Comedian and “Saturday Night Live” alum Seth Meyers will bring his trademark wit to the Charles E. Smith Center stage on Oct. 18 for the George Washington University’s annual Colonials Weekend.
Best known as the head writer for “SNL” and host of the satirical news sketch “Weekend Update,” Mr. Meyers made his debut as the fourth host of NBC’s long-running talk show “Late Night” to positive reviews in February.
The university announced the headliner at the closing event of the first session of Colonial Inauguration held on Saturday.
His whip-smart take on current events, politics and pop culture has also earned him top marks as a two-time host of ESPN’s ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) Awards and as the headliner for the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
He will host the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards in August.
“We are thrilled to host Mr. Meyers for an evening of laughter and celebration with GW friends and families,” Vice Provost and Dean of Student Affairs Peter Konwerski said. “His brand of intelligent comedy is a perfect fit for our community.”
A graduate of Northwestern University, Mr. Meyers began his career at ImprovOlympic in Chicago, a training ground for A-list comedic talents including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Stephen Colbert.
During his 13-year run at “SNL,” Mr. Meyers was nominated for 11 Emmy Awards. In 2011, he took home the top prize for outstanding original music and lyrics for a monologue performed by Justin Timberlake. He also found success as co-creator of the web-based cartoon series “The Awesomes.”
The selection of Mr. Meyers marks a return to the comedic roots of Colonials Weekend entertainment following two years of headlining performances by Grammy Award-winning musicians, The Fray and Train. Comedic heavy-hitters Bill Maher, former “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon, Jon Stewart and Robin Williams are all veterans of the Smith Center stage.
Colonials Weekend is a three-day celebration of GW spirit sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs. Members of the campus community—from parents and friends to alumni and current students—come together for more than 50 events, including the Foggy Bottom/West End Neighborhood Block Party, Octoberfest at the Mount Vernon Campus and lectures by GW professors.
The GW Program Board also supports Colonials Weekend.
“The Program Board prides itself on being at the center of student programming, and we are pleased to help with Colonials Weekend,” Program BoardProgram Board Executive Chair Liz Moses said. “Seth Meyers is an excellent choice, and students and families will be excited to hear him perform.”
Tickets for Mr. Meyers’ performance will be available online beginning July 8. Ticket prices range from $25 to $100.