Photo from Maryville College

"Red State Update," a political comedy act composed of Travis Harmon and Jonathan Shockley, will perform at Maryville College on Oct. 28. The men perform their act in character -- Dunlap (left) and Jackie.

One of the hottest political comedy acts in America will be making its way to Maryville College next week.

Share

Print This / Email This

Comments

sounds exciting

-- Posted by Wesley Miller on Wed, Oct 22, 2008, 10:29 am EDT (Report this)

You must log in and verify your email address before you can post a comment. After registering, Click here to verify your email address.

Login | Register

Red State Update: YouTube comedy group jokes at politics

From Maryville College
Originally published: October 22. 2008 3:01AM
Last modified: October 22. 2008 1:32AM

One of the hottest political comedy acts in America is coming to Maryville College next week.

"Red State Update" will bring the college's fall 2008 Community Conversations Series to a close in an Oct. 28 performance. The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7 p.m. in Bartlett Hall's Isaac's Café.

"Red State Update," a political satire comedy duo of characters named Jackie and Dunlap, is currently listed as the 20th most-watched channel on YouTube.

Travis Harmon and Jonathan Shockley, natives of Murfreesboro, created the characters and perform the act, which pokes fun at all parts of the political process.

Dunlap wears a big white beard and a pair of comfortably worn overhauls; Jackie sports a large American flag T-shirt, a worn-out hat and perpetual chin stubble.

Debuted on CNN

Their first national television appearance was on CNN, and since then they have been frequently referenced by news anchor Jeanne Moos. Their appearance on CNN was due to the CNN YouTube Democratic debate that took place on July 23, 2007.

College student Sam Howell, who serves as a student representative on the Community Conversations Series committee, learned of the comedy duo from his father and decided that "Red State Update" would be an interesting act to have on the Maryville College campus.

"This presidential election has been ridiculously drawn out, and people are beginning to get tired of hearing the same stump speeches and seeing fingers pointed at one another," Howell said. "I thought that a little humor at both parties' expense a week before the election would be good for everyone on campus."

The duo recently released a new album entitled "How Freedom Sounds." Jackie and Dunlap have threatened to retire from "Red State Update" if their album does not outsell Miley Cyrus' new album "Breakout," which was released on the same day.

All events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Will Phillips, chairman of the Community Conversations Committee and professor of English, at 981-8239 or will.phillips@maryvillecollege.edu.