Review: Ego Nwodim at Pegasus Palooza

Ego Nwodim at Addition Financial Arena on 8/21/2025

Ego Nwodim at Addition Financial Arena for UCF’s annual Pegasus Palooza was nothing short of unforgettable. What started as a stand-up set quickly became something much bigger, an improvised dating show that had the crowd fully involved from beginning to end. Ego began with a few light questions about student dating life, but her quick wit and timing carried the conversation somewhere new.

Before long, she was pulling students on stage, setting up matches, and turning the arena into what felt like a live Saturday Night Live sketch. The first student up was Tyler, a freshman who admitted he was single and looking for someone to match his energy. The crowd immediately rallied behind him, and one girl from the audience joined him on stage for a mock speed date. They joked about majors and classes while Ego kept the audience laughing at the awkward but endearing exchange. Next, another student was brought on stage.

His calm presence, piercing eyes, and ability to speak three languages quickly drew attention. Ego found him a match in a student from Pakistan who also spoke three languages, and the two connected easily. The crowd erupted as they left the stage together, exchanging phone numbers on the way down.

By then, the night had taken on a life of its own. More students were eager to join in, and Ego welcomed fifteen more Knights on stage. Each introduced themselves like contestants on The Bachelor, sharing elevator pitches in front of thousands of classmates. The audience loved every second, cheering, laughing, and recording the moment on their phones.

During the Q&A, Ego shared with us the exclusive story of her reaction when she was first called up to Saturday Night Live. She said, “I was couch surfing at the time I got the SNL call, and I was just very happy to know I wouldn’t be living on a couch anymore. I just had to get off my friend’s couch. So, I was super excited about it.” The crowd laughed with her, but the story also showed the immense gratitude behind her success.

The Q&A wrapped up with more student questions and one confusing and awkward moment, when a student asked if they could do a “practice” marriage proposal on stage.

Though she isn’t performing surgery, it was the kind of night her Nigerian mother would be proud of, the kind that left UCF students not just entertained but genuinely connected through shared laughter.

A big thank you goes out to the Campus Activities Board, Addition Financial Arena, and, of course, Ego Nwodim, for bringing joy, spontaneity, and a little bit of love to Pegasus Palooza.