by: Katie Wolf on Tuesday May 21, 2013
If you are a current CAS student or recent graduate, you know that we offer an abundance of amazing study abroad and internship opportunities. In fact, we are pretty aggressive and progressive in not only encouraging students to take advantage of such opportunities, but…
MSU alumni sports journalism all-stars visited April 11, 2013. -MORE-
by: CAS Staff on Wednesday November 07, 2012
Name: Cort Freeman
Hometown: Clarkston, MI
Major: Communication
Graduation Date: May 2013
Company: Comedy Central
Location: Santa Monica, California… I had the option to go to NYC but opted for the Sandy Beaches over Hurricane Sandy.
Amount of time at internship: 3 months
How did you hear about this opportunity?
Coolest part of the story, they actually found me through Twitter. A VP started following me after I was one of 10 national finalists in the Klondike Comedy Showcase and he loved my jokings so he hooked it up.
How did you like the internship?
There’s no other way to put it—it’s a dream come true. I’m working five days a week (illegal, don’t tell HR) for no pay, living on my buddy's couch (my spine is now a pretzel) and I still wouldn’t trade it for anything. My favorite part of the internship is being surrounded by funny people, everyone from the President (Doug Herzog) to assistants are hilarious. I, no joke, cry once a week from laughing so hard during a conversation with a co-worker. There’s a certain chemistry that exists between all of us here where we get into a conversation and the jokes just start flowing, like a band jamming and riffing together in harmony. One person will say something funny and then the next will top it and so starts a continuous circle until we’re all in an uproar.
What were your responsibilities?
I attend pitch meetings, where I get to watch writers/creators come in and try to sell their show to Comedy Central. As an aspiring comedian/writer it’s amazing to witness first-hand the difference between a solid pitch and a pitch that bombed. I’m the co-creator of the weekly CC: Digital Newsletter, I post the weekly happenings in the entertainment industry/digital world and add my voice and personal flavor to it. It’s a great chance to showcase my writing and sense of humor. I’ll get to go on set once and a while and serve as a PA (Production Assistant). I also serve as an executive’s assistant when their normal assistant has the day off. Most of my down time is spent reading scripts for potential shows and watching clips/sketches on YouTube.
How will my internship help prepare me for my career?
Landing this internship really helped me convince my dad that he didn’t waste all that money sending his son to Michigan State to become a comedian. There aren’t many ways to go about becoming a comedian, so this has been a chance of a lifetime to get my foot in the door. I’ve learned how to write a good script, how to direct videos, how to pitch ideas successfully, and things that I would never learn how to do without this experience. Most importantly, I networked. It really is all about who you know, so I’m going to leave here with a lot of connections that will help me out further down the road.
Would I recommend this internship to other students?
Is that even a question? Of course I would recommend this internship. However, I will add a disclaimer: you have to be REALLY passionate about comedy. You are not only expected to have a sense of humor (and you have to be able to take it, too!), but you have to have a good understanding of quality comedy. If you give awful scripts and videos great reviews, they will come down on you. Like I said earlier, they are aware that interns are typically their target market so we have a pretty big responsibility of giving accurate feedback. An internship with Comedy Central (or any Viacom company such as MTV, VH1, Spike, Nickelodeon, etc.) is vastly different than most internships where you’re just the person who picks up lunch for everyone, I’ve been there and this is far from that. Here you truly feel like a part of the team. In company meetings (with the biggest executives) they ask the interns for their thoughts and encourage us to speak. It’s very laid back, which allows everyone to feel comfortable and welcome. They haven’t even asked me to shave my beard, yet!
Are you a CAS student with an exciting, awesome, fabulous internship experience of your own? Share your story by sending us a message at casnews@msu.edu.
