The Keenan Revue, an annual sketch comedy show performed by the men of Keenan Hall, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. Taking place Thursday, Friday and Saturday during the last week of February, the show displayed the talent and creativity of Keenan Hall for crowds of around 1,500 each night.
The event is known for its edgy comedic style and inside jokes that capitalize on common stereotypes of Notre Dame and Saint Mary’s students. The show was originally performed in Washington Hall in the 1970s before moving to O’Laughlin Auditorium at Saint Mary’s two years after its inception. However, the annual contract between the Keenan Revue and the College was decidedly not renewed in 2010 partly because of the “disparaging remarks about women and sexuality.”
The show found a new home at Notre Dame's Stepan Center and continues today as one of the most popular dorm events on campus. Part of that popularity stems from the show’s edginess, which provides students a break from the political correctness of daily life.
One of the more controversial skits this year, titled “Make Notre Dame Great Again,” hyperbolically explored what Donald Trump might be like as president of Notre Dame. The skit included a joke about Trump blowing up the “Hamas Bookstore” and referencing a sexual encounter with a McGlinn Hall resident.
Keenan resident Jack Latilla-Campbell said he was somewhat surprised the skit made it into the show but noted that the head writers “really wanted that one.”
“Something the University does that we deeply appreciate is that they’re not just like a ‘hard yes-hard no’ on a lot of things,” head writer Daniel Mayer said. “We are given the opportunity to make the case for ourselves in a way.”
“I think the University was a little worried just because it was political,” director Josh Dobashi said. “But we kind of pushed back and said we’re not making any political claims or anything. We were just making fun of a public figure.”
The process of getting skits approved begins with the student-led head staff of the Revue. In recent years, the group has become more proactive about editing potentially controversial material before it reaches administrators.
“[Students] have gotten so much better with lines or entire skits being cut, amended or reframed before they even get to me,” Keenan Hall rector Cory Hodson wrote in a statement to The Observer.
After review by the student staff and approval from Hodson, the script must receive approval from Zack Imfeld, director of Residential Life.
In past years, Revue producers also reached out to cultural clubs or student organizations that might take offense to certain skits. This year, however, the process stayed largely internal.
According to Revue producer Douglass Tackney, every skit stayed “in house” and none required approval beyond Residential Life — except “Make Notre Dame Great Again,” which mentions University President Fr. Robert Dowd’s name and therefore required approval from the Office of the President.
“We didn’t have to talk to other clubs like we had in years past because we were so proactive,” Tackney said. “We worked with Residential Life and tried to see what crosses the line and what doesn’t.”
Another skit that nearly crossed the line featured a twist on the traditional Spider-Man character, in which Spider-Man’s webs shoot from a body part below his waist as he defends campus from the villain “Goon Goblin.”
“None of us are really sure how that made it through,” Mayer said. “I don’t think any of it’s particularly offensive, but it’s just over the top.”
“That was even something a lot of alumni came up and asked us about after the Saturday show,” he added. “They were like, ‘How in the world did you guys get these through?’”
Still, Mayer said toning down the Revue would be a disservice to an audience that expects outrageous humor.
“A lot of the audience has that perspective of the Revue,” Mayer said, “and that’s kind of what they’re looking for.”
The writers’ goal, he said, is not to be edgy simply for the sake of offense but to make the audience laugh.
“If the joke is you saying something offensive and that’s what people are supposed to laugh at, it’s probably not that good of a joke in the first place,” Mayer said.
Dobashi described the tradition of the Keenan Revue as “Fifty years of serving the community.” The show raises money for charity each year alongside providing entertainment. This year, the Revue raised more than $10,000 for Dismas House of Indiana, a local nonprofit that supports formerly incarcerated individuals.
“It’s hard to see campus or think of campus and not have the Revue in it,” Dobashi said. “Thinking about your time at Notre Dame without the Revue is really hard. It’s the biggest student-run event on campus and there’s so much money that gets donated.”
Jack Kuka, co-producer of the Keenan Revue and Keenan resident assistant, emphasized the opportunity the show provides for students.
“I don’t ever see it going away,” Kuka said. “As RAs, we see so many talented people in our sections who just need an outlet to express themselves.”
Kuka also thanked Imfeld and Residential Life on behalf of Keenan Hall for helping make the show possible.
