Eh, I could be doing worse

My High School decided it was time to check up on how I'm doing in life (am I someone they are soon going to solicit for money?) and asked to interview me for their newsletter. The following is my self evaluation of life up to this point:

Tell us about how your experience at JCHS supported your experience at the University of Arizona

• How did JCHS prepare you?

JCHS allowed me to create my own true personal identity that I found to be incredibly beneficial when diving into a larger community. Remembering back to my public middle school (a feat that as it gets harder reminds me I'm getting older), I felt a need to be someone that I was not in order to gain the approval of those around me. At JCHS the idea was that you were cool for the things that made you an individual, as opposed to those aspects out-casting you. My four years in this kind of a community allowed me to embrace my quirks and individual attributes and become comfortable in my own skin. This helped tremendously when transferring back into a more mainstream student community as the more matured versions of my middle school classmates found individuality to be intriguing rather than a cause for isolation.

• Were there specific classes/teachers that prepared you for areas/aspects of your college education? A teacher who’s guidance continues to help you?

Most of the teachers that taught me at JCHS are gone now and I only hope that the new faculty carries the same spirit as the ones I had the good fortune to be taught by. Patrick Bruno was my math teacher and he did such a good job, that I never had to take another math class again (I'm pretty sure that was not his intended goal for me as a student, though). He was also extremely funny and incorporated his own love for sports and Rhode Island and, of course, Rhode Island based sports, into his lessons creating a quirky and fun classroom atmosphere.

I know Dylan Russel is still around and she had a great impact on me. I was always really interested in theater at JCHS and there was no curriculum for the Arts other than the after school electives. During my senior year, I had four free periods, and while I had filled all of my basic requirements, was forced to find an elective. Since none of the offered electives interested me, Dylan helped me construct a play writing independent study that taught me about structure in play writing which, later, heavily influenced the screen writing that I am doing now. I would later go on to construct a television specific screen writing course with a professor at the University of Arizona.

• Did you feel well-prepared?

My education at JCHS definitely prepared me for the university I attended. I know that when people think of the University of Arizona, the first thing that pops into everyone's mind is "prestigious" or "reach-school" and sometimes even "Harvard of the Southwest" but I assure you the school is as easy or as hard as you make it.

• How did your Jewish education help/support you at U of A?

To be honest, the ways it helped me in school were miniscule. I took a Judaic Studies class here and there and was able to keep up with professors during their discussions on Martin Buber's "I, Thou" work; but looking back the Jewish education from JCHS really helped me in my way of critical thinking out of the classroom much more.

• Have you been able to draw upon your Jewish studies education?

Only in satirical ways. I got very involved in my school's television station and produced/starred in a show where I interviewed students around campus about events. During one of my interviews a girl said "Why is this day different from every other day" and my response was "Exactly, Mah nishtanah halilah hazeh m'kol haleilot?" She was very confused, and it didn't make the final cut, but I got quite a kick out of it.

• How did you adjust to being a member of a larger community of students?

I've always been a social person and I was thrilled to have a larger community of people to interact with. I joined a fraternity, I went to hillel every now and again, and joined up with the television station as well as an improv/sketch comedy troupe. The best advice I have is to get involved with smaller niche clubs and groups. You'll meet people with similar interests and be able to find a smaller community amongst a giant one.

Tell us about your extra-curricular activities at U of A

• What was “Surviving Arizona”?

Aha, someone did their research. Very nice. Surviving Arizona with Ross and Steve was a TV show on University of Arizona Television (UATV) helping students survive their 4 - 7 years at the University of Arizona. The show consisted of interviews and highlights of some of the cool things happening around campus (i.e. home football games and The Phoenix Suns training camp) as well as human interest pieces (Creating outlandish Halloween costumes). Mostly it was just me and my friends filming what we thought was funny and interesting and having the opportunity to broadcast it to the student body.

• What was the inspiration – how’d you get the idea? (Does this tie at all to your JCHS education?)

Surviving Arizona spawned from a bad audition my friend Steve had to be the sports anchor for the student television station. They thought he was so funny, while they couldn't give him the position, they asked him to make short segments to air on their news program. He came to me, as he knew of my interest in television due to a TV script I was working on and asked for my help. Our first segment was about a giant Pro-Life Abortion display on the U of A mall that was very controversial. We spent the day interviewing students and the exhibits facilitators about the display as well as playing some word association games and playfully teasing their ignorance on the subject. It was horribly offensive and didn't air, but the general manager of the station thought we were very funny together and said if we could tone it down we could have our own show.

• Tell us about working on the Colbert Report – how did that come about?

The Colbert Report internship came about through me having to buckle down and find out what I was truly interested in. I spoke with one of my advisers regarding my love of comedy and my love of television and she was able to direct me to an alum who worked at The Colbert Report to give me better advice than she was able to. After a few emails back and forth he had me send him my resume and I got a call for an interview a few weeks later.

I worked on the show during the summer of 2008 and loved every second of it. I got to see how every aspect of the show was run. I even got the opportunity to work with the writers which resulted in me getting a joke on the show.

• What did you do? What did you learn? (again – possible to tie anything back to JCHS?)

The internship allowed me to rotate through all the departments of the show. Initially I was a post intern on Mondays and a script intern on Wednesdays. Eventually, my intern coordinator allowed me to work with the graphics department as well as the writers, due to my incessant begging and perfection of the sad puppy eyes (really it was just persistent and respectful requesting, but it lacks a certain imagery that I want to convey).

I learned everything on that show, from how the schedule allows their to be a brand new show every day, to how to order more Fresca for the writers' fridge. Learning all this allowed me to return to the University of Arizona and create my own version of the Colbert Report entitled "The Spin Zone" (as well as stock my house with an overwhelming amount of Fresca). Here is a link to some of the episodes.

The Spin Zone Episode 2 from Ross Everett on Vimeo.

Life after U of A

• Where are you now?

As I write this, I am sitting at my cubicle at The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. I am living in Los Angeles literally right across the street from Rabbi Harwitz's old place when he lived down here. Even though it was only supposed to be a summer internship, I'm sticking around a little while longer in hopes of a job opening up in this terrible economy.

• What are you doing? What are your passions?

I am doing everything I can right now to have fun. I started taking Improv classes at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Los Angeles which has been an amazing use of my time. I've been able to meet a ton of people in the area with similar interests to mine (see how that works everywhere?). I've also been writing in my spare time. I have two blogs: one that I write as myself about my adventures in LA that I've cleverly titled "The Chronicles of my rise to power and descent into infamy" and another that I write in a "bro-ed out" character to refine the skill of writing in a voice other than my own. I've also had some meetings regarding scripts I've written (one of them co-written by fellow JCHS alum Andrew Ross-Perry) regarding getting jobs as a writers assistant on a television show in the future.

I enjoy making short videos for the internet just for fun with friends. It's a great way to exercise my writing, acting, and producing skills at the same time.

• Tell us about the Conan show – what do you do there? How does this fit into your journey so far?

I am an intern in the Clips and Clearances department, which basically means I assist the clips researcher in finding and getting legal clearance for any clip used on the show whether it be a YouTube clip or a clip from an actor's upcoming film. I would go into specifics but I'd rather the mystery glorify what I do rather than the truth nullify it.

Working here gives me the opportunity to be on the Universal Studios lot which is worlds of fun, as well as gives me large amounts of free time to work on writing and other side projects I might have going on. It's been full of amazing opportunities. The time that stands out the most was during my second month of interning, I was in the lobby changing out of a giant NBC Peacock costume (different story) when the costume designer pointed at me and said "I can make him into a cop in two minutes." Next thing I knew I was playing a cop in a sketch on the Tonight Show. My family was very proud of me. My mom said "You did great- you need a haircut." One breath.

• How do you see yourself as a member of the greater Jewish community?

It's Los Angeles. How can you not be? Well, first and foremost, I live in the most Jewish area of Los Angeles and everything closes on Shabbat. I really find myself bonding strongly with the other Jewish people in the area. I don't really know why; but it could be that we all have the same things to kvetch about and have similar relationships with our overbearing mothers (just kidding Mom; please keep sending money). But in all seriousness I identify myself as a Jew and in that I find that I will always be a part of the Jewish community.

• Do you practice Tikkun Olam in your daily life?

I'm sure I do, but it's so ingrained in me as a person that I can't recall certain instances. I just try to be a good citizen of the world and in that I practice Tikkun Olam. I also pick up trash.

What’s next for you?

• Next year?

Ah, the big question. I have no idea. I could still be working here, or I could be writing on the side of a waiting job. Who knows. I hope to have a steady job with some nice benefits and a fantasy football league, but I would settle for anything that allows me to keep on doing what I'm doing.

• Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten?

In five years I'm pretty sure I'll still be down here in LA as everything pertaining to the entertainment industry is really going on down here. I would love to be working on a very funny television show for a top rated network so if you know anybody who needs a hard working, passionate, young nice Jewish boy, please let me know. This feels like a J-Date ad all of a sudden. I'm a Sagittarius.

In ten years I would love to be able to move back to the bay area and be able to work from there. There is a growing presence of the entertainment industry up in SF so it's plausible. I would also like to be married or close to it. Now it's definitely a J-Date ad.