The first joke that Craig Robison ever wrote was actually a poem based on his childhood. 

It was entitled "Stop Crying" and consists of the following: "Stop crying, stop crying right now before I give you something to cry about. You're making a scene and you know that it's wrong. Just wait until we get home," Robinson said.

After writing that joke, Robinson noticed friends of his in college reciting it back — which gave him a hunch that he may be funny, or even hilarious. Despite this reaction from others, he told The Panther he is continuously "still waiting for that moment" of 100% assurance in his comedy. 

"I was freestyling, always being silly and making people laugh and people were repeating the things I was saying," Robinson told The Panther. "As I got older, I realized I was doing bits and people were trying to repeat my bits back. That's when I decided to throw my hat in the ring."

Little did he know, people all across the world would continue to recite jokes from Robinson, including "Stomp Your Feet" and "Dinkin Flicka." Along with discussing his performances as Darryl Philbiin on "The Office," the Pontiac Bandit on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and his recent Pizza Hut commercials, Robinson joined a Chapman audience of 188 students and staff on May 2 for a master class titled "The Art of Communication with Craig Robinson."

The master class, which was held at Musco Center for the Arts, was moderated by three Chapman students and included a conversation with Robinson on the trajectory of his career, his transition from being a music teacher to a comedian and advice for those interested in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry.

Robinson began the conversation by describing all the intertwining paths that have led to his career today. Along with teaching K-8 music in Chicago, being a bouncer at a nightclub and creating a band "The Nasty Delicious," it all began during his time at Illinois State University where he began performing his jokes in front of a keyboard. 

"College gave me that freedom," Robinson said. "I was a naive stupid freshman. I grew up a little bit. That's where I got my start, figuring out how to talk to people and navigate conversations."

Erika Martinez, who is completing her master’s degree in leadership development at Chapman, served as one of the moderators for the event. She previously took note of the interesting course that Robisnon's career has traveled: college, to teaching music, to being a comedian to now a producer and actor. 

After this realization, Martinez, who also serves as marketing, communication and events coordinator for the School of Communication, told The Panther she worked alongside professor and director of ethnic studies programs Mark Hopson to create an event where an audience can see the subtle power that communication entails, with Robinson's career as a prime example. 

"In order to really make people understand where you're coming from, or even comedic timing, I think it's all about understanding communication and people's cues, both verbal and nonverbal," Martinez said. "The way that (Robinson) was able to navigate his career really demonstrated how he's able to communicate effectively to go from one industry to another and just be able to succeed in all of them."

By continuously networking and performing at places like the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in 1998 and Def Comedy Jam in 2002, Robinson finally traveled to Hollywood and got a development deal on a little show called "The Office," which began in 2005. 

Even though he did not become a series regular until season six, Robinson said his favorite part about the whole experience was working with Steve Carell. He recalled a specific episode called "The Negotiation," where Robinson improvised the line. "Make it happen, captain" and Carell improvised right back at him with, "I am making it happen, sergeant."
"When I got scenes with Steve, it was an ethereal moment," Robinson said. "I could go on and on about 'The Office.'"

One student in the audience, junior strategic and corporate communication major Bella Sandoval, told The Panther she was fan-girling when Robinson sat behind a piano during the event and played "The Office" theme song and "The Dunder Mifflin Commercial Song."

"My friend group in high school watched the entirety of 'The Office' at least 10 times during our sophomore year of high school," Sandoval said. "So it feels incredibly nostalgic to hear it live four years later."

While Robinson may be known as the comedian with a keyboard tied at the hip, he emphasized the power of communication in his field. With stand-up comedy, he always crafts a message for his audience. In acting, he develops a character through the creation of a backstory. In producing (especially in his new show on Peacock called "Killing It") he has to communicate with directors and production staff — which is a whole new realm of the industry for him. 

"It's more than just talking," Robinson said. "I communicate differently with different people. Communication can be your friend."

Despite there not being a single right path of pursuing television or comedy, Robinson affirmed to the audience the importance of finding a niche that sets an aspiring artist apart from the rest of the pack. 

"I was happy to go anywhere," Robinson said. "You gotta make some noise and be memorable. The challenge was to stand out. Once there's a name and people come to you for projects, you get to choose. Keep enjoying and setting goals for yourself."

Sandoval said she appreciated this master class because it allowed for her to see that the comedian she has idolized for so many years is actually just like any other person, excluding the fact that he has worked on Emmy Award-winning projects and knows "Saturday Night Live" alumnus Andy Samberg. 

"I learned that celebrities like Craig Robinson are genuinely still human," Sandoval said. "As silly as that sounds, I think people constantly dehumanize celebrities and I hope that Chapman brings in more speakers like Craig Robinson and we can be able to learn from them but also hear their life stories and understand a possible perspective of who they are as a person."

As for the future, Robinson said that season two of "Killing It" will be released soon and he also released a new project in February where he voices Principal Nelson in Marvel's new animated series "Moon Girl and the Devil Dinosaur." But, whether fans are rewatching reruns of "The Office," or seeing him in "Friends" or "Hot Tub Time Machine," Robinson told The Panther he hopes to continue making work that evokes laughter and make the most out of every moment.

While the mundaneness of each day may feel like an eternity, Robison's work reflects on the ability to embrace change yet also reminisce on the past. Just like his character Darryl once said, "Every day when I came into work, all I wanted to do was leave, so why does it feel so hard to leave right now?"

"Four things (to remember): No matter what you are doing, be yourself, because you are the only you we get to see," Robinson said. "If you love anything enough, eventually it will give up its secrets to you. Work your ass off. Enjoy the journey."