GOOD TO KNOW: Sextape Comedy

Premise: Three best friends (two guys one gal) living in New York City. They all have a deep love for comedy, but each in totally separate ways. One has a soft heart for sketch via the 90’s, another crushes on stand-up ala Paul F. Tomkins, Hannibal Buress and the like, and the third keeps it classy with Bill Hicks and George Carlin. Now put these BFF’s that dream of simply making people smile all as production assistants at Saturday Night Live. What happens next? We will have to wait and see, but no doubt big things and happy endings are coming for Hans Kulla-Mader, Chelsea Catalanotto and Tim Velsor of Sextape Comedy. I chatted with the Sextape about THINGS and STUFF and they are an instantly likeable threesome. Dive into the interview now then spend the rest of they day on their YouTube channel for some big time grins.

Serial Optimist: Who all is in the group and how did you all meet?

Sextape: There are three of us, which is going to make for an EXCITING interview, so buckle up cuz I guess we should just answer one at a time in a calm and orderly fashion.

Oh wow hey there I’m Chelsea! I met Hans at Sarah Lawrence College–we were in Lampoon together. After I realized that there’s pretty much no one else on this planet that’s as beautiful, selfless and funny as he is, we decided to start making sketches and doing stand-up together. Then one day we met Tim while shooting this real weird sketch I wrote called Fat Rob and realized he’s also a perfect human. Soon after, Sextape was water-birthed.

SO: What’s the ultimate goal for Sextape? Dream big! From PA’s to featured players?

Sextape: Hans on the mic right now–The goal is to be funny enough to not have to do anything else but be funny. If that means being a featured player on SNL then that would be fucking awesome, but all of our personal goals are slightly different. So the goal is less idiosyncratic and more simple, like, “be funny.”

SO: What are a few sketches that stick out as favorites?

Sextape: It’s Tim and I’m speaking now– I’m a big fan of “Fresh Fish,” “The Thanksgiving Piñata,” and of course “Uncle Mom.”

Hans: I like “Uncle Mom” too, maybe just because I think the wave I give to Tim is the pinnacle of my acting career. I also like “The Mysterious Case of the Thanksgiving Piñata” because it’s long, gross and ambitious.

Chelsea: I’m a big fan of “Stevie the 90’s Kid” because I got to fake puke on camera. I also like “Cairn and Barren” because we had to wear t-shirts in 20 degree weather and isn’t that what real acting is all about?

SO: That’s rad you all are PA’s at SNL. Did it just work out that way? Is being in that atmosphere just constantly inspire you?

Hans: Tim had the job and then he got Chelsea a gig because she was an intern there and then I sorta wormed my way in from constantly bothering them about wanting to work there too. The atmosphere is pretty inspiring to be around, though being a PA is like being the assistant of an assistants assistant, so sometimes we have to sorta remind ourselves when working that we’re at fucking Saturday Night Live and we’re very lucky.

Chelsea: Tim, Hans and I basically just hang out together on set and drive trucks and carry equipment and think of weird sketch ideas because we’re slightly delusional from the lack of sleep. I think this is where Tim thought of his now infamous sketch idea called “Moon Worms.”

SO: Who are you all fans of?

Tim: I’m personally inspired by some of the folks with darker material. Like the Bill Hicks and the George Carlins…but honestly I would never have started making comedy if it weren’t for Tom Green. I mean he painted his parent’s house plaid once.

Hans: I really like stand-up. I just saw some clips of this stand up Jerrod Carmichael that was really funny, and I like Paul F. Tompkins, Kyle Kinane, Todd Glass, Hannibal Buress and a lot more. Oh, and Brett Gelman’s “1000 Cats” is a masterpiece.

Chelsea: Sketch has always been my favorite. I grew up loving Chris Farley, Mike Myers and Kids in the Hall and was also really interested in people who were putting their own sketches on YouTube–like I have this vivid memory of being 16 and repeatedly watching Picnicface’s stuff and giggling like a child.

SO: How would you describe sextape to someone if you only had 30 seconds? Clock starts…..NOW!

Chelsea: Tim is the best at this, go Tim.

Tim: Sextape didn’t get dad’s permission to borrow the car on Friday night but took it anyway.

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Get started with four of the groups favorites

Cairn and Barren