Ziwe Fumudoh has been selected as Webster University’s fall headliner. Fumudoh, a satirical commentator and writer, will visit the Loretto-Hilton Center on Oct. 8.
Campus Activities announced the news to students at their Headphone Disco event on Aug. 23. Freshman Park Moser screamed at the announcement, as he had seen videos of Fumudoh on YouTube.
“Is it the girl with the talk show,” Moser asked, awaiting confirmation before cheering out “Oh my…god!”
Fumudoh will be the first Webster headliner in a year due to the cancellation of Janelle James as fall 2023 and spring 2024 headliner. Sophomore Deven Yeary is looking forward to experiencing their first Webster headliner show.
“Before I came to Webster, one of the things I really liked about the school was the headliners,” Yeary said. “Last year, we just didn’t have one. So, not only am I excited that we have one this year, but I’m excited that it’s Ziwe because she’s so cool.”
Campus activities is currently holding 750 free tickets for university students, staff and faculty. An additional 200 tickets are available for alumni and guests at $20 a piece. Tickets are being sold online and can be accessed on the campus activities Instagram account @gorlokcampusact.
The performance will feature an interview along with an audience Q&A.
“We liked Ziwe because she was different than other artists we have previously brought in,” Director of the Office of Student Engagement Jennifer Stewart said. “Her college show has a variety of components, not just a basic interview, and we liked that she has a unique style and point of view.”
Fumudoh’s style is initially very “over the top,” bringing in fashionable outfits and bright pink branding to match. She creates a look that is very specific and memorable to her. Yet her work is about far more than outfits, including the creation of songs and music videos.
“Take, for example, the visuals and the song itself of ‘Stop Being Poor’,” Moser said. “She’s in bright colors [with] modern and femme outfits that are to look expensive but kind of look cheap. It goes with the song about trickle down economics and getting a job ‘not being hard’.”
This technique she uses allows her to confront traditionally “tough topics” with a satire lens. A lot of this work revolves around discussions of racism, often being brought up when interview subjects attempt to avoid the topic of race altogether. Yet with other guests on her show, such as Chet Hanks, she takes a more direct approach by directly questioning things such as his “Jamaican accent.”
“She goes through her own little world with no shame and just says whatever she wants to say,” Yeary said. “And I really appreciate her humor because it’s very similar to my own.”
This style of humor that Fumudoh takes on is very specific to her, creating a tone that is unlike others within much of the industry. Not only does it allow her work to stand out, but it also makes audiences increasingly cognizant of problems in the culture around them.
“Ziwe is a character I love, but I think Ziwe the person is someone I’m excited to learn about,” Moser said. “Also, I’d love to see her insight into the person behind such costumes. What keeps her up at night? What motivates her to get up in the morning?”
Fumudoh not only brings a lively presence to the screen but, as Polyester Zine’s interview with her explains, uses her educational background to help larger audiences learn about these “controversial subjects.” Outside of her television presence, she has written the book “Black Friend Essays” which talks more about her views herself and the culture surrounding her.
“I think she’ll fit in perfectly and, honestly, maybe change the mood for the better,” Moser said. “With heavy courses and even heavier elections, she can remind everyone it’s okay to laugh while we fight for what’s right, it’s okay to be silly while we study. You can have both, and probably should, if you wanna survive.”
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