Fetching Coffee for the Kings of Comedy

Dylan Love, 21, a Broad Run High School graduate and rising senior at James Madison University, has had internships in New York at Time Warner and "Late Show With David Letterman." He's heading back to New York tomorrow for a fall internship with "Late Night With Conan O'Brien." He spoke with loudounextra.com staff writer Sydney Wilmer about his interest in comedy and in working in the entertainment industry.

Q How long have you been interested in comedy?

A Since the first time I laughed.

When did you realize you were interested in pursuing it professionally?

I'm interested in writing professionally, and comedy is simply a part of writing. My interest in writing was first piqued in high school when I wrote an article for the school newspaper called "Why 'Star Wars' Is Better Than 'Star Trek.' " I had to fend the ladies off with a stick once it was published.

In college, I kept signing up for scriptwriting and playwriting classes and started writing jokes for my radio show. I was loving it more and more.

What field do you feel closer to -- comedy, journalism or production?

Production, only because that's what I'm formally trained in.

What have your internships entailed so far?

I'm there, quite literally, as another pair of hands to do whatever needs to be done that day. When these hands weren't alphabetizing the "Late Show's" liquor cabinet, they were making copies, getting coffee and running things backstage at showtime.

What has been the most valuable thing you have learned thus far in your internships?

To try as hard as you can, because there are 50 people ready to take your spot at the drop of a hat. I also learned how to unjam a Xerox WorkCentre 7345.