Insights By Scott Ernst

I have a multifaceted personality shaped by heredity and circumstances. I was born to be a comedian, innovator, and connector.

My life story reinforced these roles. I have faced many extreme challenges and tragedies (childhood bullying, devastating injury, serious illness, catastrophic financial ruin, adult homelessness, loss, and more), but I transformed them into resilience and valuable life lessons. I once fought the Grim Reaper and achieved victory with a defiant grin. I refused last rites because I refused to die.

My autobiography began as a handwritten letter to my younger self. I wrote it while unexpectedly living alone in a tiny apartment on Skyway in Paradise, California, still recovering from my older brother’s sudden passing in the worst way. He is the toughest person I have ever known and my childhood hero. That letter kept growing until it became a full examination of my entire life to find the root cause of every good and bad event.

My autobiography is a comprehensive set of principles and rules for living a fulfilling and meaningful life, achieving victory in competitive situations, and thriving in a rapidly changing modern world. It is not a self-help book. It is an autobiography organized based on the lessons that I have learned from my life experiences and observations. It also serves as an explanation to understand how a complex person achieves goals in multiple fields while laughing, learning, and connecting. It covers my life through April 2025 and will be updated with my growth over the next two years, with publication expected in late summer 2027. The tragedies in my life are only discussed inside this book as the origins of specific principles and rules. They are not discussed elsewhere because I am focused on growth and joy.

You may not have heard of me because the tragedies have repeatedly derailed my life, so I will introduce myself and my life’s work.

SCOTT: The Authentically Relentless Comedian

“Never quit laughing when life knocks you down. Always get back up and keep laughing.” – Scott Ernst

Jessie Phoenix: An Authentically Relentless Action-Comedy

Jessie Phoenix is an adult animated action-comedy about an unkillable underdog navigating a brutally absurd world that keeps daring him to quit. Built from real survival experiences but liberated by animation, the series transforms collapse, trauma, and modern chaos into high-octane spectacle where punchlines defeat villains and perseverance is the only superpower that matters.

The show operates on a simple rule: Break the laws of physics to explain the laws of survival.

Jessie Phoenix (JP) is not a memoir character. He is an avatar that forms a visual translation of lived experience, freed from literal truth so emotional truth can land harder, funnier, and louder.

The series is architected with intention.

JP is the prism through which reality bends.

Why Animation, Not Just Stand-Up

The audience watches a story that refuses to stay small.

Stand-up comedy delivers a monologue.

Jessie Phoenix delivers an action-comedy world.

The series gives viewers what a microphone cannot: scale, motion, spectacle, and consequence. Exaggeration isn’t distortion. It’s clarification. Animation allows chaos to fight back, trauma to move, and perseverance to take physical form.

Rather than describing wreckage, the series lets the audience see it, feel it, and laugh as it explodes into momentum. Animation becomes the medium where spectacle sharpens truth and comedy punches back at disorder.

That world is Jessie Phoenix.

The Underdog Architecture

Jessie Phoenix functions as a prism for reality. Each episode draws from one of three sources:

• Events taken directly from lived experience
• Hybrid stories blending experience and observation
• Sharp observational fiction aimed at modern absurdity

Regardless of source, the series delivers the same foundation every time: perseverance, humility, and redemption that is always carried by laughs first.

In JP’s world:

• Trauma becomes momentum
• Collapse becomes choreography
• Punchlines earn laughs and defeat villains

The result is entertainment forged from survival that is fast, absurd, and relentlessly forward-moving.

The Name Matters

Every element of Jessie Phoenix is intentional.

• “Jessie” honors Jessie Scott, one of the bravest people the creator has known. The gender-neutral name grounds the male protagonist while carrying her strength forward.
• “JP” honors a close friend who faced death with uncommon courage.
• “Phoenix” reflects the cycle of collapse and rebirth that defines the character’s journey.

The name isn’t symbolic decoration.

It’s structural to the series’ identity.

Scott vs. Russell

The audience meets a character who lives between two modes of survival.

Scott (my middle and preferred name) represents momentum: energy, humor, and the choice to step into chaos with a grin.

Russell (my often forgotten first name) represents endurance: the part that survives hospitals, setbacks, and reminders of mortality.

Jessie Phoenix exists between them: the tension between surviving and choosing to keep going with laughter intact. That tension doesn’t appear as narration. It shows up in action, pacing, and how JP responds when chaos escalates.

Development Status: Built to Scale

Jessie Phoenix is being developed with clarity and scalability in mind. Presentation-ready materials are designed to meet industry expectations at every stage, including:

• A proof-of-concept short
• A polished series bible
• Visual character and world design
• A tight, professional pitch deck

The series is structured for growth without losing focus.

Stand-Up Remains the Lab

The audience benefits from material that has already been pressure-tested.

Open mics function as a comedy laboratory, where premises are tested, punchlines sharpened, timing stress-tested, and anything that fails to land is cut. Material that earns undeniable audience connection graduates to larger stages, festivals, and events.

On stage, the delivery is disciplined and audience-first:

• Tight timing
• Respect for the room and lineup
• Real-time adaptation
• Confident heckler diffusion
• Energy that leaves the audience primed for what comes next

Laughs always come first.

The Road to Edinburgh

The long-term stand-up ambition is the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. As the world’s largest arts festival, Fringe represents both a professional milestone and a personal pilgrimage, connecting performance with the ancestral home of the Scott Clan.

That goal reinforces the same commitment guiding the series itself: Punchlines first. Craft respected. No shortcuts.

Comedy Social Media

Laugh with me on Instagram @ComedyBySE, TikTok @ComedyBySE, and X @ComedyBySE.

Comedy Contact

To inquire about my comedy projects and performances, email ComedyBySE@protonmail.com.

ERNST: The Seriously Competitive Innovator

ERNST (my last name) is the German word for “serious” and my disciplined Marine personality who achieves goals by solving problems. A Marine who improvises, adapts, and overcomes is an innovator who achieves goals by solving problems. I am not a dilettante aimlessly wandering through life. I set achievable goals. I develop the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve a goal.

Project Autodidact Overview

Project Autodidact’s goal is to develop the knowledge and skills to use data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to create predictive and forecasting tools for the purposes described below.

My primary professional goal after completion of Project Autodidact is to use data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to save and improve veterans’ lives. I will present proposals to government and private entities to create the following tools based on the following priority, which may change based on circumstances and available resources:

1. Predictive tools for military and veteran mental health (e.g., predict probability of PTSD during and after service)
2. Forecasting tools for veterans’ mental health (e.g., forecast veterans’ mental health issues in the next decade)
3. Predictive tools for the socioeconomic effects of proposed government policies on veterans (e.g., predict probability of veteran homelessness)
4. Forecasting tools for the socioeconomic effects of proposed government policies on veterans (e.g., forecast labor participation of veterans over the next decade)

I am fully aware of the institutional and political realities affecting the achievement of these ambitious goals. I need to build coalitions of partners with shared values and goals to achieve these goals. I can be very persuasive and influential if necessary.

Given my limited time and energy, I will prioritize projects based on circumstances and available resources. I will focus on completing the highest-priority project before starting the next project.

Career Goal In Data Science, Machine Learning, And Artificial Intelligence

Project Autodidact is the first stage of my career goal to become a globally recognized expert in the use of data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence for predictive and forecasting purposes.

Insights Social Media

I maintain a separate social media account to share my observations, experiences, and lifelong learning on methods and tools for predictive and forecasting purposes. I am eager to discuss these topics with others, so join me in a discussion on X @InsightsBySE.

Project Autodidact Contact

To read about Project Autodidact, visit www.InsightsBySE.com.

To inquire about Project Autodidact, email InsightsBySE@protonmail.com.

SCOTT ERNST: The Adventurously Gregarious Connector

SCOTT ERNST is the adventurously gregarious connector with a sweet soundtrack to enhance the ambiance.

My adventurous spirit, gregarious nature, genuine interest in meeting people, and ability to connect help me build relationships with almost anyone. I often start a conversation with an observation, but I respect other people’s personal boundaries. I have a gentle approach when needed.

We may connect at an open mic night or while I am enjoying shameless fun at karaoke night, misadventures on pub crawls, rowdy mischief at tailgate parties, gripping drama during high-stakes beer pong matches, or singing along at a concert. From mysterious hostels in Europe to raging parties in law school in Miami to a chaotic life in Las Vegas, I have connected with people across 47 states and most of Western Europe.

Music has a significant impact on my emotions and can be my emotional regulation. Whether in thought or conversation, I have selected the right soundtrack of intense heavy metal, groovy pop hits, or relaxing soft rock to set the vibe, with “My Way” as my karaoke anthem.

My friends in life have been eclectic mixes of authentic misfits and ambitious achievers. I am always eager to meet new people.

SUPPLEMENTAL FACTS

This section is lengthy but necessary to address frequent questions about my life story. There is much more in my autobiography.

Early Life

• Born and raised in Contra Costa County, California (“The East Bay”).

Athletics

• Many achievements in youth soccer (central midfielder), high school baseball (three years varsity, starting multiple infield and outfield positions), high school football (two years varsity, two-way starting offensive tackle and defensive tackle, also placekicker and punter), and small college football (placekicker and punter).
• Small college school record 79-yard punt that traveled a total distance of more than 100 yards. College career long punts were 79 yards, 69 yards, and 64 yards. College career best single-game punt average was 51.0 yards (another school record). College longest field-goal attempt was good from 48 yards. Many small college football games were played with extremely adverse weather, field, and ball conditions. High school longest field-goal attempt was missed wide left from 55 yards.
• A malicious late hit in a small college football game caused a devastating injury, ended my football career, and ended my plans for a career as a Marine Corps officer.

Education And Work Experience

• Began college at UNLV before transferring to a small college. After my football injury, completed an undergraduate degree in accounting as a nontraditional student at San Jose State while working full time. Graduated with a perfect 4.00 GPA in accounting courses and a near-perfect cumulative GPA.
• First job after graduating from San Jose State was in the Bay Area offices of the audit practice of Ernst & Young LLP. My business card profoundly read: R. Scott Ernst, Ernst & Young LLP. Most clients were tech startups. My most memorable clients were a winery in Sonoma and the NFL team formerly known as the Oakland Raiders.
• Scored 90 or above on every section of the Uniform CPA Examination. Currently hold an active California CPA license.
• After working in public accounting for a few years, earned a law degree (Juris Doctor) at the University of Miami School of Law. Member of the Moot Court Board and represented the law school in national mock trial competitions. Once lost a mock trial competition but won a juror’s heart when she passed her phone number to me after the mock trial (true story).
• I do not have a law license, so please do not describe me as a lawyer.
• Returned to accounting and finance after law school. My accounting and finance career spanned many industries, including a few years in the cannabis industry. I can financially manage a large vertically integrated cannabis enterprise from seed to sale.
• Lived and worked in Las Vegas on and off for nearly ten years.

Marine Corps (Joining the Marine Corps Was the Best Decision of My Life)

• Between UNLV (my first college) and my next school, graduated from MCRD San Diego as a squad leader and trained as a machine gunner (MOS 0331) at SOI-West while climbing Mt. MFER with 150 pounds of gear.
• On graduation day from Marine Corps boot camp, one of my drill instructors invited me to share a pitcher of beer with him. Best beer I have ever drunk.
• Honorably discharged.

Travel for Work and/or Recreation

• Nearly every county in my home state of California.
• Forty-seven U.S. states (all except Alaska, North Dakota, and Michigan).
• Most of Western Europe and parts of Eastern Europe. My pub crawl stories are gloriously chaotic misadventures. Budapest!

Ancestry and Family

• Germanic Celtic American.
• German ancestors immigrated to America in the 1890s.
• Paternal grandfather was born and raised in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City, before moving west for a career as a forest ranger at Yosemite National Park, where my father and his older brother were born and raised.
• Direct descendant of Scottish Clan Scott in the Scottish Borders (mother’s side).
• If I add the Irish on both sides of my family, I am likely mostly Irish, which is painfully obvious when I forget to wear sunscreen.
• Scotch-Irish and French ancestors fought with colonists in the Revolutionary War.

No Political Affiliation

• Registered voter with no political affiliation.
• Fiscally reasonable and socially tolerant.

Religion

• Universal Rational Deist, with two major deviations from orthodox deism: (1) Belief in Divine Design that manifests in the appearance of Divine Intervention and (2) Belief in Divine Justice by Annihilation.
• Rarely discuss religion. Never discuss religion in comedy.
• Baptized Presbyterian. Ancestors and family are equal parts Catholic and Protestant. My older brother became a Mormon.
• Believe in the existence of a loving God.
• Able to reconcile belief with the discovery of human knowledge and the existence of human suffering.
• Made the painful choice to forgive myself and others to receive God’s grace.

Other

• Eagle Scout.
• Lead and supporting roles in student films throughout Los Angeles County with minimal acting training. Frequently asked to play unchallenging and/or uninteresting similar roles in similar stories, so I stopped seeking acting roles. Willing to discuss the possibility of a challenging and/or interesting acting role.
• Tested personality type is ENFJ-A (Assertive Protagonist).

IMPORTANT ENDNOTES

Workload, Health, Rest, Preparation, Performance, and Improvement

I value quality over quantity. I have extensive experience effectively carrying very heavy workloads and extensive experience effectively managing multiple work projects and personal responsibilities simultaneously. All my evergreen skills are elite level, especially discipline, adaptability, problem-solving, and resilience. I know my limits for producing work that meets my high standards of quality and make difficult choices to ensure that I do not exceed my limits. I constantly evaluate my workload and then make changes to prevent burnout. I leverage technology to maintain effective and efficient use of time, which is the most valuable resource in the universe.

I maintain a healthy diet and exercise plan to ensure my ability to perform at a high level, but my plan has the flexibility to enjoy spontaneous opportunities for delicious fun in life. I effectively manage my schedule to ensure sufficient time for emotional, mental, and physical rest, especially while traveling. I prepare contingency plans for resting while traveling. I schedule rejuvenating hikes in the Sierra Nevada mountains and foothills. My health routines, especially stress-management routines, are nonnegotiable. I will politely decline an opportunity to maintain my health.

My performance mindset is like that of an athlete, but I modify my methods for my specific situation. I constantly evaluate my methods before, during, and after performance using objective and subjective criteria to find opportunities for improvement. Most importantly, I always remember that I am an imperfect human who is constantly growing and will never become perfect. I also take time to celebrate the achievement of a goal.

I will be prepared to perform at my best when the spotlight is on me.

Experience Handling Prior Public Criticism and Other Challenges

Before my older brother’s sudden passing, I built a large audience sharing content on sports and sports betting. All my content on sports betting was lawful and ethical. I wisely paused that work to focus on my emotional and mental recovery. That work provided many valuable lessons on how to deal with public criticism. I also learned how to deal with serious problems of impersonation and defamation. I am prepared to handle public criticism and other challenges. Remember, I have Marine Corps discipline. I will not take the bait or walk into an ambush.

Professionalism

I enjoy my work. I enjoy my connections with other people. While performing accounting and finance work in the challenging environment of the cannabis industry, I maintained my professionalism and enhanced many transferable skills. I am prepared to maintain my professionalism while enjoying my work and connections with other people.

Never Any Addiction Problems

Some people assume that I have had addiction problems because I have endured so many tragedies. I have never had any addiction problems.

Uniqueness Of Suffering

All suffering is unique. I will never compare my suffering to the suffering of another person. I will never judge another person’s suffering. I will never criticize another person for sharing their suffering. I will only encourage other people to consider searching for the meaning of their suffering and finding an opportunity for growth in their suffering when they feel the time is right for them to move forward. Most importantly, I will encourage other people to find joy in life despite their suffering.

Post-Traumatic Growth

I have an incredible ability to compartmentalize pain and keep that pain away from other people. Nobody should ever feel intimidated or uncomfortable around me. I am a very approachable and friendly person. I will never accept the label of victim.

I am a doctor’s dream in the study of post-traumatic growth. Every tragedy made me more emotionally resilient, more mentally resilient, more appreciative of the gift of life, more compassionate, and brought me closer to God.

Who Is Scott Ernst?

Ultimately, my life will be defined by my principles, discipline, spirit, experiences, emotions, growth, laughter, solutions, connections, and authenticity. I will always be Scott Ernst until my last authentic breath. I hope to be remembered as a Marine who never quit and never left anyone behind.

Once a Marine, Always a Marine

Semper Fi

Scott Ernst at USMC SOI-West preparing to climb Mt. MFER with 150 pounds of gear