This February, Kevin Hart will make an appearance in the borderland, for four shows. Originally, Hart only scheduled one performance in El Paso, but because of skyrocketing ticket sales, he decided to add three more shows, all of which will take place at the Abraham Chavez Theater.
The shows will be Thursday, Feb. 24 and Friday, Feb. 25, with two shows on each day, at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Hart is undoubtedly one of the most popular comedians in the country and the world, so what do El Pasoans think about his visit to the borderland?
“He’s really funny. He could be controversial on some topics, but I don’t really look much into him. I like his movies, and I’ve seen a lot of his sets,” said Jessica Tapia, a junior majoring in accounting, who was surprised about Kevin Hart’s appearance in El Paso. “I feel like a lot of [famous comedians] don’t come here because they can’t sell out here like other people. I know a lot of people who try to come here, and they don’t [do as good as they] do in other big cities, like it wasn’t as good as they expected.”
Can Kevin Hart’s appearance in El Paso signify a green light for other prominent comedians or entertainment groups to come to the borderland? It’s possible that citizens have been waiting for him to visit, and are anticipating other big artists to perform in the future. Although he is known for some controversy in recent years, many are still anticipating to enjoy his act.
“I know there’s a lot of controversy around him, I’m not the biggest fan of his. I think his comedy can be funny, but I know people [who are excited] that he’s coming, especially ’cause [we don’t] get that many people coming into town,” said Ariel Castillo, 21, multimedia journalism major student. “I feel like [the city] can try hosting bigger events. I think once they get people coming to El Paso, it’ll get more recognition from other people and their agencies, so I guess if they try to advocate for El Paso, maybe we will get more people.”
UTEP students are excited and surprised at Hart’s appearance in the city. It’s also clear that some people believe the city should bring more celebrities like Hart.
“I think it’s great [that] he’s coming to El Paso! [It’s] a great opportunity for everyone who loves him and his comedy,” said Vianney Frias, a 19-year-old senior at UTEP. “They definitely do need to bring more celebrities here and show that this is a great city to perform in.”
Tickets for all four performances are sold out. For more information, visit ticketmaster.com/kevin-hart/event/0C005C3711495A01?refArtist=K8vZ917GQ1f
Eli Nuñez is a contributor and may be reached at [email protected]
