Spacesuit hedgehog leaving the Gambling Moon. (She likes to gamble) Art by me.
It’s always important as a writer to track what has inspired you. What shows, books, or movies from your youth most shaped your sensibilities for comedy?
I'll say the TV shows that most affected my humor growing up were Futurama and 30 Rock. I've always liked niche references and slight absurdism. Or more so, I grew to love jokes that are nonsensical and silly but actually a little clever.
Nowadays, I get most of my comedic sensibilities from improv comics and british panel show comedians. Quick, dry wit, and a switching to a character voice. That's what I'm about.
"Nonsensical and silly but actually a little clever" is the perfect way to describe the humor that I'm now drawn toward! I love stuff that is so silly it would be stupid if it wasn't actually kinda smart.
As a child, I didn't really have access to TV, and I rarely watched movies (hello Redbox). I preferred reading fictional drama books, so I think that most of my quest for comedy was satisfied by meme sites. It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I was obsessed with anything that was "random." There was this website called MyLifeIsAverage.com where people would post a story of something "random" that happened to them, and I would try to imitate these types of things in my real life. Like, one time I walked up to some stranger to stick a giftwrap bow on his arm, and I thought I was the funniest person in the world for it. I also got a huge kick out of making adults feel awkward by doing things like offering them cereal or asking them idiotic questions. I'd like to think that I now have a more refined sense of humor, but it was fun while it lasted, haha!
HHahahha. What amazing honesty. Haha, it's probably going to take a few more discussion threads before I admit the more embarrassing parts of my adolescent humor lol. But that's excellent.
And I can't tell you how many hours I spent on similar sites as a kid. Just constant scrolling on Icanhazcheezburger sites and Cyanide&Happiness comics. What a trip.
I feel like I didn't really become funny until later in life, and a lot of the comedy I'm drawn towards is physical comedy that I'm not really sure how to translate into writing (which is interesting because I find myself constantly wishing I could write something funny and not so serious.) The comedy influences I found later in life were John Mulaney, Gene Wilder, any episode of Who's Line is it Anyways, a lot of College Humor skits from back in the day, and the Far Side comics. I also will always live with a piece of 2012 Tumblr humor inside of me, no matter how hard I beat it back. I also have had my sense of humor shaped by constantly watching NBA mascots at work. Looney Tunes cartoons also deserve a mention. Basically a big combination of things that combined with my own innate goofiness leads to a presence like a Looney Tunes character who bursts Kool-Aid man style into every room. I don't know if that's a good thing but it is what it is.
This is a strong list and I always appreciate a shoutout to early college humor. I'm sure they haven't all aged well but I was a big fan back in the day, and I subscribe to Jake and Amir's current Patreon.
Looney Tunes are also very underrated in the modern day.
I'll say the TV shows that most affected my humor growing up were Futurama and 30 Rock. I've always liked niche references and slight absurdism. Or more so, I grew to love jokes that are nonsensical and silly but actually a little clever.
Nowadays, I get most of my comedic sensibilities from improv comics and british panel show comedians. Quick, dry wit, and a switching to a character voice. That's what I'm about.
"Nonsensical and silly but actually a little clever" is the perfect way to describe the humor that I'm now drawn toward! I love stuff that is so silly it would be stupid if it wasn't actually kinda smart.
As a child, I didn't really have access to TV, and I rarely watched movies (hello Redbox). I preferred reading fictional drama books, so I think that most of my quest for comedy was satisfied by meme sites. It's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I was obsessed with anything that was "random." There was this website called MyLifeIsAverage.com where people would post a story of something "random" that happened to them, and I would try to imitate these types of things in my real life. Like, one time I walked up to some stranger to stick a giftwrap bow on his arm, and I thought I was the funniest person in the world for it. I also got a huge kick out of making adults feel awkward by doing things like offering them cereal or asking them idiotic questions. I'd like to think that I now have a more refined sense of humor, but it was fun while it lasted, haha!
HHahahha. What amazing honesty. Haha, it's probably going to take a few more discussion threads before I admit the more embarrassing parts of my adolescent humor lol. But that's excellent.
And I can't tell you how many hours I spent on similar sites as a kid. Just constant scrolling on Icanhazcheezburger sites and Cyanide&Happiness comics. What a trip.
I feel like I didn't really become funny until later in life, and a lot of the comedy I'm drawn towards is physical comedy that I'm not really sure how to translate into writing (which is interesting because I find myself constantly wishing I could write something funny and not so serious.) The comedy influences I found later in life were John Mulaney, Gene Wilder, any episode of Who's Line is it Anyways, a lot of College Humor skits from back in the day, and the Far Side comics. I also will always live with a piece of 2012 Tumblr humor inside of me, no matter how hard I beat it back. I also have had my sense of humor shaped by constantly watching NBA mascots at work. Looney Tunes cartoons also deserve a mention. Basically a big combination of things that combined with my own innate goofiness leads to a presence like a Looney Tunes character who bursts Kool-Aid man style into every room. I don't know if that's a good thing but it is what it is.
This is a strong list and I always appreciate a shoutout to early college humor. I'm sure they haven't all aged well but I was a big fan back in the day, and I subscribe to Jake and Amir's current Patreon.
Looney Tunes are also very underrated in the modern day.