Quotes from Lauren Lapkus

Doing 'Comedy Bang! Bang!,' you have to play at the top of your abilities, so it is so fun to get that opportunity. I've grown a lot as a performer just working with those guys.

I love creating characters that are ridiculous and flawed. To me, the most important thing about comedy is the joy it can bring to the performers and the audience alike. I love making people laugh and not over-thinking things. Some of my favorite moments are when I am doing an improv scene with friends, and I can't stop laughing during it.

I had always done broader characters, but going to UCB and speaking to my own voice was important for auditioning for TV and film.

The secret to podcast success is sticking with it and making it fun for yourself.

The audition process for 'Are You There, Chelsea?' was overwhelming and exciting. It was my first pilot season and one of the first pilots I auditioned for.

I would really like to create my own show. And I really wanna meet Oprah.

When I was growing up, I watched every sitcom imaginable.

I love watching people tell stories, because it's very vulnerable.

I live for watching TV and partying with my book club.

I think I was always a class clown growing up and a funny kid. I never really knew how to channel that until I got into high school.

I was invited to do an all-female improv festival in Portland called All Jane, No Dick. The person running it asked me if I had a female improv team, and I just said yes and then figured out who I would want to bring with me. We had such a fun show together that we decided that we should keep doing it.

Getting to be the 'weird roommate' on a sitcom was a dream come true.

You have to go as hard as you possibly can, or it's going to be weak. Whenever I find myself not committing fully to a character, it's not as funny. It doesn't have that clear point of view, and you find yourself wandering all over the place, whereas committed characters make strong choices that are clear to the audience.

It's really fun to play a character that fights back and say what she means.

My improv definitely shows a different side of myself, which is more true to what my real humor is and what my real personality is, and I think - I guess 'wild' is a good word for it. I'm still sweet! But I won't let anyone walk all over me.

For me, what really excites me about my characters and what pushes their core is the kind of dark, sad side of life.

I'm really thankful for my improv background.

I kind of see it as my personal therapy to get on stage and do characters.

Every so often, you have to do a show that makes you walk to your car with your head down, wondering what you're doing with your life. It's good for you, as long as you're not feeling that way every night.

The connective tissue between storytelling, advice, and comedy is passion.

I'm a huge 'Bachelor' fan!

You can't really get as much done when you're worried about looking gross.

I'm more of a tomboy - I fall into the jeans-and-a-T-shirt style, for sure - but I have a girlie side to me.

I think that by doing the podcast, I've grown to actually enjoy hosting a little more and realize that my role is a bit of a host, even though I thought I was totally avoiding that by creating this construct. But hosting a late night show has never really been a goal of mine in particular, but it could be fun.