TigerLily asks: What's Up, Karl Hess?
Karl Hess is funny, believe us! He has on occasion made us laugh till we cried, but you know a good cry! A staple on the LA comedy scene for several years he can be seen at all the best shows in town including his own the Sunday, Sunday Sunday show, held twice a month in Westwood .
When he is not seen kicking it at TigerLily he performs all over the country. Making a name for himself, he has performed at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, Comix in NY, the North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival and was a finalist at the Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta. If this was high school Hess would be voted the coolest! His smart, quick and innovative style shows he most definitely has his finger on the pulse of comedy! We can only expect even greater things from this hilarious dude with the coolest attitude and fro!
TigerLily: Let’s ask the obvious so what’s up?
Karl: you know, getting into summer mode: moccasins. BBQs. daytime drinking.
TigerLily: so the usual, I hear ya, So how long have you been doing comedy, because I swear over the past several years you’ve become a powerhouse!
Karl: I started doing stand-up on Jan 7th 2007 So, like 3 and half years. But I was going up at least 4 nights a week. Lots of people say starting in LA is weird, and it kind of is, although I have nothing to compare it to. But, there are a ton of great comics out here and stage time is at a premium. So it pushes you.
TigerLily: A lot of the NY comedians say it would have been very intimidating to start out in LA doing shows w/ like Maria Bamford or Marc Maron, did you feel that way?
Karl: well, starting out I did open mics multiple times a week, sometimes multiple times a night for like a solid 6-7 months. After that, I started to booked shows and getting to know the comics that I looked up to and still do. Guys like Kyle Kinane, Matt Braunger, TJ Miller it can be intimidating, but it’s also cool because you’re on shows with comics you really respect.
TigerLily: So Growing up did you know you wanted to pursue comedy?
Karl: I think in the back of my mind I always kind of did. But it takes serious resolve to say to yourself “I’m gonna be a stand-up comedian. That is gonna be my life.” I think you get to the point where you watch comedy and go “I could do that” and that turns into “I have to do that, or I’m gonna go crazy.”
That’s how it was for me I was writing stuff in college, I knew I wanted to do it, but I kept putting it off. But making people laugh has always been the best thing for, even a small hellion like me, that feeling was always the best to me.
TigerLily: Well we’re glad you decided to take the plunge. I actually watched video of that stand up comedy for a cure contest video you did (http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=9840974) , that was pretty early on in your stand up career right?
Karl: like 3 weeks, in front of 600 people
TigerLily: OMG That is amazing
Karl: but, it was the most amazing crowd ever! Other kids on the show had never done stand-up.
Everyone killed I remember thinking “remember this moment, because you will not perform for this many people again for a long time.” Jeffrey Ross was one of the judges, and he was very kind. Although he did compare my hair to orphan Annie!
TigerLily: 3 weeks in 600 people you looked pretty calm!
Karl: I was so proud of my opening line. I thought it up backstage and it killed. It was a cancer benefit show I started by saying: “So great to see so many people here for such a good cause. …Looks like it’s your move, Cancer!”
TigerLily: ha ha So we lightly touched on it but your hair, it’s the best in comedy hands down.
Karl: well, I don’t know about that It has its moments It’s not shabby, I’ll say that.
TigerLily: It’s what curly haired people aspire for, I’m interviewing it next!
Karl: can’t argue with that.
TigerLily: You seem to have a cool, calm demeanor on stage you’re as inviting as you are off
A thing I think that is really hard to convey in stand up.
Karl: I really try and just be myself, I mean, comfort onstage is a big part of what makes great comics great I think. Like if you watch Louis CKor PFT onstage, it’s just them.There’s very little artifice. I think every comic aspires to that.
TigerLily: So I have noticed a lot of children of teachers are comedians it’s strange but true, what do they think of this career choice?
Karl: I have kind of noticed that. My parents are really cool and supportive, so I’m lucky on that count. Although my dad is always like “you getting paid yet?” “Working on that, dad”
But my older brother is in medical school and my little brother taught himself Russian from the internet. So, that gives me room to be the crazy middle child My mom is an artist, so she understands.
TigerLily: Describe your best moment on stage? Worst?
Karl: I think the best moment onstage is just when you are really connecting with the crowd, and you are very comfortable. that’s a great place to be, and it allows you to explore or take chances that you wouldn’t in front of a less receptive crowd. Conversely, when the crowd is bored or inattentive or just not into it, all your shit shrinks down you are working hard and sweating to make them care. That’s never as fun. I try and just take each show as an event, and have fun within the parameters of the present reality. If you’re not having fun, no one else is going to.
TigerLily: I think that’s a good way to think
Karl: the guys I like watching the most are the guys that stay loose and inventive in every moment
Like Chris Fairbanks or Rory Scovel And TJ Miller It’s not just same jokes different room.
TigerLily: Yeah if you get stuck in your head it becomes robotic like joke 1, 2, 3 blah
Karl: I try my best to work towards that, that sense of play. It can be really hard.
TigerLily: So you are one of Tiger Lily’s go to guys and have been able to perform at TL a lot. Any fave moments you remember?
Karl: I hosted the first show in the new space, which was really cool. I also got to be on the first show on the newly built stage for the Montreal showcase, which was also quite cool. Overall, just sharing the stage with people I respect so much, Pepitone, Maron, Bamford, has been great. Lots of good times have been had at tiger lily over the past 2 years!
TigerLily: Is there a comedian that you think deserves a shout out here?
Karl: there are so many good comics. The scene that coalesces around tiger lily on Mondays consists of the best comics in the city and the entire country. Being a part of that is great!
Some of my faves that have not been showcased by tiger lily yet:
Jarrod Harris from ATL, Grant Lyon from SF and Mark Normand from NYC.
TigerLily: Final question wanna take a crack at describing Tiger Lily?
Karl: describing Tiger Lily is easy: it’s the place to be.
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Karl Hess has great hair and soft sweaters; he would like you to know he makes a mean breakfast burrito and prefers Batman over Superman! For more info, upcoming shows or to plead Superman’s case go to http://www.twitter.com/karlhess http://www.karlhess.tumblr.com and http://www.facebook.com/karl.andrew.hess You’ll be glad you did!
