Take a break from studying and laugh with I Just Said That

The last few weeks of school are always downers, but a comedy organization on campus is attempting to bring some laughs with a show scheduled for 8 p.m. this Thursday at The Station in Carrboro.

The organization, I Just Said That, is a comedy group that specializes in stand-up, sketches and poetry produced by gender non-binary and femme individuals. 

The organization’s founder, UNC senior Shea Stanley, started the organization last year to help create a space where people who do not conform to binary gender norms can freely express themselves in a comedic fashion before an accepting audience.

“We wanted to create more space on-campus for gender identities that are kind of underrepresented — not kind of underrepresented, very underrepresented,” Stanley said.

Previously, the group was called We the Ladies, but members changed the name to have a more inclusive title.

“We changed the name in an effort to support people out there who are gender non-binary because ‘ladies’ implies a certain identity of being female," said Emma Haseley, the group’s PR director. 

In light of the name change, the group created a cheeky name for their upcoming show: “We Got Bangs!!!”

“We chose ‘We Got Bangs!!!’ because women, or people, who choose to get bangs usually make a big deal out of it. They say, ‘I got bangs!’ and it’s sort of a big transition in their lives,” Haseley said.  

I Just Said That has a charitable side as well.

“Every show we raise money for charity as well as collect toiletries and supplies for different charities in the community,” Stanley said.

For this show, $5 donations are going toward local church Sacred Fire Unitarian Universalist's The Anti-Racist Fund, which goes toward anti-Silent Sam activists. All supply donations will be delivered to the Compass Center, a women and family domestic violence shelter in Chapel Hill. 

Thursday’s show will feature 11 stand-up performers. UNC graduate Allie Barton will be performing for a second time with the group. 

“I draw a lot from actual real life experience and things that have happened to me," Barton said. "I just graduated in May, so a lot of my set is about navigating post-grad life, not getting a job, and being a 22-year-old and not knowing how to be an adult yet. Hopefully, some people can relate to that.”

Stanley’s approach to comedy is also of a similar vein. Stanley said the process of creating a set often involves finding the comedy in regular life.

“I just focus on funny things that have happened to me, or just something specific to who I am and what I’ve been through,” Stanley said.

Stanley was quick to state that her routine for Thursday’s show is yet to be completed. Regardless, Stanley has high hopes for the show.

“The support we got for our first show, and for the shows since, has just been incredible. It’s really cool to see people who have never done comedy before go on to another set in the future,” Stanley said.

arts@dailytarheel.com