Here are audience responses to Hancher Auditorium presenting Kathy Griffin on Saturday, October 4, 2008 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
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I loved the show! It was just what I expected from her and very much like the stand-up she does on Bravo. Loved it!
I also loved that the show started early and ended early! I was home before 10! However, I could have listened to her for HOURS! Her thought process is all over the place- much like mine! Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! She must come back!
Thanks,
Juli
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Loved it :)
Jana
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I loved Kathy's performance! She is one of the most honest and brilliant women I know. Whether the show was in Carver, Hancher, or someone's garage, it would have been great! I hope she enjoyed Iowa City as much as I enjoyed having her here. I hope she comes back soon!!
Kate Stroik
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Thank you for this very special opportunity!
My friends and I were very excited to learn that Kathy Griffin would be performing in Iowa City, and that an alternate venue had been chosen after the flood. We felt that the new setting worked perfectly, and Kathy even commented during the show that the performance area was thoughtfully constructed, with a stage and walled-in sections to create a more intimate atmosphere and help provide clear sound. The sound quality was excellent, and I was able to clearly enjoy every comment from my seat near the back of the audience. Kathy was hilarious the entire time, keeping us absolutely in stitches. Please bring her back again! I think the packed seats showed that she has plenty of fans here, and I know we'd all buy tickets for a second or tenth round!
Thanks again for hosting Kathy Griffin in Iowa City!
Jacob
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Thank you so much for bringing Kathy to Iowa City. It was an absolutely amazing evening with so many laughs. It was a great time, and truly enjoyed the entire performance. She really said what was on the minds of most people about various issues. Again, it was a great time and have her back if you can, I know I would buy a ticket again.
Trapper
Platteville, WI
[Editor's note: I asked Trapper if he came from Platteville for the show. Here is his response: “Yes I did, it was totally worth it, it was only 2 hours, so that wasn't bad." Thanks, Trapper!
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The show was great!!!
Thanks so much for inviting Kathy Griffin to Iowa. I look forward to seeing more events like this from Hancher.
Lina
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Kathy Griffin was amazing and the venue was great. Not quite as cozy as Hancher but still an amazing evening of laughter.
Kris & Teri
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Hi,
I thought the performance was a great deal of fun. Kathy Griffin was a scream. The seating isn't as comfortable as at Hancher but I am glad that the show still went on with a new location.
Thanks!
Erin
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LOVED this show! She is every bit as hilarious, and more in person than she is on her show!
Would come back again to see her.
Kristin
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Great show and fun. The only problem was lack of traffic control for the performance leading to complete gridlock before the performance.
Thank you for carrying on under adverse circumstances.
Katherine D. Mathews
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Loved the show too bad I was dying of heat stroke because it was so hot in there.
MB
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The show was great. I am glad you brought Kathy to Iowa. The venue left much to be desired. It was extremely hot and uncomfortable. Everyone was fanning themselves. It would have been nice for staff to pay attention and turn on the air or open the doors. It made what should have been an enjoyable evening a nightmare. The stench of sweat hung in the air by the middle of the night and it was disgusting. Based on this experience, I will avoid Hancher shows in the future.
Jeremy
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LOVE HER, have been a huge fan for years. It was great you got her to come. I don't think the older crowd around me knew what they were getting themselves into. One octogenarian was more interested in scoffing then laughing. It was also WAY TOO HOT, I was sweating. But really I didn't care...I will sweat for Kathy anytime.
Thank you for providing a fun night,
Alan Barwick
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WE LOVED KATHY!!!! We had an amazing time at her show. We love her diversity and she made us laugh so hard!! Hope you invite her back soon!!!
Lisa
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Kathy was hilarious, warm, and really made the crowd feel as if they were in a more intimate setting than a basketball arena. Kudos to the Hancher staff and administration for booking such a top-tier (although self-described as "D-list") talent, having the forethought to have a back-up venue, and providing the kind of quality entertainment that Iowa City deserves.
Ben
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It was so hot in the arena I couldn't enjoy the show. Why wasn't the air conditioners on?
Barb
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My wife and I loved the show! Never a dull moment, hilarious stories, and our replacement seats at Carver-Hawkeye were GREAT. The Hancher seats were to have been second balcony; the Carver seats were 11th row. I could swear she winked at me once...only complaint would be the lights towards the end of the show (last five minutes or so)--what was up with that? Oh, and when are you going to have her back?
Tina and Alex
•Kathy Griffin was hilarious! We laughed the entire time! However, it was very warm in there!!!
Carrie
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The performance was awesome. The view was fine. Everything would have been great, but it was ridiculously hot. I would much rather be cold than hot. You should fix that before the next event at Carver-Hawkeye.
Katherine
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it was a great show and i would have paid anything to see Kathy Griffin
Aaron
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I really enjoyed the stand up routine of Kathy Griffin. I was pleased that it was not cancelled because of the shape Hancher Auditorium was in.
The only improvement I could have seen was to display the facial reactions of Kathy on the screens behind her. One of the great things about Kathy Griffin is her ability to make amazing expressions. The screens behind her were used before her routine and I thought it would be easy to have a camera tape her and show the performance on a larger screen.
Overall, I really enjoyed her performance and was glad that I could attend despite the summer flooding.
Thank you,
Rachel
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The show was great! Kathy was hilarious as always. I liked that it was just long enough and started pretty much on time. The location wasn't bad, and the turn out was great!
Kelly
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The Kathy Griffin show last weekend actually surprised me quite a bit. Since I'm a big fan of hers, and I really enjoy her television show, I expected it to be an absolute riot. Instead, it was kind of a mish-mash of jokes; she didn't seem to be able to harness her thoughts at all. She jumped around from topic to topic, claiming to get back to Sarah Palin the entire show, and never really did. It definitely wasn't the comic genius I expected, unfortunately.
Sincerely,
Kara
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Kathy Griffin was hilarious!!!! I would see her again a million times. Worth every penny! I was dying to hear her talk about Sarah Palin and she delivered right at the beginning. It was great!!
Anne
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I would just like to say that I loved Kathy! It was great to have such a famous lady here at the University!
Kurtis
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I didn't know much about Kathy Griffin before going to her show, with the exception of her famed "suck it, Jesus" Emmy acceptance speech. But that was enough for me to want to know more, and she didn't disappoint. Despite the uncommon format (no 'written' jokes, kind of like chit-chatting with a particularly goofy friend), she still made me laugh and it was well worth the ticket price. A liberal entertainer like Kathy could only have had an sold-out Iowa show in Iowa City, so this was the best place for her to perform in the state! More like her should come our way, and more big-name comedians in particular.
Thanks,
Lydia
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Kathy rocked!!! Bring her back again. I laughed the whole time.
Carver, however, was less than ideal. It was hot in there and we were packed in like sardines. I know Hancher would have been a better venue but I know that can't be helped. I had decent tickets but a friend of mine who was close to the top said that they could hardly see so a big screen would have been nice.
But I had a great time nonetheless and I hope to see Kathy (and more acts like her) soon.
Sarah
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I loved Kathy Griffin. I think she was an awesome venue to have....I love her show and was so excited to go to her show here at university of iowa!! The DVD in the beginning was good and the music was good also..all in all great show!!
Madeline
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My husband, my sister, her husband and I had an absolute BALL at Kathy Griffin's comedy extravaganza. I laughed so hard I cried. My sister said what I thought was the most telling comment, "So much of that was completely unexpected! She's just brilliant." Kathy brought the funny again and again and again. Thank you so much for making sure the flood wouldn't stop either Hancher or Kathy. I hope she comes back around here again!
Barb
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I thought Kathy Griffin was very funny. I loved the show. The parking situation, however, left a lot to be desired. People were still trying to park at 7:30. On the venue change brochure it should have stated “limited parking”. Having never been to Carver Arena, I figured there would be more parking due to the fact it is where the Hawks play ball.
Danelle
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It was a great show but it was BOILING HOT in the arena!
Travis
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Loved the show - it was exactly as I expected from a Kathy Griffin show. A+++
Only downside was the temperature inside Carver - way, way, way too warm!! It was pretty uncomfortable to sit in the heat. Saw most others around me fanning themselves with their programs.
Other than that, Loved it!!
Ann
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I’m a big fan of Kathy Griffin and the show she delivered was just what I expected. I was glad she added some political humor since it was so timely. I didn’t catch some of her Hollywood references, but the stories were still funny.
While the seats in CHA may not be as comfortable as in Hancher, the venue worked really well. The sound for the pre-show (on the two screens) was way too loud and distorted, but the sound quality for Kathy was fine.
Is the house music that was playing before the show part of her show or is that done locally? I would love to know the playlist—I only recognized a couple of the songs but enjoyed just about everything that was played.
There have been some negative comments posted on the Press-Citizen blog—people unhappy that Hancher would bring in a potty-mouthed comedian. That’s the beauty of Hancher in my opinion. I’m not an opera fan so I don’t buy tickets to see the opera—I don’t complain that the Hancher line-up is too high brow. Keep bringing in a variety of performers and let people decide what to see.
-pete-
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I squirm anxiously in my seat as I wait to finally see my God in person. I never imagined this moment would ever come. I feel the strangest mix of emotions I have ever felt. I am excited, impatient, bored, and angry. Angry at everyone in front of me. "I don't belong here", I mutter to my brother, who simply rolls his eyes, but I continue. "I belong down there. In the front row. I deserve that. Those people down there aren't worthy, you know. Half the people here probably don't even know who she is." My brother shakes his head. Our seats aren't bad, but I can't help but feel a surge of jealousy towards every single person in front of me.
I impatiently take my phone out of my pocket to check the time about every 5 minutes, my heart sinking each time, as I discover that only five minutes have passed since I last checked. "I wonder where she's gonna come from" my brother suddenly says. I look at him, and reply matter-of-factly, "The sky. Because she's God." My brother rolls his eyes again, but smiles.
Finally, what feels like hours later, the lights dim. The room becomes instantly loud with cheers and clapping, as a voice from the heavens booms, "HERE SHE IS. THE HILARIOUS KATHY GRIFFIN." As soon as I see her, I automatically start grinning. Even from my mediocre seat, my God is beautiful, her fiery red hair demanding attention. I feel stunned and dizzy just knowing I'm in the same room as her. All other emotions I was previously feeling are now gone. I am simply in awe.
My God is brilliantly hilarious, never holding back. She speaks to her audience of 4,000 people as if they are her best friends, excitedly telling story after story, about her wine-o mother, crazy celebrities, gays and lesbians, Sarah Palin, Andy Dick, and of course, Oprah. My God is fearless.
The laughter never stops. Everyone loves her. She is amazing. It is a proud moment for me, a Kathy Griffin follower. You cannot measure the amount of love and respect I have for this woman. I think I'm in love.
Two hours and about a million laughs later (my face literally hurts from laughing so much and my hands, from clapping), I watch as my God exits. I am still in awe of being in her presence, but I manage to stand up. The stadium begins to empty out and the first thing on my mind is MERCHANDISE. I HAVE TO BUY MERCH. Before I was graced with the presence of my God, I caught site of someone holding up the most amazing Kathy Griffin shirt I have ever seen and I NEED IT. But my row is NOT moving. So I scramble over my seat up to the next row and shove my way through the crowd. I finally make it to the top and quickly scan the area for the merch table. Luckily, it doesn't take long for me to find it. I completely ignore the line and simply walk right up to the side of the table, make eye contact with the lady behind it, and make my purchase. I decide at the last second that I need a pair of boxer shorts that say "EVERYBODY CAN SUCK IT" on the ass, so I buy those too. I swagger back to my brother, still slightly dazed by the whole experience, grinning from ear-to-ear, clutching my new purchases lovingly to my chest.
-Rachelle
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I loved loved loved Kathy Griffin's show. I'm an avid fan of her show and comedy. She never lets me down. Her take on current affairs and celebrity hijinks are hilarious. And, her mother, what a gem.
The one down side to the evening is that is was uncomfortably hot in Carver Hawkeye. Where was the air conditioning?
Carol
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Loved her!!!! She was awesome! Would love to see her again!!!
Also . . . Could you get Dane Cook?
Susan
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The arena was terrible hot… I’d never attend a concert at that venue again..
Doyle
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Kathy Griffin is hilarious, my face was sore from laughing so much. If she would be in Iowa again, I would not hesitate to buy a ticket.
Julie
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SO GLAD to see Kathy in Iowa...but....a few comments...
We would have much preferred the Hancher over Carver Arena, but knew that was not possible due to the flood.
Number One Complaint: The heat! OMG..why in the world was the heat on in the arena on Sat night?? It was stifling hot and most folks put their programs to good use as fans. I'm puzzled why staffers didn't see that going on. I was hoping that Ms. Kathy would have spoke up for the rest of us too in her trademark way. The heat took away from the show....we couldn't wait for it to get over with so we could get some air outside.
Number Two Complaint: Seating was so-so. I know Hancher tried to accommodate the ticket holders of Hancher over to Carver Arena seating. The seating was tight and the seats were hard. It was also hard to see Kathy way, way down there. We were wondering why the two screens behind Kathy were not being used during her show? You know, like they do at music concerts. It would have been nice to see Kathy's face instead of squinting to see her on the stage.
Complaint for Kathy's Team: Where oh where was the merchandise table with cheap tee-shirts, etc.? We were looking forward to buying a tee and maybe meeting Kathy's Team. Plenty of room up there in the concourse area. Again, this could have been a Team Kathy decision and not the fault of Carver Arena.
I'll end with a thank you for even bringing Kathy to Iowa. Let's hope she can come back next year at the Hancher!
Thank you
Lisa
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I loved the show, I love Kathy Griffin and I am so glad she made a visit to Iowa!!!
I loved it when she talked about her mom, Sara Palin, Tracy Morgan, Larry King, Ty Pennington, I loved the entire show, she can do no wrong in my eyes!!!!!! J
Julie Johnson
Des Moines
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Kathy Griffin was great! She performed for almost 2 hours non-stop, with all new material. What more can you ask for? The crew did a great job making Carver-Hawkeye into a viable venue for a smaller crowd. Has Cyrus Tate noticed his locker yet? J Thanks for another great show, Hancher!
Elizabeth
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Since I don't read People or US or the supermarket tabloids most of the stuff she was commenting about went by me!
Sherwood
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The griffin shoe was interesting, funny some of the time Both me and my friend enjoyed it. Complaints. Music before way too loud and I wished I had my ear plugs Also the sound level throughout was loud but may not have been higher up in the arena. The arena seats made wish for the Hancher seats even though I hope our redo includes new seats.
Dorothy
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We thoroughly enjoyed the performance. Kathy Griffin was outrageous! What a pleasure it was to laugh like that for more than an hour and a half, and then smile for the next day or two thinking about some of her unbelievable rantings. Great seats! I haven’t had seats that good in 20 years of going to Hancher.
Joy
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More Headline Comedy like Kathy G. (Margaret Cho, Wanda Sikes, etc.) annually…
David
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I’ll be surprised if you don’t get a few comments about the continuous profanity that’s to be expected in a Kathy Griffin event. It was probably ratcheted up a bit due to the primarily college-age attendees, but she uses it so conversationally and casually that It’s hard to be offended.
The two-hour event flew by for me – she’s arguably the best standup comedian in the business!
Dave
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I love Kathy, so I was thrilled to see and hear her in person. She did an awesome job.
However, having it in Carver Arena was not great. To begin with, it was extremely hot in there, not to mention such close seating. So the six of us who came together were very uncomfortable during the entire show. Also, it took forever to get through the concession line—only 2 lines at 2 counters open. I realize it was probably the best you could come up with because of the flooding, but it still doesn’t make it any more of a pleasant experience. I felt there should have been a discount given due to the fact it was in the arena instead of the theatre. I would not come again until your theatre is reopened.
Peg
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I thought she was great! One problems was the temperature in the auditorium. It was so hot it was a distraction. I would think the air could have been adjusted. If that is the temperature in the place during a game I won't be attending anything there again.
Can't wait for Hancher to re-open.
Barbara
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Kathy Griffin was absolutely awesome! She was hilarious, as expected! Kind of strange sitting in a basketball arena for her performance (which she poked fun at a couple of times) but it was far better than having to cancel the show due to the flood. We had a FABULOUS time!!! Thank you sooooo much for moving her show rather than cancelling!!!
Madeline
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The show was great! The parking was horrible. We waited at a near standstill for 20 minutes hundreds of feet from the entrance. There needed to be someone directing traffic near the entrance so that cars coming from both directions can take turns entering the street to the parking lot.
Dacey
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I greatly enjoyed the show. Kathy Griffin did not disappoint. I guess my only “gripe” would be the music that was played before the show. It was pretty loud and at times depending on the song became ear-piercing. But I’m not sure if that isn’t a Carver-Hawkeye area thing or what.
At any rate, Kathy did a great job and I appreciate that Hancher was able to bring in a comedian that normally wouldn’t be in Iowa.
Katy
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I was so happy when I found out you were going to have Kathy Griffin in Iowa City. The performance was so much fun! Kathy might not be everyone's cup of tea but there was such a large turn out and everyone I knew that went to the concert had a blast! Please have more alternative and edgy performances in the future!
April
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Hello,
I thought Kathy Griffin was excellent. Not only did I not realize that two hours had flown by, but I didn't want her to leave when she went off stage. She had a great way of capturing the audience's attention while keeping it funny and entertaining. You should ask her to come back again!! Thanks!
Danniele
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Kathy was exactly as I imagined she would be. On reality shows sometimes people act differently then they would act in person, but with Kathy what you see is what you get!~ She was amazing I love the fact that she speaks her mind so freely. She was very entertaining and I liked the fact that she kept mentioning Iowa City so that it made it more personal. This was definitely worth the money and I am so glad that I attended. The only thing that I wish I could have obtained was an autograph addressed to my dad who loves her! I did get a t-shirt though which was nice.
Much Love,
Sasha
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Kathy was outstanding. She tailored the show perfectly to a University crowd.
The Carver Arena was UNBEARABLY hot. Everyone was overheated and uncomfortable in the seats. One of the students nearby was so uncomfortable, she almost had a panic attack from the heat and could not enjoy the last of the show because she was concentrating on not going into a full blown attack. This may sound funny but it was SO uncomfortable.
Please make adjustments in the future or the athletes will surely keel over from heat exhaustion.
Bring her back, she’s great.
Cheryl
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I loved it! It was an evening of many laughs.
Patty
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Great to laugh so much! Was it taped? That would be fun to watch again.
Mandi
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I really enjoyed the Kathy Griffin show. What I did not enjoy was the conditions in the arena. It was so hot in there I could barely stand it. I think it was terrible that they could not turn on the air conditioner!
Brenda
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Kathy Griffin was OUTSTANDING!!!! She absolutely rocks the house. Her material was fresh and feisty. I will always see Kathy if she comes anywhere near any of my homes.
There were several issues that I felt tampered with her show and I am sure you have heard plenty about this already. I was waaaaayyyyy toooo HOT in that arena. It was super uncomfortable and the people running the technical show should have had the air conditioning on high that night. I am convinced it wasn't on at all. The higher you got in the seats the worse it was. The lights over the stage enhanced the heat. It was bad news. The whole crowd was fanning themselves and taking off everything they could to deal with it. Number two, the sound check level was horribly high. The beginning clips and music were blaring. My chief complaint was the total "technical" show. This was poorly planned and effected the crowd in a big way. We had to scream at each other to communicate and hold our ears. I am a 40 year old owner of three businesses in town. I think this concert could have been done in a more "crowd friendly" mannor. Hawkeye games are never HOT and BLARING. Kathy Griffin was incredible so we stayed. Thanks for asking.
Cindy
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I would just like to comment on my attendance to the Kathy Griffin show. I absolutely loved it!!! Both my husband and I had a great time. I was laughing so hard that I could not laugh anymore at times. However, I do wish that there would have been live video feed to the screens behind her, row 27 does not sound far but I could not make out any detail on her face. In my opinion, her facial expressions are one of the best parts of her act. I would definitely see her again and Hancher should have more shows like this.
Thank you for bringing her here,
Nicole
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It was super exciting to see Kathy Griffin here!
As usual she did not disappoint.
Hilarious.
Thanks for being a top notch entertainment venue for Iowa City!!!
Rebecca
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Kathy Griffin gave us a great show. To laugh non-stop is good for the soul.
We were so excited to be sitting in the third row. Unfortunately, about five minutes into the show, the two rows in front of us were filled by couples who entered from the floor from stage left. I assume they were gratis tickets as most of the men in the group sat very stoically during the entire performance. It was really kind of a downer. They acted as if they didn't appreciate the laughter that was coming from behind them. My group really wondered why they were there?
Kate from Dubuque
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Thanks for a great show!
We trekked in from the Quad Cities and had the best time! We have been trying to see Kathy in Chicago on her last several tours through the Midwest and have missed her so thanks for booking this intelligent, beautiful and funny lady!
Please add more comedians to the schedule and we will be happy to come to Iowa City again SOON!
Ann F
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My friend & I thought that the show was wonderful. We laughed throughout & noticed that the people around us did too. I am just grateful that the U of I got her in Iowa! I thought I had to travel to a bigger city (Minneapolis or Chicago to even see her!) Thank you for bringing her to us! Hope you guys can do that again. We have already said we would see her again in a heartbeat!
Samantha
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I loved the show. Kathy was great. However what I didn't like were the seats. That is the most uncomfortable place I have ever been. I wished she was playin at the I wireless center. Thanks for asking
Trish
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I thought Kathy Griffin was wonderful. She is extremely talented at her craft. She had no front act, came out promptly and gave us almost 2 hours of continuous barely/or not scripted comedy. The girl cracks me up & we had a great time.
There are two things that were a little off in regard to the venue; I hesitate to mention them as everyone realizes why the location had to be moved. That being said, the place was very hot, uncomfortably so. The other comment is that the big screen projectors could have been put to better use. They were only used to show Kathy's intro & I thought they'd put Kathy up on the big screen so people sitting far away could have seen her facial expressions, which is the entertaining part. We were seated about 1/2 way up & we were probably about the last row that was close enough to actually see her expressions; everyone above us probably just heard a voice & saw her form moving around stage. It just seems that with projections already in place, this could have been fairly easy to do.
Sader
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Hey, just wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed the k griffin show. What a hoot!! Please have her back again sometime. Carver was a little disappointing (compared to Hancher) because it was so dang HOT!!!!! It would have been nice if someone had opened the entrances and let some of the nice autumn air in. But other than that, it was a really nice time and thank you so much for bringing such optimum entertainment so close to home.
Nathan
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Kathy Griffin was fantastic. It was all I hoped for! I was a bit put-off by those who booed at the comments against the Republican candidates, apparently they didn't know who they were coming to see. I think that altered her planned material a bit, but even so, it was still great. The price was reasonable and I would love to see Kathy come back to Hancher and give everybody a good laugh, which is exactly what we need in this world right now!
Thanks!
Krystal