The University Program Board (UPB) hosted comedian and internet personality Brittany Broski in Miller Auditorium last Tuesday.
Doors opened for the sold-out event at 6 p.m. and the show started at 7 p.m.
Students lined up outside of Miller expressing their excitement to see Broski. Some individuals dressed in outfits that related to her interests, including a Minion outfit, celebrity merchandise (Harry Styles apparel, Hozier merchandise, Pedro Pascal t-shirts) and more.
Individuals started lining up as early as 2 p.m. to get a front row seat.
“I was one of the first four people in line. It was pretty chill until a bunch of people started coming closer to maybe 4:30 or 5, then the excitement really kicked in. I had been camped out since roughly 2:30 with my friend Caroline,” Eirene Paliouras, a sophomore history major, said. “As others came filling in, we passed the time by just getting to know the other people around us and bonding over our shared love and appreciation for Brittany.”
The event was a moderated conversation with a question and answer portion at the end.
The comedian went viral on TikTok in 2019 and has been growing her “Brittany Nation” every day on various platforms.
Broski is well-known for her podcast “The Broski Report” and “Royal Court” on YouTube where she has discussions with celebrity guests.
Broski has recently been working on music for her fans.
Once Broski walked on stage, the crowd was ecstatic to see the comedian.
One of the topics discussed was how Broski graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in communication and a minor in Spanish.
Broski talked about what posting and planning content is like.
“My approach to the internet has always been, ‘I’m gonna post what I think my friend would laugh at,’ and come to find out, I’ve got 735 friends in here,” Broski said.
“I’ve tried to showcase that I went to college, I had a normal job, like I can do ‘XYZ thing,’ you know, I enjoy music and reading and all these things that also are, in addition to, I’m funny,” Broski said.
Broski was asked what interests in doing podcasts as opposed to other forms of content. She explained how it is just her in the room having a conversation with herself.
“I think podcasting is just like, it stems from a very cute point of connection,” Broski said.
The comedian talked about how what she does can bring people together.
“I want to have as much fun as I can, because that fun translates through the screen,” Broski said.
Broski discussed “Fan Girl Culture” and how she seen the power of fandom and fan girls in action.
“How about controlling the music industry? No one determines culture and taste the way that fan girls do,” Broski said.
She then discussed her cover of Harry Styles’ “Adore You” and her plan for new music coming out in the future.
“I had this idea if it’s dark and haunted and like, tragically beautiful; put that on such a happy song like ‘Adore You’ by Harry Styles, because those lyrics, by the way, are devastating,” Broski said.
The comedian was then asked what her advice would be to someone who wants to start a career in the entertainment industry.
“If you’ve been given the opportunity, make the most of it, but I am prepared for the eventuality or possibility that this could go away, you know? Like, I have a backup plan, I have a college degree to fall back on,” Broski said.
“I was given the blessing of getting to choose this, I truly believe my life purpose is this, is connectivity. It’s connection, and it’s spreading joy in a time that feels so hopeless. So, I’m walking in that, and I chose to do that, but at the same time, what a blessing that I get to. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not grateful for it,” Broski said.
Broski mentioned that meeting Harry Styles was the highlight of her career.
“Harry Styles means so much to me, like truly informed who I am as a person, what my values are, and how to treat people, and my view on life and the world,” Broski said.
The conversation then turned to a Q&A with the students.
A student asked Broski for advice on students in college for language.
“This is such a beautiful transitionary period in your lives, and I think that if you have this mentality of leaning on AI like a crutch or using it in a way that is limiting your social skills that you could be tuning and developing here to prepare you to be a real, functioning member of society, you’re only hurting yourself. You’re hurting yourself in the future, you’re hurting your relationships, you’re hurting your education,” Broski said. “Education is the one tool we have in this country, truly. Your vote and your knowledge.”
“I think anybody who watched Brittany on either Royal Court or The Broski Report knows that she has such a powerful sense of wit, empathy [and] integrity. Her confidence is truly something to be admired and watching that happen in real time quite literally from the barricade of Miller Auditorium, that was what struck me the most,” Paliouras said.
At the end of the show students stuck around to hear an announcement from UPB.
The lights turned red in Miller Auditorium and the Stranger Things Theme Song started to play.
The organization announced that Gaten Matarazzo will be visiting SRU on October 13 at 7 p.m. in the Smith Student Center Ballroom.
The actor and Broadway star is known for his role in Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and his role as Toby Ragg in “Sweeney Todd” on Broadway.
The event will also consist of a moderated conversation and audience question and answer portion.
Students can purchase tickets for this event starting September 11 at 8 a.m. at sru.edu/tickets.
