Saturday Night Live’s Chris Redd will provide a well-needed opportunity for UF students to laugh for the start of the school year.
Redd will perform at 6:30 p.m. tonight in the Reitz Union’s Rion Ballroom. The free event for UF students is sponsored by the Reitz Programming Board.
The SNL performer was chosen for his mainstream popularity, said Solange Douglas, the assistant director for programs at the Reitz Union. Redd will be paid $12,000, which is paid for by student fees, for his performance, Douglas said.
“He’s a great entertainer, and we believe that an event that features him is a great way to welcome students back to UF,” Douglas said.
He is the latest in a string of SNL cast members to perform at UF. Keenan Thompson and Michael Che were both ACCENT speakers in Spring 2017. Jay Pharoah, a former SNL cast member, came to campus during Summer.
In the past SNL season, Redd appeared in popular sketches with John Mulaney and Donald Glover and in several comedies, Douglas said.
Students can line up in front of the ballroom’s east door starting at 5:30 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., and the event is free for UF students with a Gator 1.
Kristina Perez, a 21-year-old UF telecommunication and economics senior, said she is happy UF is bringing a big-name talent to campus.
“I think comedians have a great way of bringing together people from everywhere,” Perez said.
Twitter: @blefever10
