[media-credit name=’BRYAN FAUST/Herald Photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Some students dream of earning a living making fun of Dick Cheney shooting a guy or the dangers of recent "Girls Gone Wild" environmental trends.

But, for Ben Karlin, executive producer of "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report," it is his job. He shared his roadmap to such a career with the University of Wisconsin student body Monday.

"If you're lucky enough to have a passion … go toward the light," said Karlin, a UW alumnus, presenting the first of his "five points" of advice at Memorial Union Theater yesterday. "The difference between working to live and living to work is that one doesn't even feel like work."

Recounting his journey from a self-described UW freshman "tool" to an award-winning television writer and producer with an authentic Big Bird signature, Karlin's main message to students was to do whatever it takes to achieve their dreams.

"If you still don't believe you can't get to where you want to be by doing something beneath you — get over it," Karlin said, while telling about one of his old jobs delivering papers to Bascom Hall.

At UW, Karlin was a writer for the Daily Cardinal before becoming an editor for the popular satirical magazine, The Onion, which was originally based on the UW campus.

Karlin moved to Los Angeles after graduation and, after writing for such acclaimed television shows as "Space Ghost Coast to Coast" while continuing to write for The Onion, he was hired as head writer for "The Daily Show" when Jon Stewart became host.

"Every now and then, you have to take a leap," Karlin said. "Do the thing that deep down really, really scares you, because if you fail, you'll be f-cked."

After taking over as head writer, Karlin said he and his team had to "tear down" and "rebuild" "The Daily Show," but with a lot of hard work and patience, eventually helped make it one of the most popular shows on TV.

Among the news stories Karlin said he has most enjoyed and helped make the show the success it is include the controversial 2000 presidential elections.

Karlin said the experience of reporting on the 2000 presidential election taught him and the writers of "The Daily Show" a valuable lesson about journalism he feels the show now embodies.

More recently, Karlin said he has most enjoyed reporting on Vice President Dick Cheney's accidental shooting of a fellow hunter.

"If you sit in a room and think, 'What could be a more perfect thing for Dick Cheney to do than shoot someone?'" Karlin asked.

Before Karlin presented his speech, "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart introduced the lecturer in a pre-recorded video that included a variety of some of the show's popular sketches — including one on previous attempts in Madison to limit weekend drink specials.

Students laughed along with Karlin throughout his lecture and said they left satisfied.

"He's a funny guy," UW senior Leo Joyce said. "I came for a good laugh during my study break, and, yeah, I got it."