K-von’s ‘Essential’ Promises Jokes You Can’t Tell (But He’ll Tell ’em Anyway)

Comedians are going rogue, and K-von wants in on the revolution.

“Thanks to social media and modern technology nobody is beholden to the industry anymore … the power is now in the hands of the talent,” says K-von, currently hosting a GoFundMe campaign to support his upcoming special, “Essential.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“Essential” lets K-von riff on the endless lockdowns and how the government called so many Americans “un-essential” while letting chain stores and pot shops operate with impunity.

And he’s taking his act directly to the consumer, following in the footsteps of comedians like Andrew Schulz and Louis C.K. They self-produced their most recent, hour-long specials and it paid off handsomely.

Plus, neither had to compromise their comic vision along the way. Their jokes. Their way. And K-von is eager to embrace that creative freedom with “Essential.”

“It’s all about control of your own destiny instead of waiting for someone else to decide if and when you’re “ready” for an opportunity,” he says.

HiT reached out to the comedian to learn more about “Essential,” how he handles being a right-leaning comic and the personal way he treats fans.

HiT: We all felt less than “Essential” the last two years … but sometimes it can be hard to laugh about it. Talk about straddling the line between comedy and tragedy via the new material.

K-von: As the famous saying goes, Tragedy + Time = Comedy. I was working on a lot of these jokes during the pandemic and delivering them over ZOOM calls. That was a miserable period. My concern was, once the pandemic was over, would this material even work anymore?

Therefore, for this special, I focused on topics that wouldn’t be immediately ‘dated’ as soon as this thing came out.

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This routine doubles as a victory lap for those finding their skepticism of the “experts” and media narrative being further validated as more information continues to emerge.

HiT: Your podcast shares your right-leaning views, but your stand-up is often apolitical in nature. Does this special suggest you’re changing course, or is this a one-time moment to address a cultural chasm you couldn’t resist exploring?

K-von: Starting out as a comedian, one is likely in their early 20s, still learning how to construct a joke, and deliver this material to strangers with confidence. Unless you’re Greta Thunberg or David Hogg, most are humble enough to realize you probably don’t have a whole lot of wisdom to add to a conversation.

Therefore, it’s best to keep the humor light and fun.

Fast-forward 15 years and I’m now digging deeper into topics and current events that I think I can tackle with more validity.

“The Right Show” podcast skewers whatever is happening in the news that week. It may be sports, celebs, current events, pop culture, you name it. The whole world has been really focused on politics lately, and that has produced a never-ending stream of material, so we cover it.

For the standup act, I want it to be more universal. A fan of mine may buy a ticket but bring a friend who doesn’t share their same views. My show is universal in that way where no one is likely to be sitting there alienated for an hour.

With that said, the mainstream Left went after Trump seven nights a week on 10 different channels. The crowd better put on their big girl pants and be prepared to hear three Biden jokes and one about Megan Rapinoe.

If that’s going to cause you great distress then you need to stay home.

HiT: Your Instagram account teases the special has material that wouldn’t be shared in some mainstream arenas … can you share more about this and why it’s important to tell these jokes anyway?

K-von: “Essential” covers every topic that would get you banned or cancelled from social media over the last few years. We take aim at Hunter Biden, LGBTQ issues, trans sports, Fauci’s lies, and I even provide a vaccine theory of my very own.

I do the voices and characters of people from five different ethnicities outside of my own and end with a black joke. It’s the kind of thing that is not allowed by the wokesters, it’s hilarious and it’s how comedy is supposed to be.

HiT: The Internet and social media makes it easier for artists to bond with their fans, get to know their interests and more. How has that shaped your comedy career?

K-von: I consider some of my peers to be “indoor cats.” They are fluffed and made to look pretty and provided the best of opportunities served to them in a silver platter. After a show they scurry back to the green room and hide until all the paying customers are gone.

They don’t want to meet the commoners, just collect their money.

Then you have feral outdoor cats like myself. Maybe we haven’t been treated quite as well and we got a lot tougher. A bit scrappier. I depend on each person I meet. Every fan is a potential client who may hire me for their private event.

So, I interact with all of them. Meet & Greets sometimes last longer than the actual comedy show. I try to make sure everyone gets a photo and can provide me the market feedback I need to improve my act that much more.

HiT: The last few years have seen both Big Tech censorship impacting comedy and Cancel Culture-style scolds dictating what can and can’t be joked about. Are you optimistic at this point in the culture that things will improve (Elon Musk at Twitter for example), or do you see the same constraints still in place?

K-von: I don’t know if things will improve but a comedian should be rooted in honesty, so I’m compelled to continue to hit hard with truthful jokes whether or not it’s the popular or acceptable thing to do.

It’s pretty cool to see an elite rag tag group of Avengers emerging. Trump, Elon Musk, Joe Rogan, Kanye, Bill Burr, Kyrie, Chappelle… the list goes on. These unlikely big-dogs keep popping up and pushing back on the radical Left at various points.

Before they did, it felt a little lonely out there.

HiT: You’re still young but you’ve been a comedian for a while now … what advice might you give your younger self just starting in the business, things you’ve learned along the way through trial and error?

K-von: I would tell a younger comedian to stay on the side of the radical Left. They control big tech, the media, all the talk shows, and every major publication.

They are in control of the colleges and the corporations. It is an easy grift to pretend that there are hundreds of genders, you can be healthy no matter how obese you are, that getting rid of the police will make life better for black communities, and that by wishing it to be so; we can make school, medicine, and all social programs FREE for an unlimited amount of people.

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Sadly, I’ve already exposed myself and people know I’m not that dumb. I’m stuck forging my own path. At least I can look myself in the mirror and know I did what was right.

With that said, I’m building an army of like-minded thinkers by my side regardless of what comes next. So, if you want to join the rebel forces; we won’t throw you a fancy welcome party. Get over here, grab a shovel and get to work.