the wardhole interviews: karli marulli
On committing to your work, coming to grips with your personality, and reusing old material.
You ever want to talk to someone so bad it makes you want to restart your “weekly” Substack talking to comedians?
That is why today we are talking to Brooklyn comedian Karli Marulli!
Karli is self described as dead pan, but she knows how to keep a crowd alive. I’ve always been attracted to Karli’s calm and collected comedy joke-telling and her birthmark of Calvin peeing on Ronald Reagan.
Please make sure to see Karli on Jan 9th at Crystal Lake for “A Night of Standup Comedy”
ENJOY THE INTERVIEW XO
wardhole: what are you working on right now?
Karli Marulli: I am definitely trying to write - I am kind of in this process of taking stock of all the stand-up that I have ever written. I have this long rambly Google doc where I put everything that I am working on. There is a big back-log where I didn’t develop things and I am trying to use it as new material. See them until the end or just let the prompts inspire me.
I also find going to a mic and listening and learning - that will help you create a joke.
Also I am writing a pilot - such a process.
wardhole: what makes you laugh?
Karli Marulli: It’s really particular. I’ve been laughing less. Fewer things have been making me laugh involuntarily. Been saying “that’s funny” a whole lot. Someone talking really fast or silly wording.
wardhole: what media are you consuming right now?
Karli Marulli: Listening to a lot of podcasts. I am really trying to work on my attention span. A lot of comedy podcast - it feels dumb. I am watching a lot of stand-up. I am really liking Maddie Weiner, KC Shornima and Stavros.
wardhole: what advice would you give to younger you?
Karli Marulli: Start! Start what you are planning to work on. Commit to it. Don’t be afraid of starting. No concrete regrets just really wish I was more disciplined.
We like to joke about it, but “nepo” is a thing. When you don’t have wealthy parents you have to structure your day for it.
wardhole: And I find that when you’re already in a creative family, you see that your goal as being a creative or a comedian is possible. So those mental blocks are no longer there.
Karli Marulli: Exactly!
wardhole: how would you describe your artistic style to a normie?
Karli Marulli: Coming to grips with your artistic style is like coming to grips with your personality - is freeing. I think I am naturally low energy. Dead pan not squeaky and bubbly - even though I feel like it would be better to be bubbly and squeaky, I am finding my way in my own voice.
wardhole: you're given 5 billion dollars- what do you do with it?
Karli Marulli: Some sort of humanitarian aid. Smallest amount of money but that’s a lot - and never have to work. Mostly not working - no fancy dreams - would love to live alone and travel. I would like to find the lowest denominator of money that I could have to be able to live and not work, something like $70,000. Then I would want to make sure humanitarian aid is taken care of. I want to be able to travel and just go to a restaurant.
wardhole: what is your artistic process for writing jokes?
Karli Marulli: Doesn’t really look like a process. I always capture an idea - and I am always ready to recognize an idea as something. I always use a little pad with me. I use my phone as well - but watching stand up really helps.
wardhole: what’s on your notes apps?
Karli Marulli: Notes for a roast. Gifts for other people. Keep a food journal (eek!) List of trying to identify of show names on Instagram. I have a list of food that I ate that day. It really helps me to visualize everything I ate at the very end of the day. I would like to imagine all of the food on the table, sort of in a cornucopia.
wardhole: do you have any "white whales" in comedy - something you’ve wanted to tackle for awhile but haven’t?
Karli Marulli Depression - body image. (Is this a flawed premise?) Feelings about body image. I feel that body image is something I think about every hour of the day, and I would like to be able to tackle that.
wardhole: what is hack to you?
Karli Marulli: Someone postures too hard as a good person. “Well of course I am ok with someone being X or Y.” You know what would drive it home that you’re okay with “X” or “Y”? Just not saying anything. Straight guys love being like “it’s ok that you are X” - it’s like, I feel I would believe you if you didn’t say anything.