Looking at her on stage, the audience might not know Jessica Mahne is a comedian. She sports her collared sweater, brown skirt, high-heeled boots and tells sweet stories about her boyfriend. But when her routine begins, Mahne drops her innocent act and gets tough.
"I'm a vulgar girl and no one expects it," the College of Communication freshman said. According to Mahne, her style is unique. She goes on stage looking like a young innocent girl, but she shocks her audience with her vibrant language.
"People are surprised when they first watch my act, but they eventually catch onto my style," Mahne said.
Mahne has performed three times at Comedy Sportz, 420 S. First St., this semester.
"I was so nervous my first time up, but as soon as I cracked my first joke and I heard the chuckles in the audience, I instantly became comfortable on stage," Mahne said.
Mahne has been interested in comedy for most of her life.
"I watched Saturday Night Live when I was five," she said. "My mother would have to tear me away from the TV. I have loved and studied comedy ever since."
Earlier this month, Mahne contacted Eric Price, producer at Comedy Sportz who runs the Friday stand-up. After contacting him, Price told Mahne to come in the following Friday to perform.
"I was so nervous that whole week before I performed," Mahne said. "I spent that week perfecting my act."
Mahne's roommate, Rachel Gutbrod, a freshman in the College of Communication, attended Mahne's first performance.
"Her jokes are easy to relate to and not watered-down," Gutbrod said. "The other female comics don't hold a candle to her witty topics and confident attitude."
After her first performance, Mahne was contacted by numerous people who praised her. She has also been e-mailed from other headlining comedians who want her to open for their acts.
Mahne's comedic influences range from Lisa Lampanelli to Dane Cook, but her hero and inspiration is Conan O'Brien.
"I have watched Conan religiously since I was 10," she said. "His sarcasm and humor inspired me, too."
Kyle Craine, MUSG After Dark Commissioner and a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, "witnessed an amazing and hilarious performance" by Mahne on Jan. 19, her second time performing.
After watching her perform, Craine thought she would make a great audition for American Eagle's Campus Comedy Challenge if she could only make her routine less derogatory.
Although she was not chosen to perform in the AE Campus Comedy Challenge this past weekend, Mahne is not upset.
"On stage for the AE audition, I felt like I had to write a children's story before I cracked some jokes," Mahne said. "Plus, I couldn't swear. That's just not my style."
Mahne is continuing to perform her stand-up routines wherever she can. She is currently waiting to hear if she will perform at Giggles Comedy Pub, a prominent comedic venue in Germantown, Wis. Until then, Mahne is doing what she does best.
"If I can make people laugh, then I'm doing my job," she said.