The first thing Marina Franklin thinks of when someone brings up Iowa City is her ex-boyfriend.
He was originally from Mount Ayr, Iowa, but he went to the UI. Franklin recalls going to Mount Ayr once and seeing white person after white person.
“They thought I was from ‘The Cosby Show,’ ” she said. “It wasn’t racist, but they were like, ‘Wow, you can touch it. She has to be a star.’ ”
Obviously, she is a comedian.
She has appeared in such shows as “The Chappelle Show,” “The Last Comic Standing,” “Premium Blend,” and “The Jay Leno Show.”
Though it’s been a while since she has done college shows, Franklin will perform at the IMU Black Box Theater at 9 p.m. today. Admission is free.
“I am very excited,” she said. “I think they asked for me, and that makes me feel good. That is always a good start.”
In fact, the Campus Activities Board, the sponsor of the event, did ask for her. Audrey Shelton, the organization’s comedy director, said she had seen Franklin’s work and really liked it. The group called her agent and booked her right away.
Shelton said Franklin’s style would be consistent with the vibe here on campus.
“We really like to switch it up a bit to try to appeal to the eclectic style of the student body here at Iowa,” she said. “Marina’s style seemed to fit perfectly with that.”
Franklin said her act is significantly influenced by her comedic forefathers. She can easily point out her own mentors, including Dick Gregory, a comedian and civil-rights activist.
“A lot of people don’t know that [he is one of my mentors],” Franklin said. “Dick Gregory inspires me a lot lately because I worked with him.”
Dave Chappelle also inspired her when she was working on “The Chappelle Show,” she said.
“He is actually brilliant in the way he touches on a lot of topics and materials that are relevant,” she said.
Franklin will be on full display tonight, with her edgy jokes and sassy demeanor. The comedian doesn’t rely on gimmicks to get laughs.
“I will be doing straight standup,” she said. “There will be no fire coming out of my butt. I am not a magician, there will be no karaoke, but straight-up comedy.”
Before the show, she will do what she does before every performance — rest. She said she tries to save up all her energy for that night’s performance.
And the rest seems to pay off. When Franklin gets up on the stage, she feels a connection with her audience.
“It is a give and take relationship, if the audience is willing to be very cathartic,” she said. “I could be in a bad mood that day, but I could still be laughing. It’s a nice way to relieve all the anxiety, and we do that with comedy and humor. It is a very difficult time right now, and people want to laugh.”