Ellie Kemper, Born: 2 May 1980, Kansas City, Missouri, USA

I want to be a morning-talk-show host. I love Kelly Ripa's job. She gets to live in New York and has...Show more »

I want to be a morning-talk-show host. I love Kelly Ripa's job. She gets to live in New York and has this amazing job hosting a talk show. Show less «

I loved Freaks and Geeks (1999). I don't know a better show.

Improv is mostly what I've studied.

In Los Angeles, people dress with the deep and earnest hope that people will do nothing but stare at...Show more »

In Los Angeles, people dress with the deep and earnest hope that people will do nothing but stare at them. Show less «

I wrote comedy sketches in college.

Most New Yorkers want to look amazing, and they want you to understand that they look amazing, but t...Show more »

Most New Yorkers want to look amazing, and they want you to understand that they look amazing, but they also want you to stop staring at them. Show less «

My painting teacher in high school used to say, 'I can't paint like I want to, but through practice ...Show more »

My painting teacher in high school used to say, 'I can't paint like I want to, but through practice I'll get better.' But I don't think that's true. I think sometimes you just can't paint. Show less «

One nice thing that I have discovered about Los Angeles is the enthusiasm with which people dress.

If you're going to plan a wedding, then a certain amount of suffering is not a choice.

Growing up, I had one very specific idea of what a wedding should be, and that was the wedding of Fr...Show more »

Growing up, I had one very specific idea of what a wedding should be, and that was the wedding of Fraulein Maria and Captain von Trapp in 'The Sound of Music.' Show less «

I need to make sure that when I'm running out to the drugstore I'm not wearing a Biore strip or some...Show more »

I need to make sure that when I'm running out to the drugstore I'm not wearing a Biore strip or something. Not that I expect anyone to recognize me, but on the off chance they do, I just don't want to embarrass myself. Show less «

Los Angeles survives on that which is unpredictable. The unexpected courses through its very veins.

I've never had prejudice against me because of being a woman in comedy, I've never felt any sort of ...Show more »

I've never had prejudice against me because of being a woman in comedy, I've never felt any sort of unfairness because of that - but I do think it is naive to think that it doesn't exist. Show less «

I think I get certain pleasure from writing what I'm performing.

I guess it's easier to think badly and then be pleasantly surprised.

New York is like the weirdest city in the United States, in a great way, and Los Angeles is probably...Show more »

New York is like the weirdest city in the United States, in a great way, and Los Angeles is probably more similar to most of America. Show less «

It's interesting because with a lot of people who I've met in comedy, it seems not to matter what yo...Show more »

It's interesting because with a lot of people who I've met in comedy, it seems not to matter what your background is. In terms of formal schooling - I feel like that's a nineteenth century term - but in terms of where you went to high school or college, or wherever, all that really is irrelevant, I have found, in comedy. Show less «

I can't do impressions.