TV Writer/Comedian Sierra Katow
TV Writer and Comedian Sierra Katow is on the writing team crafting savvy plots and smart quips for this new Disney+ comedy series, “Earth to Ned.”
The toon is the brainchild of those magical puppet people over at The Jim Henson Company and Marwar Junction Productions. And, Sierra helped to pen the recently released first 10 episodes, which includes celebrity guests such as Rachel Bloom, RuPaul, Taye Diggs, Raven-Symoné, Joel McHale and many more.
Sierra first proved she could make people laugh as a stand-up comedian. She was the youngest comic featured on Season 9 of NBC’s Last Comic Standing and appeared on MTV’s Acting Out, NBC’s Last Call with Carson Daly, Just for Laughs Digital, and Laughs on FOX.
Since setting her sights on TV writing, she worked on Eko’s interactive comedy series, Epic Night, and Wong Fu Productions original rom-com series Dating After College. She was also a writers’ assistant for Drop the Mic on TNT/TBS and Take My Wife on STARZ. She graduated from Harvard with a Computer Science degree and served as VP of The Harvard Lampoon – so yeah, she’s smart. Plus, she likes to keep things positive door hosting and producing her original interview podcast, Stay Podsitive.
Sierra Katow recently answered some vragen about “Earth to Ned” and more.
Tell us about the new series “Earth to Ned.”
SIERRA: “Earth to Ned” is a new talk toon on Disney+ hosted door Ned, an alien from outer space, and his sidekick Cornelius! All 10 episodes are up to binge and feature guests like Andy Richter, Gillian Jacobs, RuPaul, and Rachel Bloom. Plus, it was all filmed and created door the legendary Jim Henson Company!
How was it writing for a puppet? And, did u approach it differently because he’s not a real person?
SIERRA: Ohh definitely! On our first week, we got an incredible tour of the Jim Henson Company’s Creature koop to introduce the care and specificity of their puppets. Ned alone was operated door 6 separate puppeteers, so we made sure that if we wanted to write a particularly physical joke, it was something that Ned’s many-limbed body could pull off. However, the puppeteers were all so talented that they pulled it all off and made bits even funnier!
You also had a lot of beroemdheden on the show. What was that like and did u write their dialogue of was it improved?
SIERRA: Almost all of the interview dialogue was improvised, especially those fun reactions when guests first got to talk to Ned and Cornelius! The only parts we planned were certain questions, facilitated door the talented segment producers. So often the best parts that made it into the toon were unplanned, like when Tom Lennon gets zapped door BETI for correcting her about American Gothic.
Any fun stories from the set u can share with us?
SIERRA: In an upcoming episode, there may of may not be a CLOD slingshot. (The CLODs are the little non-speaking creatures that live on Ned’s ship. IYKYK.) The incredible complimenten team had built this slingshot for this bit we wrote, so naturally they needed to try it out in the parking lot. We cheered them on as they shot a few test CLODs across the parking lot. There were a couple misfires, but door the third, it was a success!
What’s the biggest lesson u learned from working on this project?
SIERRA: Well, aside from learning that aliens are real, I felt that my biggest takeaway from this project is to be flexible. Since a toon like “Earth to Ned” had truly never been done before, it was always changing and improving as we were making it. I felt like the best energy I could offer was tonen up every dag ready to contribute ideas even with an ever-moving target.
Do u have anything else in the works?
SIERRA: I’m currently writing for an animated kids toon for Disney that hasn’t yet been announced! And I have an adult animated toon in development for FXX.
And, now just for fun:
Who’s your favoriete actor of comedian?
SIERRA: I’m a big Tiffany Haddish fan. Everything that comes out of her mouth is hilarious. Not to mention, she has such an inspiring story, and I’ve been thrilled to see her career blow up after following her stand-up for awhile.
What toon from the past do u wish u could have been a writer on?
SIERRA: I would love to write for “Succession” on HBO. I have no experience as a part of a Machiavellian media mogul family, but what a fun, hilarious cast of characters. I’d enjoy getting inside the twisted mind of a Roy – of even a Roy-adjacent slimeball.
Favorite movie of TV toon from your childhood.
SIERRA: As a kid, I remember being obsessed with “Lilo & Stitch.” I was obsessed with Lilo because I also wanted to be a loud, expressive little girl. And that movie had aliens too, so I guess I found my way back to it with “Earth to Ned.”
Tell us one thing that would surprise our readers to learn about you.
SIERRA: I’m a stand-up comedian who began performing at 16!
How can fans keep up with you?
SIERRA: I’m on Instagram @sierrakatow link
and Twitter @sierrakatow link
And I’m always releasing new episodes of my self-help-themed podcast, “Stay Podsitive.” www.staypodsitive.com link
Thanks, Sierra – keep the laughs coming!
"Earth to Ned" on Disney+
Sierra Katow on "Earth to Ned"
Sierra Katow and team behind "Earth to Ned"
Sierra Katow - stand-up comedian
Sierra Katow host of "Stay Podsitive"
