GROSS: therefore the character that is main two close friends. One of these is Chinese United states.
One of these is African United states. The character that is main Indian United states. And in addition they’re referred to as UN. And she assumes this means un, you understand? But she actually is additionally told it is for a more reason that is negative simply because they’re all un-F-able (ph) So were you called such a thing like this when you had been in twelfth grade?
KALING: you understand, I am certain that I had been. We never ever discovered it to my face. I am certain there was clearly a great deal of mean nicknames for me personally because i might hear mean nicknames about other nerdy girls have been perhaps not me personally. And, you realize, there is a girl that is tall we went along to college with, who had been really stunning, really. But she was high. And because most of the males had been smaller than her and that made them insecure, they called her Beasta (ph). And she had no proven fact that ended up being her nickname.
And thus whenever you learn about such things as that – I mean, that is this kind of nickname that is cruel.
We simply thought, these girls need to have this. And, you understand, which has been a reflection that is real of in senior high school and my pal, Lang aswell, where we had been nerds. And I’m Asian. Therefore we had been simply gravitated – I’m not sure whether it had been convenience. We gravitated towards other minority nerds. Also it was not one thing I would seen on TV before. I thought, well, you realize, this might be my genuine experience. Therefore perhaps we ought to show it.
GROSS: had been that you severe pupil like the primary character is?
KALING: It is funny you asked that because I happened to be a student that is serious. But a very important factor we noticed once we see programs about nerds is the fact that, they tend to be very demure and wallflowers because they tend to be a lot of the side characters. They don’t really wish to speak up for themselves. And that is undoubtedly a type or type of nerd which was at my college. But there is additionally, like, the belligerent, confident nerd. They need big things on their own. And although they truly are not receiving it, it generally does not suggest which they don’t believe they deserve it.
And Lang, that is additionally an overachieving nerd who then went along to an Ivy League school, the two of us had this exact same experience.
And we also wished to show a committed nerd socially – wished to lose her virginity, wished to be cool, head to concerts. And it also, needless to say, never took place for either of us (laughter). But we thought, that might be enjoyable to demonstrate, you realize? They may be only a few unfortunate, peaceful bookworms. Although, we had been additionally those activities. But we were, like, noisy and rambunctious and opinionated.
GROSS: Were you belligerent?
KALING: i do believe in some instances. I believe that whenever you are searching for comedy at an early age and also you do not know just how to show it, I do believe I think that – I’m not sure belligerent is exactly the right word that you. I really do think that I endured up for myself a great deal in a fashion that probably place people off – truly guys. Yeah.
GROSS: Did a temper is had by you such as your character does?
KALING: Truly. And I also continue to have a mood now. And it’s really interesting being Asian because i believe you don’t associate Asian females with having tempers (laughter). Therefore – but many of us do, appropriate? Therefore – but that is maybe maybe not the label about us. Therefore I had been delighted to complete a show about lots of short-fused Asian women and to demonstrate that side of us.
GROSS: Did you have boyfriends in senior school? – because your character that is main literally.
GROSS:. For a boyfriend (laughter).
KALING: Thank you even for posing issue.
KALING: needless to say the clear answer is not any. It really is absurd you also asked the question. But which was really courteous of you, we’ll state.
KALING: No, needless to say perhaps maybe not, Terry.
GROSS: what sort of boyfriend did you imagine?
KALING: What sort of boyfriend did I imagine? You understand, there is plenty kinds that are different. One ended up being some sort of – there is this term we used in our authors’ space – i believe we began at “The workplace” – called NBC handsome, that camversity. com is a type of, like, Zach Braff, Adam Brody, a – you understand, a type of, like, brown-haired, floppy-haired man, who’s uncertain of himself a bit, but form of confident and super fast and probably spent my youth when you look at the tristate area.
Therefore in my situation, which was whom I was thinking ended up being good-looking and appealing because we felt like these weren’t, like, the cool, blond jock. This is, like, a sensitive and painful man whom, you realize, most likely decided to go to an East Coast liberal arts college. In which he could manage my Indianness (ph). And that is type of.
KALING:. The things I ended up being interested in.
GROSS: Do You Consider.
KALING:. Maybe Jewish, you understand? Like, that type or sort of thing.