#aparna nancherla

[obori-reisuke]

[terabyte-teddybear]

hollyhock and pc icons for me! someday i will figure out how to make a filter that doesn't suck but for now i just keep fucking around with other peoples' lol <3

psd 1 by @rookmeo and @otoripink / psd 2 by @jaynedits

[sad-boys-book-club]

"&" Ampersand - A Literary Companion: Intros & Narrators

Hey everyone!

I'm excited to dive deeper into the literary companion I created for Bastille's upcoming project “&”. As you might realize from my previous post, each song has been paired with two books that complement its themes, so I’ll be breaking down why I chose each one of those books for each song.

Let's start with our first gorgeous, chef's-kiss of a track Intros & Narrators.

David Foster Wallace - "Oblivion: Stories"

This one might be a more obvious choice, as Dan’s lyrics explicitly refer to Wallace in the pre-chorus with “David talked about the daily trenches of adult life.” For anyone who might not be familiar with David Foster Wallace, I think most of his work can be a bit intimidating—who wouldn’t feel discouraged when facing the 1,079 pages of Infinite Jest? It gives me tendinitis just to consider the endeavor! But he’s a really talented (although controversial) author and a certified name you’ll see on multiple ‘1001 books to read before you die’ kind of lists.

I first came across his writing when I was still in university (Journalism grad here), when an overly excited J02 professor claimed that Consider the Lobster had changed his outlook on post-modernist literature. At the time, I was a bit skeptical—all I’d heard were jokes about hipsters carrying copies of Infinite Jest without ever reading it—so I did some digging into who this highly regarded author was. Not to take up much of your time, dear reader, so if you’re interested in learning more about him, I recommend checking out the movie The End of the Tour, which follows David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg), a reporter with Rolling Stone magazine, as he interviews DFW (brilliantly played by Jason Segel) during his book tour. It’s a bit of a depressing watch though, as Wallace struggled with depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, and suicidal tendencies, which eventually ended in him ending his own life.

Anyhow, back to Bastille and some less depressing topics.

The reference in "Intro & Narrators" is a direct reference to David Foster Wallace‘s 2005 commencement speech to the graduating class at Kenyon College. The speech is long, definitely worth reading in its entirety, but if I could pick one single bit that feels the most relevant it is as follows:

“Probably the most dangerous thing about an academic education—at least in my own case—is that it enables my tendency to over-intellectualize stuff, to get lost in abstract argument inside my head, instead of simply paying attention to what is going on right in front of me, paying attention to what is going on inside me. As I’m sure you guys know by now, it is extremely difficult to stay alert and attentive, instead of getting hypnotized by the constant monologue inside your own head (may be happening right now).”

The speech ended up becoming the posthumously published book This Is Water, however, I think Wallace's third and last short story collection, Oblivion: Stories (which I’m now wondering if it inspired the band’s Oblivion too), feels like a much better choice thematically and might be a better introduction to Wallace’s body of work. Just like the song, these short stories delve into the unreliable nature of our perceptions and the complex narratives we construct about our lives. Wallace's verbose, complex, convoluted style (including a bunch of words you might have to search online, at least, I did) works really well in those short stories, and is a sort of joke into the whole idea of an "unreliable narrator"—I think he’d argue that no one can be actually reliable when it comes to speaking about ourselves.

Aparna Nancherla - "Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Impostor Syndrome"

A lighter read, because life is all about finding a balance between existential musings and humor, Nancherla's book is a candid exploration of personal identity, mental health, and the ever-present impostor syndrome. Aparna Nancherla, a stand-up comedian and actress known for her roles in BoJack Horseman, Master of None and The Standups (also, for publishing a lot of essays on the New York Times), brings her unique voice to a collection of essays that tackle personal identity, mental health, and the ever-persistent specter of impostor syndrome.

Imagine a painfully timid person thrust into the limelight, grappling with a skyrocketing career and the gnawing fear that everyone will soon discover she’s a total fraud. That’s her reality, and she shares it with a raw vulnerability that is both touching and hilariously relatable. As a South Asian woman navigating the overwhelmingly white, male-centric world of comedy, Nancherla’s insights are as sharp as they are entertaining. Be warned, though, you'll laugh, yes, but you’ll mostly find yourself nodding along, recognizing some of the truths she unearths about self-doubt, mental health and the human experience.

With a background in Psychology, Nancherla doesn’t just present her experiences; she backs them up with research, adding depth to the whole thing. There’s a saying that comedy is the refuge of the chronically sad, and Nancherla embodies this paradox perfectly (as do, famously, a lot of stand-up comedians—Bo Burnham’s pandemic-inspired Netflix special Inside, immediately springs to mind). Stand-up comedy can often create the illusion that comedians are perpetually happy-go-lucky individuals, effortlessly tossing out jokes right and left in their day-to-day life. That is so far from the truth. You’ll find most of them are actually perfectionists with a capital P and little control freaks, obsessing over every word and timing to make sure their jokes land perfectly (this is not a dig at comedians, the same can be said for any other creative profession: writers picking out the perfect dialogue, actors who go method to embody a character, musicians who just can’t seem to stop tinkering with a melody…). 

Why does this book pair so well with this song, you ask? Well, both Nancherla and the song delve into the concept of being unreliable narrators of our own lives, often judging ourselves more harshly than anyone else ever could. The struggle of introverts in the public eye, the tug-of-war between creating art and performing a persona—these themes echo through Nancherla’s essays and Bastille’s lyrics. 

That's it for this one. Stay tuned as I continue to break down each song and its literary companions. I hope these pairings enhance your listening (and reading) experience.

Feel free to share your thoughts and any other book suggestions as well!

With love,

Cat

[nakedcomedy]

#LosAngeles & #Livestream fam, it's time to talk Democracy! But make it funny & hot!

We got a sweet lil’ show hosted by Cameron Esposito featuring some amazing stand up comedians coming together to raise some $$ for Kamala the night before the DNC.

Featuring: Aparna Nancherla, Dylan Adler, Ify Nwadiwe, Danielle Perez & MK Paulsen!

SUNDAY 8/18 7pm PT Live at UCB in LA and Livestreaming on Youtube! Get tickets now and save $5 on tix!

—

This is an 18+ show.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on the day of the show

Livestream ticket buyers will receive an email with the livestream link at the time of purchase and again one hour before the show. Livestream link will be available for 12 hours after the show.

All sales are final. The show starts at the time listed. If you are not at the theater more than 5 minutes before the start of the show, we may release your tickets to the waitlist.

Lineup is subject to change.

Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre 5919 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles, CA

[eggsaladstain]

finally an answer to the age-old question: how would a snail wear mittens?

Source: Frog and Toad, Season 2 Episode 2

[standupcomedyhistorian]

Talk about irony.

I am NOT a comedian AT ALL.

I am the least funny person you have yet to see.

You like Bo Burnham tho, right? That's mainly the sort of stuff I write about and obsess over (or did when I focused entirely on him—the site has broadened to include much more).

Enjoy the content that is for everyone, even those who aren't comedians! ✌🏼🐔

[lavoixhumaine]

Angela Bassett and the cast of Netflix’s “Orion and the Dark”

📷 dreamworks

[yahoo201027]

August 22: Happy 42nd Birthday to Voice Actress and Comedian Aparna Nancherla, who provides the voices of the characters of both Lemon Jade in the episode “Together Alone” (2018) and Nepherite in the episode “Legs from Here to Homeworld” (2018) on Steven Universe, Susmita on Bob’s Burgers, and Moon Tobin on The Great North.

[picturethisshow]

#LA & #Livestream SUMMER & #PRIDE are about to be ANIMATED LIVE!! ☀️🏳️‍🌈 We're back at @thevirgilbar FRIDAY 6/21 with cool drinks (and AC) and HOT COMEDY!!

Comedy by: Aparna Nancherla (The Great North) Solomon Georgio (After Midnight, Conan) Jared Goldstein (Comedy Central) Quan'Darius Padilla (Jimmy Kimmel's Comedy Club) Alice Brenner (Dry Mouth Comedy) Irene Tu (VICELAND)

Animation by: Mike Hollingsworth (BoJack Horseman) Jorge Gutierrez (Emmy & Annie Winner!) Alayna Cabral (Disney) Mike Mayfield (Comedy Central) Alex Salyer (Big Mouth) Jenny Fine (The New Yorker)

Hosted by: Brandie Posey (Lady to Lady)

FRIDAY 6/21 7:30 doors 8pmPT show/livestream

LIVE SHOW TICKETS: $10 pre-sale, $15 day-of  https://www.thevirgil.com/#/events/101162 21+ / Lineup subject to change without notice LIVESTREAM ONLY: $10  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/621-livestream-only-picture-this-live-animated-comedy-tickets-914835566807?aff=oddtdtcreator *Not all performers guaranteed to be on the livestream

Flier Art by Alayna Cabral

[randomrichards]

ORION AND THE DARK:

Kaufman bedtime tale

Anxious boy and laid back dark

The need for night time

[vintagewarhol]

[terabyte-teddybear]

@hiddencircus prompt-a-thon: an underrated duo in complimentary colors, i did hollyhock and todd in blue and orange (psd by me)!

[chrisnaustin]

If only I were she!

[nakedcomedy]

#LosAngeles Pizza and a perfect comedy lineup is what Mr. Horsepower comedy is servin up!!

Next show: Tues 3/12

Featuring: Natasha Leggero, John Gemberling, Aparna Nancherla, Sethward & Maggie Maye!

Save $5 on early tickets now!!

[eggsaladstain]

gopher and snail and bug band my beloveds!!!!! 🥰🥰🥰

Source: Frog and Toad (Apple TV+, 2023)

[theworkprint]

What We Do In The Shadows Recap: We Circle Back Instead of Circle The Drain in "The Campaign"

In episode 5x4 of What We Do In The Shadows episode titled "The Campaign", Colin finds love, Nandor finds a friend and Nadja finds a family. Spoiler alert: only one of these proves sustainable.

Recap We’re in the nerve center. Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) is running for comptroller on account of Sean (Anthony Atamanuik) possessing over nine DUIs. While Colin’s psyched, Nandor (Kayvan Novak) is struggling to find a workout buddy. Guillermo (Harvey Guillén) has been avoiding his master like the plague, so the Relentless attempts to make a friend in fellow gym rat Alexander (Robert…