Stand-up comic sits down for hilarious and musical performance
With the Koger Center packed with USC students, Craig Robinson pulled students onstage to pose for photos, brought another up to pantomime a fight and another still sing USC’s fight song.
Throw in a mosh pit and a Gamecocks cheer, and Robinson, a comedy star, had the makings of an energetic show full of crowd interaction.
“Did you have a good time tonight?” Robinson asked.
The crowd shouted back, “Yeah!”
Throughout his life, Robinson has been in several different bands, but right now he’s touring with the funk-infused Nasty Delicious, including Tuesday’s stop at USC.
“I love the marriage between music and comedy,” Robinson said. “You can get away with so much more when it’s over music.”
Between his background as a stand-up comic and past as a grade school music teacher, Robinson’s act is one of a kind.
“Do something with the lights that makes me look sexy,” he said to the technical crew right before they shut off all the lights. “It’s not really stand up, because number one: I’m sitting down. It’s like if you had a crazy choir teacher, and you’re singing, then you stop and he curses you out, and then he does something nice for you. It’s an experience I guess.”
Robinson got his start on the hit NBC comedy “The Office” as Darryl Philbin, which began as a small part and evolved into a more central role, where he incorporated plenty of on-screen improv.
“‘The Office’ was an incredible achievement in my career,” he said.
After he booked a part in “Knocked Up,” Robinson’s career blew up. He says fame really struck after his more recent films.
“It depends on what the people say. It used to be all about ‘The Office,’ but now they’re also talking about ‘This Is The End,’” he said. “You can also tell when people go ‘Hey, you’re the guy from that thing?’ or ‘Craig Robinson!’ Lately I’ve been getting a lot more ‘Craig Robinsons.”
Reflecting on his college days, Robinson said he saw a career in comedy as out of reach, although he’s always had a knack for making people laugh. “Comedy chose me,” he said. “I was always real silly.”
Now, while touring colleges like USC, it’s obvious how excited Robinson is to perform for his fans.
“The crowd gives you energy,” Robinson said. “Especially the energy of a new joke working.”