Decorated in a glittery blue Gator jersey, stand-up comedian Nikki Glaser, waving and thanking everyone for coming to see her, took the stage at the 103rd Gator Growl to cement the 10th stop on her “The Stunning Tour.”
Known for her roasts of celebrities like Tom Brady, Glaser headlined UF’s annual Gator Growl performance at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Friday night.
The venue began selling tickets May 20 through a student presale. Holding about 10,000 seats, 4,000 were snagged two weeks leading up to the event, and the crowd ranged from young college students to older community members.
UF inaugurated the Gator Growl pep rally in 1923 by Florida Blue Key, a student-run leadership program, to build school spirit before the homecoming football game.
Now, Gator Growl stands as the largest student-run pep rally in the nation, celebrating Gator pride through student skits, athletic recognitions and celebrity guests.
Gator Growl hadn’t seen a comedian headliner since 2012, when Tracy Morgan, a former Saturday Night Live cast member, appeared alongside host Dara Torres, a UF alumna and Olympic swimmer.
This year’s show was co-hosted by broadcast journalist Laura Rutledge and former NFL player Brandon Spikes, both UF alumni, who engaged the crowd by telling jokes and connecting with UF students.
Rutledge originally declined to participate because of a time conflict, but ultimately decided to clear her schedule for her alma mater, she said.
Rutledge graduated from UF in 2011 as a broadcast journalism student. She now works for ESPN, where she hosts NFL Live, a weekday show that discusses team performance and players, and reports on Monday night football and ABC primetime college football.
Having worked on the Gator Growl committee while at UF, Rutledge said she never thought she would be asked to host one day.
“It's such a dream come true and a pinch me moment, full circle moment for me,” she said.
A lively evening
The night opened with The Petty Thefts, a student band that covered popular 2000s hits like “Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees. Student skits then took over to warm the crowd before Glaser’s opener, Reg Thomas, took the stage.
The 2026 homecoming king and queen, students Marco Salvador and Krystal Felix, were announced by Rutledge and Spikes and crowned by Miss University of Florida Maralee Thompson
Various Gator athletes also graced the stage with Rutledge and Spikes to discuss their love for UF while playing into the hosts' jokes.
Before Glaser took the stage, comedian Reg Thomas warmed up the crowd, telling jokes that set the tone for Glaser’s set. The audience laughed at jokes about Thomas not knowing what real love is, and his experience as a new father.
Glaser began her set by lightheartedly throwing shade at Gainesville before diving into a personalized UF roast, for which she had to reference notes on her phone.
Glaser’s jokes ranged from the football team's recent loss to Missouri to state politics, when she teased that her heels mirrored those of Gov. Ron DeSantis. After about 10 minutes, she dived into her regular set, bantering about her personal life, celebrity culture and the backlash she faced after her viral Tom Brady roast.
Attendees could be heard hollering in excitement each time Glaser transitioned into a new joke, and the crowd’s excitement grew as the set went on.
After dedicating her last five minutes to a monologue about attending Taylor Swift’s July wedding at Madison Square Garden, Glaser ended the show to a standing ovation. As she walked offstage, the comedian bowed and waved to the still-cheering crowd.
The crowd
Sheina Skuy-Marcan, a 22-year-old UF neuroscience senior, said some of Glaser’s jokes drifted into insults. While she said she wasn’t personally offended by anything Glaser said, Skuy-Marcan noted it’s not always appropriate for a comedian to make jokes that don’t apply to them.
“Sometimes comedians cross the line in general,” she said. “Sometimes they go a little far with what they’re saying.”
But another attendee, Gainesville resident Ellen Hervey, said she had wanted to see Glaser live for a while. Having last attended Gator Growl 35 years ago, she said she was eager to be back.
“She’s so phenomenal,” Herveny said. “I've seen the Tom Brady roast 150 times, and this was incredible.”
Victoria Clarke, an 18-year old UF political science freshman, said it’s uncommon to see many women in comedy, and Glaser stands out for her unique sense of humor.
In the U.S., about 88.7% of stand up comedians are male with the 11.3% of female comedians making 96 cents per dollar made by men.
Clarke added she has watched Glaser’s Netflix specials like “The Roast of Tom Brady.” She described the comedian as “poignant, hilarious and gorgeous.”
“She’s kind of transcending the game for [the] younger generation and being a true voice,” Clarke said.
Alyssa Diaz, a 21-year old UF psychology junior, similarly described Glaser’s show as a “surreal experience.”
“To know that this person is someone you’ve seen at these big award shows was crazy,” Diaz said.
Along with Glaser’s fame, Diaz was impressed with the comedian’s outfit.
“Where do I get one? That was so cute. I love that,” she said.
Contact Lilyanna Collado at lcollado@alligator.org. Follow her on X at @lilyannacollado.
Contact Alana Nguyen at anguyen@alligator.org. Follow her on X at @Alana_Nguyen12.
Lilyanna Collado is a junior journalism student and this is her first semester at The Alligator! This semester she is the Santa Fe reporter. When she's not writing she either reading, going to theme parks and spending time with her four dogs.
Alana Nguyen is a first-year journalism major at the University of Florida. She is a General Assignment writer for The Alligator. When she's not writing, she enjoys running and reading travel magazines.
