This week, our "Meet a Gawker.TV Intern" series focuses on Chris Dignes, another one of our fantastic team of summer interns.


How did you learn about the Gawker.TV internship program?
 One of my friends is a Jezebel fanatic but came across a Gawker post advertising a video internship and forwarded it to me.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
 When I was a kid, it was a tie between a LEGO Master and a Navy Seal, but now I'm leaning toward copyeditor. I've always been that guy who says things like, "You mean, 'To whom should I mail this tub of blubber?'" or "She's cute but she sent me a text with both a 'ur' and a 'your' in the place of a 'you're.' I'm not calling her ever." Correcting words on paper makes me feel significantly less guilty than correcting colloquial speech. Also, I'm not sure I can write for everyone, but I know I can copyedit for everyone.

What is your all time favorite TV Show?
 Arrested Development and Saturday Night Live.
What is your favorite post on Gawker.TV?
 Every single Stand-Up post.

What experiences did you hope to gain from this internship?
 I wanted to get a better understanding of how a professional blog works: the people, the processes, the practices.

Did your Gawker.TV internship live up to your expectations? How so?
 No. I was expecting to get crossposted to Jezebel and Gizmodo with every post I did (I keep submitting essays about the role of robots in subverting the role of the strong, independent, feminine woman and I keep getting 0 emails back), but other than that, it easily exceeded my expectations. I was expecting to win nothing more than a temporary spot on the Gawker II Bowling Team's Leaderboard and I won an iPad. Sometimes I bring it into work almost strictly because I can.

Was there something in particular that you learned from this internship that you didn't know before you started?
 Something in particular? How about every video edit I've ever made? Until this internship, I was completely satisfied just watching television and now I think in terms of potential headlines, show quality, guests, clip length and screencaps.

What has been your favorite part about your internship?
 Mostly meeting some incredibly talented and interesting people. And how most of the job involves watching funny stuff or making fun of stuff.

What skills do you feel you've gained as a result of this internship?
 An ability to tailor content to an audience. And better copyediting skills in the html-lite Gawker uses.

What was the biggest surprise you encountered interning at Gawker.TV?
 The biggest surprise was easily the day I came into the office and my computer next to the freight elevator was gone. It had been moved to the intern corral and no one stopped me as I walked the length of the office to the same seat I always used. I don't think I did much that day besides try to adjust to being around the other interns, how I could no longer hear the ambient music, the abundance of light and absence of freight elevator noises.

How does this internship differ from any other previous internships you might have had in the past?
 At my other internship, I was the only intern. Here, it took me easily a month and a half to finally meet all of the interns.

If you could, would you intern here all over again?
 Again? Doesn't that just mean you're hiring me? Does your health insurance cover glasses?

Would you recommend interning for Gawker.TV to others?
 Absolutely, unless you hate TV and making friends.

Do you have any tips or advice you would give future Gawker.TV interns?
 1. Be nice to the lady at the front desk. She's cooler and more powerful than you.
2. Go to the meet-ups.
3. Say "Yes."
4. Don't stay past 8PM and touch the antelope skull carving in the corner. The secret passageway it opens into was designed to be secret for a reason. Meeting Casper will only be the beginning of the journey you don't want. When he offers Bill Murray's phone number, take it. Bill will help you capture Zuul and if you hang out with him long enough you might meet GZA and RZA.
V. If you don't have one, get a Mac.

Do you have any ideas on how we can improve the internship program?
 Stop leaving the Stay Pufts laying around the office. And less computer relocations, probably.

What do you hope to do once you finish your internship?
 Copyedit.

Any regrets?
 Not listening to The Friendly Ghost—Harold Ramis is a great teammate, but I really could have used Bill's help. That and not owning a Mac.

Follow Chris Dignes on Twitter @TehDig, on tumblr, and email him here.

If you or someone you know is interested in interning at Gawker.TV send an email to internships@gawker.tv for more information.