Nina Westervelt/The New York Times

Chloe Fineman, an actress and "Saturday Night Live" comedian, will perform a stand-up show this Friday at Barton Hall.

April 19, 2023

Live from Bailey Hall: ‘Saturday Night Live’ Comedian Chloe Fineman to Perform Stand-Up Comedy at Cornell

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Actress and “Saturday Night Live” comedian Chloe Fineman, alongside SNL staff writer Jake Nordwind, will visit Cornell for a free Cornell University Program Board event this Friday. Fineman will perform stand-up comedy and participate in an audience question and answer session at 7 p.m. in Bailey Hall. 

“We hope that this event is a fun chance for people to get together with some friends, relax, and enjoy a night of laughs,” CUPB selections chair Melissa Reifman told The Sun. 

Fineman, an actress, comedian and impressionist, joined the cast of SNL in 2019, rising to fame through her impersonations of celebrities like Drew Barrymore and Timothee Chalamet. Fineman graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts in 2011 and has appeared in films and TV shows including “Babylon,” “Big Mouth” and ”Search Party,” among others. 

Special guest Nordwind, originally from Los Angeles, currently serves as a writer for SNL and was a member of the prestigious Groundling Theatre’s Sunday Company. Nordwind wrote and starred in Above Average’s show “Backhouse” and previously served as a story producer for Quibi’s animated series “Your Daily Horoscope.” He graduated from the University of Southern California in 2009. 

Reifman said that the goal of the event is to provide stress relief and entertainment for the Cornell community.

“[These events] bring us all together and allow everyone to destress and take a break from work, especially with exams ramping up as we reach the end of the semester,” Reifman wrote in a statement to The Sun. 

Fineman and Nordwind participated in a virtual interview and Q&A session in 2020, but some students expressed excitement to see the comedians live and in-person. 

“I want to go because I’ve seen [Fineman] on television, and I love watching comedy,” said Shreya Majumdar ’26. “I’m most excited to see what she decides to perform.”

Sonia Harney ’26, also a fan of SNL, said she is also excited to see the humor Fineman will bring to Cornell. 

“[I’m going to go] because I always watch SNL, and I like how it touches on current events in a lighthearted way, even during tough times,” Harney said.

According to Reifman, CUPB wanted a comedian to perform on campus after a slew of recent Q&A-focused events. This semester, the organization hosted “The Office” star B.J. Novak and cookbook author Claire Saffitz at sold-out shows. 

“I’ve seen that our comedy events have been some of the most successful, so I’m definitely excited for this one to be stand-up,” Reifman told The Sun. “We chose Chloe Fineman in particular for this event because we’re huge fans of her work on SNL and think that her success in the comedy world will only grow in coming years.”

Fineman will be back at NBC Studio 8H on May 6, where Pete Davidson is set to host SNL with musical guest Lil Uzi Vert. 

“[I’m curious] about what [Fineman] chooses to do,” Majumdar said. “I want to maybe see sides to her performance that I don’t get to see on TV.”

Cornell has previously hosted current and former SNL talent — including Chris Redd, Vanessa Bayer, Colin Jost and Cecily Strong. Today, CUPB announced another show featuring SNL comedians Ego Nwodim and Molly Kearney, set for April 27. 

“I love Chloe’s impressions, so I really hope she’ll do a couple for us at the show,” Reifman wrote. “As always with our comedy shows, I’m just really excited to watch everyone have a good laugh — I think there’s something really special about having a room full of Cornell students just having fun.”

Correction, April 19, 1:27 p.m.: A previous version of this article and its headline incorrectly stated the location where Fineman will be performing. The Sun regrets this error, and the article has been corrected.