Billy D. Washington, a talented comedian, musician and writer, recently visited campus to deliver talks on bettering your craft and some comedy to lighten the load in these stressful 

Bowers Writers House director Jesse Waters chose to bring Washington on campus to share his life story and skills he picked up along the way.

“He [Washington] has such a wide range of skills and experiences that to be able to spend casual discussion time with him – in addition to seeing him perform – is really a fantastic set of opportunities,” Waters said.

Students agreed that Washington’s visit to campus was beneficial.

“He was certainly a good person to bring onto campus,” junior Gavin McCabe said. “Inviting many different types of guests to speak on campus…is an important part of the unique experiences offered here at Elizabethtown.”

Washington is an award winning comedian who has appeared on programs like HBO’s Def Comedy Jam and Comedy Central’s Premium Blend. He was identified as one of the most diverse comedians in America by the NBC Standup for Diversity initiative.

Washington shared some of his praised comedy on campus, as well as speaking at two events at the Bowers Writers House. He used his own experience to talk about creating a personal brand and how to “write funny.” Washington talked about who he is and how that affects his comedy.

Washington talked about how creating a name for oneself comes from reputation. People will know who someone is based on everything that came before they even meet them. He also talked about finding the reason or the “why” behind the work. According to Washington, it’s better to do what you love and have people find you than to do things so people like you.

Washington embodies this in his comedy. On Thursday, Oct. 28, he performed for a small but enthusiastic crowd in Gibble Auditorium. His passion for performance filled the room with his energy. 

A main theme in Washington’s comedy is describing the experience of a Black man in America today while breaking the preexisting stereotypes. This goal was appreciated by many of the attendees.

“I thought that Billy D. Washington’s comedy was innovative,” junior Nathan Tindell said. “His content was based around some larger topics but framed in a way where they were comedic and more light-hearted.”

The performance was received well by the crowd. Even in masks, the laughter was booming.

McCabe said Washington’s “stand-up comedy was hilarious and certainly what I needed after a long week of midterms.”

“He had an appropriate sense of humor for college students,” Tindell said. “It felt like an environment where I could focus on his content and enjoy it rather than thinking about stuff I need to do down the road. I was very glad I was able to attend his show.”

Junior Nathaniel Mansfield agreed with the other attendees, adding that Washington had an innate ability to read a room well.

“He made an effort to engage with members of the crowd and was mindful of what sort of people were in the room when telling jokes,” Mansfield said. “It’s not often that I get to see performances from off-campus entertainers.”

Whether it was attending one of his talks or enjoying a comedy show, Etown students enjoyed Washington’s visit and hearing more about this talented performer.

You can find Billy D. Washington on his website: www.billydwashington.com.