ​as ​ ​“Addiction​ ​to​ ​Donuts​ ​and​ ​Jerks”​ ​and ​ ​“Princess ​ Charming.”​ ​ ​She​ ​was​ ​also​ ​a ​ featured​ storyteller​ ​on ​Kevin​ ​Allison’s​ ​”RISK!” podcast.