IU student Rob Sherrell sees comedy as way to break down walls
Editor's note: This story from The Bloomington Herald-Times is being published here as a courtesy for readers of IU in the News.By Michael Reschke
When Rob Sherrell wants to discuss controversial topics, he uses comedy to get his point of view across. And if jokes don’t work, he’ll trap you in an elevator.
Sherrell is Indiana University’s first stand-up comedy major. Comedy has been his passion for a long time, but so have law and politics. The latter is what he intended to study after graduating from Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis. He pictured himself running for public office, maybe even president, but once he got to Bloomington, things changed.
He admits the switch might seem drastic, but over the past few years, he’s learned comedians can be just as effective at influencing public discourse as politicians.
When people hear someone sharing views on a controversial topic that are different from their own, they tend to block it out, Sherrell said. This basic human tendency, combined with social media algorithms designed to show users the type of content they’re most likely to consume, have contributed to the extremely divisive political climate that exists today. But comedy can break down those partisan walls.
Take any joke, Sherrell said. There’s a topic, then the setup and finally the punchline. In the best jokes, the punchline takes a completely different direction.
“The sharper the turn, the funnier it is,” he said.
Those unexpected twists are what allow comedians to effectively communicate ideas to people who may not agree with them.
“Because they don’t know where you’re coming from, they can’t guard against it,” Sherrell said.
He understood this subconsciously, but classes in psychology taught him the science behind it.
Sherrell hand-picked these and other courses he’s taken to create the stand-up comedy major. IU’s Individualized Major Program has allowed people such as New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz to come up with their own curriculum based on their unique career goals.
Going through every class in every department at IU to select the classes was one of the most difficult things Sherrell has done, but it’s given him a greater understanding of the outlets for his work. For instance, he’s taken courses in script writing and short films. Now, he’s working on his own late-night television show.
The first episode of “Hella Late With Rob Sherrell” is scheduled to air Tuesday on IU Student Television. One of the segments, called “woke on an elevator,” is an unscripted conversation about race. Sherrell said the term “woke” refers to someone who is aware or has gained awareness of issues that pertain to marginalized people.
The idea is that when you’re stuck on an elevator, you can’t run away from uncomfortable conversations. The hope is that with comedy, those conversations won’t be so uncomfortable.
“Humor goes over the barriers we put up, no matter how hard we try,” he said.