When her dad banned 6-year-old Gabi Merchen from watching the Disney Channel, she had to look for other options. She came across “3rd Rock from the Sun,” a comedy about aliens who land on earth in human form and attempt to fit in. Watching the show and laughing at the characters’ experiences sparked Gabi’s passion for comedy. Although her dad’s refusal to watch the Disney Channel introduced her to comedy, Gabi’s mom was the key influence in her pursuit of the art. When Gabi’s parents divorced, she said she looked to comedy as a “defense mechanism.”