McAlister Auditorium was nearly full, and students lined up hours before the show last month to see rising comedy star Marcello Hernandez enthuse the audience with an almost two-hour set. Opener Matt Richards warmed up the crowd, eagerly awaiting the main event.

The proudly Latino comedian, best known for his role on Saturday Night Live since 2022, captivated the Tulane University student body with his entertaining opening and energetic demeanor. He began with a bit about Latino boys being forced to dance with their sexually frustrated aunts at Christmas and quickly jumped to jokes about “short kings,” which were well received. His swift rhythm and relatable dialogue had students roaring with applause. 

Hernandez then told stories about growing up Latino, saying he felt like Spanish was most similar to sign language because his mother would always use her hands when she spoke to him. Realizing there was a sign language interpreter to his far right, Hernandez repeated words he knew had suggestive hand gestures, which the interpreter repeated, emphasizing the joke. Hernandez promptly shared that he has raging Attention Deficit Disorder, which is now referred to as ADHD — “probably for ADD in high definition.” 

His lively persona thrived off the audience’s laughter. Hernandez played to his female audience and made many jokes about girls’ support groups. His charming anecdotes about his relationship had the women at Tulane setting Hernandez as their new standard. His joke about the comment section on a girl’s Instagram feed and the things girls say requiring action “by a mental hospital” was on point. 

Even the Tulane Fizz feed overflowed with comments about Hernandez’s performance; the “degirlization period” was too accurate. One user wrote that “Marcello must’ve looked at the Tulane demographics [because] this show is for the girls.” 

Hernandez proves his knowledge of women by explaining his family. His mother and three sisters raised him, and according to Hernandez, “Latina women control the [expletive].” His attractive attitude toward respecting your girlfriend proved good women raised him. His joke about a girls’ night out debrief emulating ESPN’s SportsCenter was an accurate comparison. He set up a joke about Spanish being the most romantic language and how Spanish men are stereotypically submissive to women. He also joked about Latino couples rarely getting divorced because they are constantly yelling at each other and “getting it all out.”

Although it ran a bit over, the audience was engrossed by Hernandez’s performance and consequently devastated when he was given the sign to wrap it up. Apologetic for his “last-level ADD,” Hernandez left the stage to overwhelming applause.

Tulane University Campus Programming continues to bring spectacular entertainment. For senior and TUCP comedy chair Alex Bianchi, the conclusion of the highly anticipated Hernandez show is bittersweet. 

Bianchi said that “being a part of TUCP has been a transformative experience that has profoundly shaped [her] college career. Thank you for the opportunity to host 6 amazing comedy shows, break TUCP records and belly laugh in McAlister and Kendall Cram.”