‘You all just witnessed a personal triumph’

Local student, stand up comedian spoke candidly about her moods, fears, failures at club downtown

%E2%80%9CI%E2%80%99m+not+peeing+everywhere+and+I+laugh+quite+often+...+weird+flex+but+okay%2C%E2%80%9D+Clare+Sullivan+said+in+her+act+Monday+night+at+Etsi+Bravo.

JACOB BERTRAM | THE DAILY EVERGREEN

“I’m not peeing everywhere and I laugh quite often … weird flex but okay,” Clare Sullivan said in her act Monday night at Etsi Bravo.

ZACH GOFF, Evergreen reporter

Clare Sullivan performed at Etsi Bravo’s Monday comedy night.

“I’m not peeing everywhere, and I laugh quite often … weird flex, but okay,” Sullivan said during her act.

After two years of shorter performances at the bar, the senior vocal major performed in her first half-hour time slot. She previously won the Palouse Comedy Cup.

Sullivan said she’s been performing at the bar since she was 20 years old.

“They let you perform when you’re under 21 but you have to leave immediately after your set,” she said.

During Monday night’s performance Sullivan covered a variety of topics including dental hygiene, the idea of having a threesome with her parents, mental health and running for office.

Sullivan’s show, like many other stand-up shows, is based on her life experiences, including some more serious topics such as sexual assault.

Sullivan found an entertaining way to talk about her day-to-day worrying about rape scenarios. Her latest instance of anxiety happened when a neighbor offered to use her shovel to help her with the snow in her driveway.

“I don’t wanna be rude to this stranger, so I gave him a weapon,” Sullivan said, referring to the shovel.

Luckily, they returned the shovels in peace.

Sullivan also discussed how Pullman winter and WSU classes affect her mood.

“The sun has been out for two days, I basically photosynthesize and [so I] die when there’s no sun,” Sullivan said during the comedy show. “So I’m in a really good mood — I’m thriving and doing really well. I’m failing three classes but that’s beside the point.”

She compared herself to a genius who hits rock bottom and then has a realization that makes them become the amazing person they are known as. Mid-semester grades are her rock bottom, every year.

“I’m failing so often I’m pretty sure I’m a visionary,” she said.

During the show she opened up about having ADHD and how the disorder affected her upbringing. Her parents wanted her to have a normal childhood.

She mentioned her ADHD quickly in between unrelated jokes to make abrupt topic changes humorous. At one point she rapidly transitioned from a story about a doctor prescribing her to eat ice cream to a joke about her parent’s sex life, reminding the audience of her ADHD.

“My parent’s friends are here, which is fun but it’s weird for me,” Sullivan said.

She then delved into her experience with nude modeling.

“You all just witnessed a personal triumph,” she said.

Etsi Bravo is located on 215 E Main St. in Pullman and they have comedy nights every Monday night. Next Monday Monica Nevi takes the stage.