The Jokes for Votes tour made its seventh stop on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at CSUSM, with the goal to present “comedy and democracy together in a historic fashion” to CSUSM students.

The event offered free admission for CSUSM students and took place in the USU Ballroom.

The lineup for the show consisted of headliner Ron Funches and supporting comics Taylor Tomlinson, Esther Steinberg and Thomas Dale. Tomlinson took the reins for hosting the show and presented first.

Tomlinson gave insight into her recent move to L.A., the worries of going out at night when you’re a woman, watching the debates with her conservative father and her philosophy when it comes to religion. “I believe in God sorta like I believe in America. Just like … hope this works,” she said.

Next up were supporting acts Thomas Dale and Esther Steinberg, both adding their unique styles of comedy.

Dale had no qualms with proudly expressing his sexuality throughout his set as he explained his desire to be an old school housewife and the way he sexually identifies. He said, “Apparently I’m bi-gender,” later adding, “I feel like a girl and a guy equally, like my brain works both ways. It’s like a damn straight couple arguing inside my head all the time!”  

Esther Steinberg followed Dale’s act with one of her main stories detailing the time when she was booed off stage, got blackout drunk and formed an unforeseen relationship with her Uber driver.

“I ended up smoking with and kissing my Uber driver, which turned into a fifteen minute make-out session in front of my parent’s house,” Steinberg said.

To top it all off, Steinberg woke up to an $82 Uber charge and found out that, during her time spent smoking and making out with her driver, she was being actively charged.

Headliner Ron Funches wrapped up the show with his dynamic tone of voice, great joke delivery and smile-inducing laugh.

He began with commentary about the newfound wealth that he’s gained from being a comedian.

“It’d be a dream come true to buy a house with comedy money… and get to live next door to somebody who actually works,” he said, also mentioning that he wanted to be able to tell his neighbor, “Oh well um, I just kinda get stoned and mumble into a microphone.”

Another big point in the set touched on his relationship with his 13-year-old son, Malcolm.

“Our relationship has changed, it’s a lot less raising him and teaching him right from wrong. He already knows that by now. It’s more like I’m roommates … with a tiny drag queen,” Funches said.

The Jokes for Votes tour finished on Oct. 23, with USC & UC Berkeley being its last stops.