- Once I did a college gig where when I got there, the poster said, "Free chicken nuggets," really big and then my name tiny at the bottom.
- Thank you so much for joining me on "The Drawing Room," Aparna.
- This is actually a little bit like my dream interview because I feel like a lot of interviews I am unsure how much eye contact to make.
- Were you a shy kid?
- I was, I was pretty shy.
I lived in my head a lot.
- A lot of stand-ups were shy kids.
I think people assume they were the class clowns.
But I meet more stand-ups where they were like, "I fully didn't talk to anybody until I was 21."
Personally, I just, like, public speaking was a no-go.
- Right.
- And drawing is another form of reading but for kids who don't want to learn.
And that's what I did.
- My mom was so worried 'cause she thought I was, like, so shy that she made my sibling and I take a public speaking class.
- Like at a college?
- I guess it was just an office building that at night did, like, adult education classes.
So me and my sibling were like, I think, like, 11 and 13, and we were just there with, like, a bunch of grown-ups who were there, I guess, for their work or something.
- Do you think it helped?
And I'm also imagining this, and I'm loving what I'm seeing.
This is so adorable.
- I think it did help because I think it did make me know how to, like, hold a microphone and, like, look at an audience.
And I think that actually did help me kind of figure out how to do stand-up.
'Cause I wasn't one of those kids who, like, grew up watching a ton of stand-up.
- How old were you when you started stand-up?
- I think, like, in my, I think the very first time I tried it, I was, like, 20 maybe.
But then I didn't really get into it more until after college.
- When people start stand-up, they're like, "Yeah, I was in the clubs at 15."
- Oh my God.
- I'm just like, "And what were you talking about?"
- I know there are videos of, like, kids stand-ups- - Uh huh.
- And it's kind of wild 'cause they're kind of doing adult cosplay a little bit.
- Yeah.
- They're like, "Let me tell you about my homework."
And you're like, "What's happening?"
- Yeah, like, when you look back at your very early sets, are you proud or embarrassed?
- Oh, I'm kind of horrified.
But I think that I've kind of made peace with it because I think when you start, you are supposed to be.
Like, it would be weird if you looked back and were like, "I was perfect.
I was fully informed."
- "That was incredible."
- I guess my confusion when I look at early sets is, like, why was, why did everyone say you can keep going?
- Because when you're at open mics, no offense to everyone at open mics, but I was there.
Like, there are so many bad comedians that, like, you're just standing out even if you're just like, "Well, she's not terrible."
Then, it's like- - Right.
- "You've got a future."
It's horrifying to have video proof of everything now.
- I know.
- Because at least my, you know, when I was trying to do impressions, at least nobody ever saw that.
How do you feel about your drawing?
- Really bad.
- So you didn't watch stand-up when you were younger, but did your family, like, how did humor work into your family growing up?
- I mean, I would say I had kind of an intense family of, like, workaholics.
I don't think I thought, "I'm funny," until high school, weirdly enough, where I ran cross country.
And I feel like we would go on these long runs.
And I think one of my teammates said something like, "You say a lot of funny things under your breath."
I think that was the first time I was like, "Oh, I didn't realize that."
- I don't know where I saw this, but I saw that you, just going back to you being a shy kid, that your mom made you call and order pizza.
- Yes.
- Is that true?
- It is, yeah.
Of course as a kid, you're like, "This is hell.
Like, is this what being an adult is?
Like, I think I can't do it."
It's like the guy would answer and he, like, clearly didn't want to be there.
He'd be like, "Yeah."
And I'm like, "He's already so mad at me."
- What did young Aparna think adulthood would feel like?
- Like, I never was like, "I'm gonna have a family and have kids."
Like, I think my dreams were kind of strange.
Like, whenever I played house with my sibling and, like, our neighbors' kids, I would always be like, "I'm gonna be the dog."
Did you have, like, a dream, a career when you were a kid?
I went through several phases, I think.
- Yeah, I did the same thing.
Like, I think for a while I thought I'd have, like, a grilled cheese restaurant that, like, lasted- - Whoa.
- [Mo] That actually lasted into my 20s.
- That's awesome though.
- When I had major stage fright and had never been on a stage, I thought, "Oh, maybe I could be an actress with no..." - Wait, you had major stage fright?
- Oh yeah, I had really, really bad stage fright.
It really takes at least 10 years to get.
You know, I just did exposure therapy and started stand-up.
- Wow.
'Cause I feel like I still get pretty anxious to perform.
And I'm always in awe of these comedians who are just like, "Yeah, I don't get nervous."
Honestly, like, I think I used to take bombing, like, so personally.
And now it's more just sort of like, I'm like, "Oh, that's funny 'cause this other audience really liked that and you guys hate it so much."
And that's kind of- - Yeah.
- Funny usually.
- Bombing is funny, is the thing.
- Yeah.
- Like, you never, like, you're not gonna sit here and tell me about a time that you did incredible in stand-up.
- Right.
- You're only gonna tell me the horror stories.
Which, do you have one- - Right.
- By the way?
- I don't know what they were thinking or, like, why they were even booking comedians, but they put me up between two punk bands.
So basically, it was like while they were breaking down the first punk band's set and setting up the next one, they were like, "Why don't you do some comedy and definitely drive two hours to get here?"
And all I remember, 'cause I was like, it was one of those things where you could barely hear yourself.
I just, like, look up.
And in the back of the tent, I think it was in a tent, I just see this girl spinning around in circles.
And I was like, "Yeah, that's probably the best reaction I'm gonna get."
Once I did a college gig where when I got there, the poster said, "Free chicken nuggets," really big and then my name tiny at the bottom.
I was like, "Yeah, that's right."
- Do you let anybody go to, your family members and stuff go to your shows?
- My parents have seen me perform, but I feel like they still don't understand all of my humor.
Like, my mom will still kind of look around and be like, "Everyone seemed to be having a great time."
- That is the universal parent compliment.
- Yeah.
Yeah, do you let your parents see you perform?
- My mom comes all the time.
She's like- - Okay.
- If my dad came, it would be such a, I would be so surprised because he hasn't been in my life ever.
So I'd be like- - That's fair.
- "This is a show I'll never forget.
And there better be free chicken nuggets 'cause I'm gonna need to eat those."
My grandma came to a show of mine.
- Yeah.
- And it was, you know, a one-woman show one year into comedy with me playing Barbies on stage.
And, you know, it was terrible, and luckily there's no video evidence of it.
But, you know, I'll never forget her after the show and being like, "I just feel like, did she need the Barbies?"
We have something called "Quick Draw-" - Okay.
- Where you have one minute to draw something from memory.
I'm gonna challenge us both to draw a horse in one minute.
Horses are kind of difficult, I'm learning.
All right, maybe we'll exchange those- - Yeah.
- And see what we- - Oh my God, I love it.
- Wait, you did incredible.
This is- - But your horse has so much personality.
- You're gonna have to sign this, and I'm keeping this on my wall.
You've been in so many animated shows and movies.
Like, where did that begin?
- Funnily enough, since we drew the horse, I think my first voiceover was "Bojack Horseman."
And I honestly don't even know how I got on their radar.
I feel like that's something that sometimes happens in our industry where it's like, "I'm so glad that you contacted me, and I have no idea how you found me."
- Of all of the animated shows- - Oh man.
- Which one is your favorite?
Or which one stands out?
- I mean, recently got to do a voice in a Pixar movie that just came out.
And I think that was kind of like, "Whoa, Pixar."
- Have you ever thought of writing a Pixar movie?
I mean, I feel like that's not how it works at Pixar, but still.
You ever pitched them an idea while you were in the kitchenette?
- I think that would be a dream, but I think you're right.
They have such a, like, intense process for.
Like, even when I was recording, they were, like, you know, doing all these, like, focus tests.
And, like, they have such a, like, intense, like, meticulous process for all of their stuff.
- How has your inner critic evolved over the years?
- I really think I've gotten, like, a little less mean to myself.
But honestly, I feel like that just happened last week or something.
- It's recent.
- Yeah, I've struggled with, like, a pretty mean inner critic for most of my life.
And I think it was, like, hitting my 40s that made me be like, "You know what?
This feels pretty bad.
I'm gonna choose the next half of my life or whatever I have left to be a little more or less of a bummer."
I wrote a book a couple years ago that was, like, about kind of self-doubt and just, like, how much I've struggled with it.
There was something about getting it all onto the page that made it sort of be like, "Okay, this is, like, a part of me, but it's not all of me.
And, like, maybe it doesn't have to, like, rule everything in my head."
- Do you have any advice for people who are feeling, like, a strong sense of self-doubt?
- For me, I think what's helped a lot is kind of being like, "Who cares?"
Like, I think before- - Yeah.
- I would be so wrapped up in, like, what other people thought of me, or, like, what does this mean that I'm not as good at this as someone else in my head.
And now I'm just like, "Who cares?
Like, we're all here so short.
And it's, like, no one else is really that concerned about what you're doing.
Like, at least make it more fun for you."
- Okay, when you're ready, you can come over and look at the cartoon.
- I'm excited.
Oh my God, Mo.
It's so good.
- That's your horse right there.
- Wow.
It's so beautiful.
- Thank you.
- I think I could cry.
Okay, Mo.
I'm so sorry.
I'm so sorry.
- What, why are you sorry?
This is amazing.
- 'Cause I don't know what happened.
- You really, no, you really.
Wait, am I doing the Pledge of Allegiance?
- I think you're talking to yourself in the mirror.
- Oh, I love that.
You really had me think I was, like, coming into something horrific.
I think this is beautiful.
- I mean.
- I like that my thought bubble is coming out of her ass.
- Yeah, yeah.
- I think that's great.
- I can't believe you did this while talking and thinking.
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