Sammi Ciardi ’15: Episcopal is known for a multitude of notable alums: Director M. Night Shyamalan, architect Robert Venturi, and now comedy writer Karl Hess. Hess, whose father is a history teacher and the exchange coodinator at EA, attended Episcopal for thirteen years. He is now a writer for MTV’s show Ridiculousness, which shows the internet’s funniest viral videos.
When asked about how Episcopal affected his career choice, Hess explained, “I actually was an editor for this very publication, which was a good time. I’d pretty much just wait until the last minute to submit my article each week, realize I didn’t have any ideas, and just write some Simpsons trivia and hand that in. Actually, EA was very good about teaching me the importance of writing well, which is extremely valuable. EA also did a really good job of instilling in me the importance of Ethan Frome.”
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At Episcopal, Hess was always interested in comedy. “I’ve always really enjoyed making people laugh and been terrified of ever actually getting a real job with actual responsibilities, so stand-up comedy seemed like the perfect career decision.” When asked if he considered any other career options, Hess replied, “It was either comedy, or some office job where I’d have to wear a button-down shirt and tuck it into my pants, and if EA taught me anything, it’s that I’m terrible at keeping my shirt tucked in, so I went with comedy.” He explained that the hardest part of being a comedian was “trying to find enough places to keep all this cash! JK. Self-motivation is a big part of being a comedian, so sometimes the most difficult aspect is just pushing yourself to do more and reach past what’s comfortable and easy.”
Explaining how he got the opportunity to work on a show like Ridiculousness, Hess stated, “I’m friends with some comedians that are involved with the show, so they brought me in for a few days. It’s a great group of writers, and I got along really well with everyone, so it just turned out to be a good fit. It’s pretty fun to get paid to watch internet videos with your friends. There’s something immensely satisfying about sitting around a conference table and having a serious work discussion about a video of a man getting smashed in the genitals.”
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Hess noted that the easiest way for one to become a successful comedian is to “get some cool sunglasses. You’re not going to make it three days out here without cool sunglasses. No, in all seriousness, my advice about getting into comedy would be: be independently wealthy before you start. No, in for real all seriousness, I would say, just start doing it. A lot. And keep doing at it even when it feels terrible, which it certainly will at some point. Because if it’s really what you want to do, if it’s really in you, even the bad days will push you to be better and funnier.”
Though clearly a very funny man, Hess insisted that comedy is not all he is interested in. After being asked if he has considered any other genres of writing, Hess joked, “I’ve been very inspired by the popularity of 50 Shades of Grey, so I’ve decided I’m going to start writing more S&M erotic thrillers.”
Hess has made it big in the world of comedy. On the aspect of his career that he is most proud of, he said “[the ability] to travel all over the country, perform, meet great people, and do what I love has been very rewarding. Also, one time I got a bunch of free pizza backstage at a show, so that was cool.”
When reflecting on his own time at EA, Hess shared, “Shout out to Mr. Bryant for putting up with all my back-talk, my dad for being a true EA veteran, being supportive, and forcing me out of bed every morning for thirteen years of schooling, and all my Latin and math teachers over the years for having to deal with me going ‘I’m never gonna use this in the real world!’ every single class. Also, I was right.”