The Three Questions with Andy Richter - Rachel Kaly

Episode Date: September 15, 2026

Comedian Rachel Kaly (Jury Duty) joins Andy Richter to discuss the pros and cons of mining her mental health for comedy, her appearance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien as a five-year-old , her work on the reality hoax sitcom Jury Duty, and much more. Do you want to talk to Andy and his comedian friends live on SiriusXM’s Conan O’Brien Radio? Tell us your favorite dinner party story (about anything!) or ask a question - leave a voicemail at 855-266-2604 or fill out our Google Form at BIT.LY/CALLANDYRICHTER. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello, welcome back to the Three Questions. I'm the host of the Three Questions, Andy Richter. And today I'm talking to Rachel Colley. She is a comedian, writer, and actress. You saw her in Jury Duty Presents Company Retreat, and you can check out the crowdwork show between us at the Edinburgh Fringe in August. Here's my conversation with the very funny Rachel Colley.

How long have you been in L.A.? Kind of three years. We're rolling? Yeah. Okay. Three years? On and off. I couldn't commit and then I officially moved here last year. Oh, you did?

But I had an amazing apartment in Brooklyn, not to brag. Was it cheap? It was extremely cheap for what it was. Right. I'll say that. Okay. Amazing brownstone park slope. Right, right.

I left, and literally the week after I left, I think, like, the price of it doubled. Like, it's just I'm never going to be able to move back. And it wasn't like a thing where you could hold on to it and sublet and get away with that. But the owners lived in the building and they were like, we don't know who you're bringing in. I was like, I'm not really bringing in anyone, but whatever works for you guys. And how is that? Because you are a native New Yorker.

Is that a song? What song is that? It's called You're a Native New Yorker. Really? It's a fucking horrible song. Wow. I have to check it out. You're a native New Yorker.

Is that jazz? Or Broadway. Wait, hold on. Let me just find it. Yeah, play it. Is it old or new? Yes. No, it's old.

Okay. It's, it kind of sounds like, it sounds like, whoa. It gets worse. Uh-huh. What are they saying? New York City girl. I need to look up the lyrics. Oh, it's a woman singing it.

Native New Yorker lyrics. I mean, that's nice. You grew up riding the subways. Yeah. There's a friend. Frankie Valley version. I love Frankie. Because this is not what you do, making friends, finding lovers.

Yeah. That's part of it for sure. Up in Harlem, down on Broadway. Yeah, I've been both. So anyway. Yes, you're a native New Yorker. Yes, yes. And what is that?

Like, I find that in my life, the native New Yorkers that I know that are healthy, well put together individuals is the rarity. Yeah, I wouldn't say any of that. You're not. No. And do you think that that's generally true of like people that you knew that grew up and or, you know, or am I being unfair? Well, I was at an interesting cross section of people because, I mean, when we're

walking around the street, everyone's a disaster. But then sometimes you get in with kind of like the rich kids. Like I went to private school as a kid because my mom was a teacher there. Oh, okay. So that was my inn. I see. And I was sort of going to, like, rich kids' houses. And I was like, what is this?

Like, I didn't know about this. And so I saw that. And I've always aspired to it, of course. Right. And then I also saw my life, which was not that. And I, you know, so it was horrible in some ways. But amazing. I mean, I feel like I was a real New Yorker.

Yeah. And those kids were like, they lived in, like, lofts. Oh, really? I mean, it was amazing. Were you in Manhattan? I grew up in Hell's Kitchen. Oh, wow. And then moved to Queens when I was a little older.

Yeah. So I had both. And Queens is, I mean, Queens is amazing, but it's just like a suburb. Yeah. Like I grew up on a street with like Tudor houses across from me. Yeah. Which I didn't, again, didn't know about. New York is so big.

I was just back there this week for work stuff. And I was there during the Knicks game and everything. And it was just like, it was so crazy. Yeah. And I just feel like I haven't found that here yet. Maybe I will. Yeah. I don't care.

It takes a while here because especially like I started in Chicago and then went to New York and then came to L.A. and then went back to New York. And New York makes you think that L.A. is like a big, full of shit, phony place. Totally. And yes, it can be. Yeah. But it also. When you're in the industry.

I know it's like that's the pocket I'm in. So that's what I'm seeing. Yes. And you can, that can definitely be your experience depending on where you go and who you hang out with. Yeah. But there is a very real place. Yes. This is a very real place with its own history and its own identity and a lot of really, really cool stuff. I need to go on a walking tour. I mean, just get away from show business people. Right, right, right. Where do you live? I live on the east side. Specifically. Like I mean, address. Like Echo Park.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Echo Park. Yeah. But I'll work in a hospital or something. Then I'll see the real stuff. That's right. Because I had weird jobs in New York. Yeah.

I had a job where I was working for a divorce attorney. And it was a couple running it, but they met on opposing sides of a divorce that they were litigating. So they never got married. So romantic. Yeah, they really had an amazing meeting story. You don't write that rom-com. I'm going to. Well, this was, so they were always fighting.

It was sort of like, well, they won't they even though they were, but it was kind of a secret because they didn't want people to think that like love was possible, basically. It's not good for business. No, it was not good for business. But my job was digitizing all of the PI files from the 90s. So like photos of that PIs took of like someone's white cheating or like, you know. So that was like, that was real New York grit that I was. just like dealing with. And I just haven't had the privilege of that. How did you get that job?

One of the attorneys was like my friend had worked for her and it was just like a like five week internship. Oh, I don't even think I got paid. I see. Yeah. What are you going to do? Yeah. Well, you can't, yeah, you can't show love and you can't pay children. No. You know. Right. Now, you do, I mean, I've seen a lot of your stand-ups. So I, and it's very autobiographical. Certainly. And which is fun in some ways, but then there's other ways it makes me, I think, as a dad, worried. Yeah.

You know, I think it's like, you know. I appreciate that. Yeah. Anything specific? All of it. Yeah. Yeah. You know my answer to that is going to be all of it.

Yeah, yeah. No, but I mean, but you talk about. like growing up in a two-room apartment with four people. Yeah. And then I've just seen things about like, you know, so many, many hospitalizations because of mental things. Mental, many mental things. And do you think it's good to be doing, making it into comedy?

I. And I don't mean that pejoratively because I don't know the answer. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know. I guess my argument for why it's good is. is someone has to do it. I don't know if that's really the best art. I would say, there's,

there is an argument to be made, but I don't know if that's the first one. I love Maria Bamford. I feel like she was like someone who my friend, because I started doing comedy when I was nine. Yes. So again, not good. Maybe not that great.

Right, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 100% completely agree with you. Yeah. But I feel like in high school, my friends are like, oh, you should check out Maria Bamford. Like, she's kind of like,

I mean, they saw me having like mental breakdowns all the time and they're like shoot maybe you know something with that and I feel like knowing she existed was like helpful for being like oh yeah this is something you can talk about but also like I think my mental illness has led me to do crazy things and it's just good stories like I just have good stories and it feels like a waste to not tell them I understand that and I do I have a show where I kind of go through everything bad that's happened to me in my life and like afterwards so many people come up to me and then sort of unload their stuff onto me. And they're like, I didn't know that some people have been like, oh, I got a diagnosis differently after I went to your show because I presented it to my dog.

And I don't know if that's good. But it's like people are responding to it and engaging with it. But what else am I going to tell jokes about? I don't know. Like cars? I don't know. I mean, because you're very funny and I do love your stuff. much. So I mean, I don't, but then I does get to a point with, and I mean, I think I felt this with

Maria too sometimes, a feeling like, am I, am I like some sort of creature that's feeding on your sorrow? Right, right. You know? I do think if I'm putting it out there, that's okay. Yeah. You know, I think it's like, it's very vulnerable, even though it's also kind of not, because I get to kind of decide how I tell it. Yeah. And I think that's part of it too is it's like, well, I'm telling my story the way that I want to. Right. And that there's something nice in that.

But I think the main thing is I'm just like, what? That's all I know. Yeah. I'm not like observational stuff. I'm like, I could, but anyone could. And this is like very specific to me. And I like making people squirm. Like I've always said like I'd rather look out into the crowd and have people

making like a, you know, like jaw-drop face than having like mild laughter, you know. It's just a, it's a more visceral reaction. Yeah. Yeah. Do you turn up the volume on the stories, you know, like maybe fabricate details? I have there are some, I do like, I have a very autobiographical stand-up and then I also have stand-up where I'll tell these like kind of long 10-minute jokes where it starts from a really real place and then becomes insane.

Yeah, yeah. And that's where I kind of get to let out the like, let's crank it all the way up and see what I can get away with. And it's like funny to see when people are like, oh, that's when it stopped being real. And it kind of changes based on the person, I guess. Right. But when it's like the autobiographical stuff, I try to keep in the spine of like what really happened.

Yeah. Just because then it's like, well, what am I doing? Do you get people saying like it was helpful? Yes. Yeah. Half helpful, half like people really concerned for me. Right. Yeah.

Well, like, yeah. I've had people like message me resources after shows and I'm like, I'm fine. Yeah. But thank you. But you kind of got to, you know. I respect it and it's no, I appreciate it. But it is always really funny. It's for me, it's always like it's, there's just like certain things like having

been on social media. And as I'd say, you know, like being on Twitter when Twitter was Twitter, I know that there's like certain things that I would post and it's like, I know I'm going to get X. Yeah. I'm going to, people are going to like, you know, like if you post anything about a pet, you're going to get all these fucking people that are like, you shouldn't be letting your dad, you know, chase a ball, you know. And so there's, yeah, there's like things that you can And that's sometimes when I have, I mean, I'm not a stand-up, but I have talked about like depression and stuff a lot. And it's, and I usually have been doing it within an interview kind of framework. So I'm not kind of, I mean, I'm, I'm trying to be funny all the time.

Yeah. But it's like it's not meant to be like a comedy thing. Right. But I have had a lot of people. And I've never been one to be like. If someone can learn from my journey, you know. I don't, yeah, I don't love that. I just made the jerk off a gesture. And then a fart too.

Yeah, and then a fart, well, that's what happens. Right. It depends. You jerk off and then at the end, you know, that's what comes out. Right, right, right, right. You know, or maybe there's something terribly wrong with me, urologically speak. It's a fart. It's a fart.

Right. Right. That's cool. But, I mean, I have had people be like, You know, like when somebody comes up to you and is like, I have been miserable for a long time and I went to therapy because I heard you on a podcast. Yeah. It's like, oh. That, it's cool, I guess.

Yeah. Oh, absolutely. But that's never why I'm doing it. Yeah. Necessa. I mean, if I can help someone great. And I do feel like the types of stuff I talk about are the like kind of more stigmatized or lesser known mental. Like I have BPD, which is like the punchline of like every joke about mental illness because it's kind of a crazy one.

And I feel like people have learned about it. And what's B, I don't know what it is. It's called borderline personality disorder. And it's like, I mean, it's a tough one. But it's funny too. It's kind of like a catch all of all kinds of different things. That's how people treat it. Because it's like kind of bipolar.

It's kind of depression. It's kind of OCD. Like it's all this different stuff. And so people are always like, oh, that person's being like so BPD right now, which I'm like, what I don't really care. But it's like I think people have actually learned about what it can be through me talking about it. Not that, you know, other people are talking about it too. But like, that has been interesting for me where people are like, oh, I didn't know that.

Yeah. So does it, do you think that like now that you're doing stand up based on your mental health, that it's bad for your mental health in terms that you feel? like you've got to keep yourself fucked up. Yeah, I got to have like one a year so that a mental breakdown a year so I can like get enough material to sustain me. But luckily I think it just comes naturally. Oh, you know, that's good. So it's not I'm banking on it, but so far it hasn't been an issue. Yeah. Can't you tell my love's a girl. But I mean, do you feel like you're better put together now than you were a year ago and then a year before that? More or less. Yeah.

Yeah, I've done some, like, crazy therapy stuff where, like, me now compared to five years ago, it's, like, completely different, like, in terms of, like, how I can function in the world. Yeah, yeah. And I think that has changed some of my work for better or worse. Like, I feel like I'm, sometimes I feel like I take less risks now just because I'm, like, I need to maintain some of my sanity. Yeah. But I also think that could just be getting older. And it's, I do a lot of like man on the street stuff. And I feel like as I've gotten older, I'm like, I don't really want to go yell at someone on the street today.

I'm tired. Yeah. You know, so I don't know if that's me trying to be like, okay, well, I'm more of a, you know, mentally healthy person now and maybe don't do that or if I'm just like older. Is when you say risks, is that the kind of thing that you mean? Or do you mean like putting yourself into dangerous situations? I guess just like anything out of my comfort zone. Whether it's like taking, yeah, whether it's like just like taking creative risks where I'm like, we'll see how this goes, which I do still do, but I think it just takes a little more like pushing myself to do that. Or if it's like, yeah, doing something crazy.

Like I haven't gotten a tattoo in a couple years. Okay. Yeah, yeah. I haven't cut my hair off. It's not that crazy. It's not so crazy. Did you cut your hair off at one point? I cut my hair off, shave it.

Like shave your head down, bald. Yeah, major. How do you, how does your family feel about you doing, turning, you know, lemons into lemonade? I think they like it because I give them money, you know, but I think also. Well, it's interesting that you figured that out. That dynamic. That works quite well. Yeah.

But also, I think, I think they're like, as. long as you're not saying something that's not true about us. Yeah, yeah. Go for it. And a lot of times, like, my mom comes to my shows when I do them in New York and she'll kind of just heckle me to, like, set the record straight. Like, she'll be like, that didn't happen. And I'm like, okay, what happened? And she tells it the way she remembers it, which is also not how it happened. So it's kind of, you know, they're all very involved. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Now, you said you started doing comedy young. Why? I ultimately don't know.

Yeah. I think. Were you already an anxious kid at this point too? Yeah. My whole thing is I saw 9-11 happen, which is fine. Yeah. Or, you know, it happened and I was there. And how old were you when it happened?

I was six. Okay, wow. And my school was like a mile away. And that was really, I mean, my mom was like you were always an anxious kid, but that's like, I mean, you can't really do better than that. And so that's sort of when it all started crumbling. But I started doing like, I got like kind of street scouted as a kid because I had this like curly hair that people were like, oh, she looks like Shirley Temple. Oh.

And so I got a manager really young. And I actually was on Conan's show when I was five. Yeah, I heard about that. As a like kid who he was saying crazy stuff to. Did we have the clip? Oh, my God. I haven't seen the clip. Do you really have the clip?

Oh, there it is. Oh, yes. Oh, we got to grab head phone. Oh, I have it right here. Yes, this is, I know what this is. Wow, this is cool. You guys did your research. That's my mom.

Oh, there she is. There she is. So there I was. There you were. Yep. What year was that? Must have been 2000. Yeah.

That bit does not look familiar. I feel like I might have been gone. on by that. It was Conan's is the darndest things. Oh. Yeah, that doesn't ring a bell. I guess you weren't there. That's sad. Because I left in 2000. Whoa. So we just missed each other. Just missed each other. We could have really connected. Yeah, definitely. You know, another, another person that famously did their first TV bit was Scarlett Johansson. You're kidding. Her first TV bit appearance was on Conan. Whoa. And she played, it's a kind of a funny, sketch. And it's, it's, it's early in the show. Yeah. And it's like a kind of sketch that we kind of

stopped doing, just like of a type of sketch, like, fake guests and, you know, and she played like a little kid that was supposed to be like a genius, but she gets everything wrong. Yeah. She's so adorable. Yeah. That Conan's charmed by her. And I'm going like, um, actually, the capital of, you know, the capital of Illinois is Springfield. Wow. Was that here in New York? It was in New York. It was early 90s, yeah. That is fun. So she got lines. I didn't get lines. She had a whole, she had a whole scene. But she was older than you too. Like you were really young. Yeah, I mean, I was a child. Yeah, you're like a top, practically a toddler. Yeah. Yeah. And I remember we, I think we shot for like a half hour. Yeah. And then he was like offering me beers. I mean, I had no idea what the fuck was going. Like I was like, who is this? Where am I? Yeah, yeah. But I got to like take school off and it was awesome.

Right. Probably got 600 bucks or something like that. I'm sure my mom has that somewhere. Listen, she should have opened a Coogan account for you. Was that a thing then? Yeah, it's been a thing for a long time. Okay. Yeah, because my 20-year-old daughter did a bit on the Sarah Silverman program. Uh-huh.

And we had to open Coogan account for her. And then my six-year-old, because I have a little one again. again, performed on dancing with the stars with me. And we had to open a kugan account for her too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Did she dance? She did. She danced.

Did you throw her in the air? I picked her up. Okay. Spun her around and stuff, you know, like a basketball on the tip of my finger. Good. You know. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, it was like they wanted you to do like a tribute night.

Uh-huh. And. Were you a contestant? I was a contestant, yeah, in the last season of Dancing with the Star. What was that like? I think I'm an amazing dancer. I can put in a word. Yeah, please put in a word.

Yeah. Yeah. They should pair me with someone very tall. Okay. I'm very short. They have done that. They have done that. Really?

Yeah, yeah. But it's usually a tall celebrity with a shorter female pro. They've done that a few times to, you know, dynamic effect. Yes. But usually they try and pair people. like a tall woman to like pair her with a tall guy. Okay.

They should let me do it. All right. I'll talk. I mean, seriously, I'll put together a tape that you can send to them. Let me handle it.

Okay, thank you. I really appreciate that. And I won't ask for any money. Okay. Any money. I'll just be there with a T-shirt. Wow.

Go, Rachel, go. Thank you. I appreciate that. And I'll say thanks, Andy, on my shirt. Yeah. But anyway, yes, so my daughter was in it. And I hope your parents give you a little bit of money out of what you made.

It's fine. My mom's a teacher. Water under the bridge. She can do whatever. Yeah. Are your folks still together? No. No way.

No. My mom has a husband, different husband. Okay. Really nice guy. All right. Took me a while to like him. He knows that. What year did, what age were you when they remarried?

They got, they remarried like five years ago. Yeah. Or she, yeah, she, but, but they'd been together for, they've been together over 20 years. But I like, like, seriously, he did not register for me as a person until about three years ago. Wow. It just wasn't working. But now it's like, thank God. What was your main beef?

I was just like, who is this guy in my house? Ah. And he didn't even live with us. He was, like, very respectful of, like, I don't know. Fucking asshole. Yeah. Exactly. Completely dead.

He had the nerve to be nice about it and respectful. But he's just like a, he's an aspiring actor. Uh-huh. I'm working hard to get him some work. I don't think he's just a nice guy. So don't, don't get him. I want. He would die.

Yeah, she's happy. Yeah. I guess. Yeah. And when, I mean, was she the one when you were a kid with the acting? You know, like with your showbiz aspirations? I think both of my, my dad is like, he loved Seinfeld. So Seinfeld was always on at our house.

And he's like very business oriented, even though he that, I mean, it's never panned out for him. But like he used to make me make myself business cards as a kid that I would like hand out on the street. I mean, I'm not saying this is good, but this is what happened. And to what end do you think? Well, my business, he was like, he wanted business cards for himself. And then I also, he was like, and you have to make them too because we're going to go out and hand them out. And so I was like, well, I want to be a comedian. And he was like, great, this is New York City.

And then I was also like, and I want to be a spy. So my business card said comedy spy. And that's what I would hand out. To what end? I don't know. Yes. But that's what it's say. Like, you could, I can drive you around.

Oh, it was just for his cab. Oh, wow. Because he was trying to do, like, private chauffeuring as well. I see. Because that's where the real money is. Right, right. But I think, like, just how, I mean, Seinfeld was on 24-7. And my dad, like, quoted it.

My dad's an immigrant and he, like, learned English from Seinfeld, basically. Oh, wow. And it's like, he talks like George Costanza. And I think that was, that was part of my training. Oh, I see. I was just talking to this guy. Did he insist that you watch it, too? Like, did he have some sort of?

I mean, our apartment was so small. It was just like, If the TV's on, we're all watching it. Yeah. You know, and so that's just what it was. Yeah. But I liked it. I mean, I thought it was funny.

Yeah, yeah. And it was just like New York and whatever. But I think seeing the stand-up segments, too, was so, I was like, oh, that's so cool that you can do that. Because I had never seen, I mean, that was the only way I saw stand-up before that. And when you start doing it, is that from somebody scouting you? That was, there's a. comedy club in New York called Gotham Comedy Club and they have a kids troop and I think they there was just like flyers around or maybe in the newspaper my mom saw and she was like oh this would be fun to go to

like see kids do comedy like that's what Rachel likes so we went not knowing that there's like an opportunity to go up on stage during the show as an audience member and tell a joke and I did that it's like their half time yeah and I went up and told like a knock knock joke and I just kind of wouldn't get off the stage. I just loved it so much. And they were like, well, she can take a class. So I took a workshop. I mean, it is a thing where you're kind of like paying to be.

Yeah, yeah. Whatever. But then I got asked to join the troop when I was nine. Wow. And then I did stand up once a month for like nine years. Wow. To go to a Sunday brunch crowd at Gotham of mostly like firefighters from New Jersey and their kids.

Wow. Yeah. And I mean, are you building a solid act here? Are you saying the same thing for nine years? Are you like? No, I was expanding. Yeah. I think I started with a lot of, I mean, I will say the first two years, I was using other people's jokes.

Sure. There was like a period where I was telling Dimitri Martin jokes and Eddie Izard jokes. Okay. And my teacher at one point was like, that's not your joke. And I was like, yeah, it is. Because I'm telling it. And he was like, that is not how it works. Yeah.

Possession. Yes. So the first two years was like I was, I think I was trying to find my voice through others. Right. And then I started doing, I just tried a bunch of stuff. It was like, my mom's crazy. But then also like, even I had a story about how my mom would make us take silverware from McDonald's.

Like we didn't have real silverware. We would just take it from McDonald's. And it turns into a crazy story where she's like best friends with the hamburger. I mean, a crazy story for being 12, you know? Yeah, yeah, yeah. But it's like that's kind of still the format I use in my jokes where it like starts from a real place and then turns into something.

Yeah, kind of unbelievable. So I think I was working stuff out. But most of, I mean, it all sucked. But I had a whole persona. I wore like a tie. Uh-huh. And like a big rainbow shirt. Like Paul a Poundstone Jr.?

Yes. Yes. And I was the only girl in the troop for most of the time. So that was something. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I mean, it was hard. It was like a lot of times I didn't want to do it.

But once I got on stage, I was always like, oh, I love this. Yeah, yeah. Now, you're not doing this sort of, I mean, and I guess like when you get to be older, if you did it from 9 to 18. Like, are you doing the I want to kill myself kind of bits? As a kid? Yeah, yeah. I'd have to play the tapes.

Yeah. I would say definitely it was dark. I'm not sure that I was 14 on stage being like, someone kill me. But I think it was like, you know, I was making jokes about like TSA and like perhaps like dying on a plane. Like, you know, I was working stuff out. Yeah, yeah, of course. But it was. Well, I don't think it was as intentional as now.

Yeah. Yeah. Can't you tell my loves to grow? But then you go to college. I do. And you do comedy there. I, I, yeah, I took a, well, I guess I did improv and sketch there. And then I also, like, I think it was a summer after my sophomore year, I did the intensive

program at Second City. I took out, like, a $12,000 loan. Yeah. Yeah. And went to Second City. in Chicago. And it was like from nine to six, we did comedy for the whole summer and then put up our own review. And at the end of the review, we had like a feedback session with all the teachers. And it's like Norm Hall, I don't know, all these people who have been there forever.

Yeah. And all my friends had gone before me and they were like, they told me to like try out next year. Like, this is so exciting. And we'd all been talking about moving to Chicago. And I go in and they're like, don't come back. Like, you belong at the annoying. theater, which was like kind of the, I mean, you know, yeah, the old theater where you can do weirder stuff. And I was like heartbroken, but then the annoyance opened up in New York, like a year later. Oh, wow. There was a theater there for a couple of years. And then that's kind of, I took a semester off of college and like, I literally built the stage at the annoyance. I was like their intern, which ended up being like construction contractor. And so that's kind of like where I came up. And

I feel like that's where I really found my footing. And it was a lot of improv and sketch, but also kind of stand-up. I mean, they just, it was such a great place. Yeah, yeah. And I feel like that's when I really was like, okay, I'll do it. Because I think before that, I had been interested in, like, academia. And, like, I was like, oh, I want to go to law school. And then I think I just made the decision to be like, I'll just, I'll really try this.

And then I did. And you, yeah, and you just. no safety net, just like, this is what I'm going to do. Did you finish college? I finished college by a thread at the end. And then I, I mean, I just had always, I'd been working since high school. So I was, and when I was in college, I had like, you know, four jobs. Like, I was very used to, like, my day is work and then my night is comedy.

Uh-huh. And I wasn't, I didn't have a problem with that. It just was what it was. So I had, like, I was a teacher for a while. I was like a barista. for a while. I was just kind of like doing different jobs as long as I could get out by like 6 p.m. so that I could go to shows. And then it took a while, but eventually I broke through. And you, um, kind of. You do, you do, I mean, you do both. You do, I mean, you do a lot of kind of more

improv-y kind of acting stuff and, and on stage by yourself. And do you have a preference and how do you feel about the difference between the two? I really like doing stuff that is like that just gives me the freedom to do what I want to do. So on stage, obviously, I have the most control. But like even when we were shooting jury duty season two, the creators were very much like, we've built this character, but like do with it what you want. And that was really fun. So what I guess whenever I have like some license, I'm happy. But I love all of it.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I do, I actually, like my first job was like a writing job. I do a lot of like writing for shows. And so I'm getting to write stuff for myself, which is really nice. Yeah.

What's your writing process like for your stand-up? That is an amazing question. Sometimes it comes. Sometimes it's seriously like, I was in the bathroom the other day. And I wrote a joke. Remember those like red phones? that Apple made that was for like AIDS awareness. Yes.

It just popped into my head and then a joke immediately came. And it is funny. It's not like a bad joke. I'm still working it out, but it's going to be good. Yeah, no, no, I believe you. I believe you. And then I think you can make AIDS funny. Definitely.

It's about time. Yeah, yeah. Somebody finally got back to work on making AIDS funny again. Right, right, right. And so that was like it just popped in my head. But more often than not, it's like I just have to sit down and write. And I just free write until something comes out. Until something coalesces.

Yeah. Yeah. Especially with my longer jokes. I'll just kind of ramble until something. But more and more, it's been like a year of workshopping different jokes. And then I see how they all come together. And I'm like, oh, this is actually one joke. It's kind of taking me longer to write stand up now.

Yeah. Which is making me pissed off. But don't you think that it's better, you know, it's like, well, it's like, well, but I mean, I mean, you've done, I imagine you've done long form improv. And you know, you do long form improv and if everybody laughs, that's great. Yeah. But if you do it, everybody laughs. And also at the end of it, it kind of starts to wrap up. Like that's sort of like always the grail that you're pursuing. Yeah. Like when that really happens, it's pretty satisfying. I know it is. It sounds kind of like that's what's happening. Yeah. on a personal level. Yeah, it's things like, I guess, coming together a little bit more. It's just, I think, I mean, I'm sure you have a, I think when you're like doing a lot of different things at once, you sacrifice focusing on one thing and that is the thing that you're amazing at. And it kind of like, it's hard to focus. It's hard to focus.

Yeah. Which is fine. Yeah. But that's hard to focus generally. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I'm not very good at that. No, my phone just cracked and it's really helped because there are certain things where I touch it, I'll cut myself.

And so now there are certain apps I can't really open. That's so Catholic. You should be Catholic. Temptation. It makes me bleed. Do you find, I mean, in your writing process, do you find that you start it like, oh, remember that thing that happened, like that breakdown or that argument or that. that girlfriend or whatever. And then you start from there or is there? Yeah. And do you find sometimes like some of these you just can't make funny or can you make it all fun?

There are certain. I think you can make everything funny. Yeah. But it can take a really long time. Like there are a couple of stories or topics that I just still haven't broken. And I've been trying for like 10 years. And it's like one day I'll figure it out, but I haven't yet. But I would say all of my work, whether it's like stand up or script writing or whatever,

there's always like a thing it's based on. I find it hard to, and I guess less interesting for me personally to write something that I that I haven't had some tangential experience with. With some exceptions, I guess, but not really. I think I just get a little bit bored if I'm not, if I can't figure out my own. way in to it. Because I don't know. Is there a risk with you doing the kind of stand-up that you do of an audience member going,

I can fix her and then? People have advice. Yeah. Definitely do, which I do find interesting as well. And I have had people commenting after shows and be like, have you done this or have you tried this and my sister did this and da-da-da. And I appreciate, I mean, it's never helped. Yeah.

No one's ever, you know. I'm sure people have given me resources that at some point or another maybe I've looked into. But it's not, you know. But have you ever had anybody like pursuing you? Like in a relationship kind of way? Oh, oh, interesting. Yeah, yeah. I get DMs.

Yeah. People, I think, are tickled by someone who needs to be nursed back to health, which I'm not necessarily. claiming to be, but look, whatever, whatever gets me views, I guess. Do you respond to that kind of attention from somebody? Not at this point. Yeah, but you used to? I think there was a time where I feel like when more in person, like if someone

talked to me after a show, I think I was more, and when I was younger and like less online, you know, where it didn't feel like scary at the time, especially like, coming up in New York, it's like so many people in the audience were actually just other comics my age. So it was like it didn't feel, it felt like we were all sort of just incestuously booking each other on shows and whatever. And that's not as much of the scene anymore. Yeah. But maybe maybe I'll eat the love of my life who's also a psychiatrist or something. I don't know.

It's always good to have somebody that can prescribe things. Yes. It's always. I have a friend who's a doctor. and he just got engaged, and I'm always sending him, like, pictures of my body. Because I'm like, what is this? Right.

Rash. Right. And he's, I'm waiting for him to be like. Was he a dermatologist? No. No. But he's really smart. Oh, okay.

He's really, he's the top of his field, which is for children. So it's not so helpful for me. Well. But. Yeah. I'm waiting for him to be like, you got to stop. Yeah. But I mean, but you can't, like, send him, you know, your kidney levels or whatever.

No, I can. Oh, you do? He specializes in kidney or liver. Yeah. I send him everything. Yeah, yeah. I want it like I'm going to get, I give, I try to give him access to like my chart. I send him all my blood work, every scan.

I sometimes have him check the results in my portal before I look because I'm like, you got to tell me if it's scary. Wow. Yeah. And are there scary things? I mean, you're so young. Is there? I have always thought I was going to die like six months from now my whole life. A lot of it is psychosomatic.

Yeah. But, I mean, everything is plastic in it. I don't know. I'm just always freaked out. Yeah, but these humans, they live through a lot of shit. It's true. I have realized that. It's crazy.

I know. How much, you know, that's why, like, I say this is kind of a joke, but it's like when the difference between having a first child and a second child is like after the first one you realize, like, I didn't kill it. Yeah. I didn't kill it, you know. Well, I was a nanny. I mean, I don't have kids right now.

But when I was a nanny, it was like, there was one time where, like, the kid just like, like, it was just like the worst. I was like, this kid is going to die. And the parents were like, completely fine. They were like, you shouldn't have called us. You know, they didn't care. But it's like, I mean, yeah, I can't imagine. Once you get through it, you're like, oh, okay. Yeah.

I don't care. When you see your kid do what's known as a scorpion. You know what that is? No, what is that? It's where one faceplants and then the body continues to curl up over so that there's the face plant and then the souls of the feet are pointing the same direction. Yeah, yeah. So basically the neck is being pivoted on the wrong direction.

Yeah. And then they get up from that, you know, crying. Yeah. But you think like my child's spine just snapped. Right. Like, oh, no, look at that. I feel like they don't have a spine. Yeah.

I know they do, but it feels like it's really loose. Yeah, yeah. That sounds, I wish I had known that that's what I had. A soft-goly spine? Yeah. Because now I really don't. No, I know. No, when I used to do, I used to fall downstairs for a laugh.

And I just had kind of like taught my, and I don't know it was from like watching professional wrestling and sort of like, you know, goofing around my brother and stuff. But like, I used to do lots of like pratfalls. And I mean, like, junior high and, like, high school. Wow. And I don't. Would you just throw yourself down or would you have a friend push you? No, I mean, I mean, it just, yeah, I would, I wouldn't, like, I had no Confederates

involved. I just would kind of, you know, like go, oh, yeah, yeah. And, but, you know, it's like you do kind of learn. It's like you learn how to fall, you learn, you know. Yeah. And, but now it's like, there was, there was a point at which, I did a Pratt fall for a McSweeney's video. And like I was, I did a fake face plant and I was protecting myself with my arm in front of me.

But it's like if you're going to do comedy violence, it's got to look good. Yeah. Like it's don't do it if you don't. And I really wanted to sell the face plant. So I had my arm folded across from over my torso. Yeah. And then I was just catching all the fall repeatedly. with my arm and then like my elbow hurt for three months.

Yeah, that's not good. And I was like, okay. Did it break? No, I don't know. I didn't go to the doctor. I just was like, well, my elbow hurts. And then three weeks later, still hurts. Was it worth it?

No. No. It was like, I think it was also like, it was like, it was at the time where Dave Eggers could get anyone to do anything. thing. And it was, I think even for just like the DVD menu of this McSweeney's video, that they, I just came up with like a short little sort of nonsense comedy bit thing. Well, that's what makes us good at comedy is the lack of perspective. Yes. Yeah. Yes. I think it works to our advantage.

Then you get older though and it's like, oh, I don't know. What would it have to be for you now to throw yourself down a flight of stairs? Oh, I would, it would be a combination of a good cast, somebody good directing and money. You know, all of those. Yeah. It's pretty standard stuff. Yeah. But also, too, I just don't know that I could anymore.

Right. You know? Yeah. And I think I'd be like, better save this one for last shot. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I may not be working after it. Yeah. Well, who writes that piece of paper?

It's Alyssa. I wish I had one. I read your Wikipedia before I came. I think that's basically what that is. Do you want to see anything on there? That's your sheep. Oh, I said some of these points without even knowing. Yeah.

That's interesting. I'm of Jewish and Middle Eastern descent. Yes. That's true. Are you? Yes. I had known, I would have never let you in. here i understand it's like you're a war going on in yourself it's tough it's definitely interesting

to talk about your own conflict yeah um i pleaded it yeah this is good this is thorough yeah yeah it's all anyone could ever want to know yeah i could have just read this saved you now well what's up what's next for you i mean you did the the uh they still call a jury duty right yeah it was It's a big conversation. Because it was identified as jury duty. It's the same team. Yeah. And I think it's like it's the same concept.

Yes. One person surrounded by actors in a situation. Yeah. The person doesn't know that everyone, that there's a major scam being perpetrated on it. Yeah. Yeah. It's tough.

Is it hard? Do you feel, do you sympathize with the person that's the? I definitely am like, I, yes. Yeah. I mean, to be bamboozle, like that is unique. Yeah. I think I would be furious.

Well, rightfully so. Yeah, yeah. I would get, I mean, Anthony, who was our hero this season, was not. I mean, he really was so gracious. And I think, like, the trick is that so many of us played characters close to ourselves that we were able to develop real relationships with him. And, like, there were surprises along the way of, like, you know, there are things about me that he learned when I was the character that I'm like, well, that's actually not true.

This is actually, you know, where I'm from or whatever. But mostly I think he's like, I'm talking the same person, just like some of the context is different. And so I think he felt safe and like, you know, these were still his friends, if that makes sense. Yeah, yeah. But also like, I was like, yeah, if he started like beating the show. shit out of us. It's like, sure. Yeah. Go for it. Did you make, like, was there a like sort of post-mortem friendship?

Yeah, yeah. We're all friends and like through the press stuff. We all like hang out and DM and it's nice. I mean, it's such a unique experience. I guess. And we kind of, I mean, we lived together for a couple weeks, you know, it was really intense. So we're all bonded and, you know, only the other cast has been through what we've been through. Yeah, yeah. But yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

No, I mean, I love that show. It's just such a funny idea. But it also just makes me so nervous. I know. I know. I identify with the pranked, not the pranker. Yeah. I get that.

I always am like, oh, that poor person. What helped me was I was like, this isn't a punching down show. Yeah. And it's like he gets money at the end. Yeah. You know? Yeah, yeah. But sure, there's an element.

Yeah, why not? Give him whatever, yeah. Sure, here's your check. Now, run along. But I think I've always, like, I mean, I'm a huge, like, Nathan Fielder, John Wilson. Like, the unscripted hybrid territory is like, I just get really a kick out of that. Yeah. And, like, it was so, it was my dream to do that type of thing.

And especially, like, I think as a woman, you get people, you get strangers to talk to you differently than like they do when Nathan does it or whatever. And I find that really interesting too, kind of what you're able to get away with when you're small and less threatening. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Do you, are you pitching things? I just shot something literally a couple days ago in New York that would be amazing if it, if I got to make it. Is it like a proof of concept kind of thing that yeah. Yeah, that's what they're having us do. Yeah. But it was really fun. Yeah. And it was with like a lot of people I worked with on Dury duty. Oh, nice.

Yeah. So that would be cool. And it is with with unwitting civilians to an extent? It's with people. Mine is less like they don't, they know they're being filmed and like they agree. They like know what's going on, but the stuff I throw at them is just and they can walk away whenever. I got you. It's about my trauma.

Like it's all about my life. It's a very autobiographical thing. And it's just seeing. how people respond. Yeah. We'll see. Do, does any of this stuff, like, do you look to any of your work with your trauma and your, uh, issues, your stuff?

Yeah. Uh, my things. Yeah. My interesting things. Yeah. Your gimmicks. Yeah. Yeah.

Um, like, do you, I mean, is there healing in doing your comedy? Like, I think so. Yeah. Sometimes it's actually a bit of reopening stuff. And sometimes I'm like, just shut the fuck. Like it's like, it's enough with what I'm talking about. But I think it is having other people have access to it does provide a new perspective. And like what am I willing to share?

What I'm willing to not share kind of shows me a little bit where I am in terms of healing. Like I feel like the stuff I won't talk about, it's like, okay, time to work on that. a little bit. Yeah, yeah. But work on that in private or work on that? In private and then perhaps public. I see. There's like, yeah, there's stuff I bring up in my work now that I wouldn't have a couple

years ago. Oh. That I think, I guess I just worked through it enough to be able to talk about it. To be able to get a handle on it. Yeah, sometimes I am like, I wish I didn't talk about this, but I can't help it. Yeah, yeah. Because it's funny to me. Do you get tired of yourself?

Definitely. Yeah. Definitely. I mean, are there times when you're like talking about you doing this thing? I'm like, I shouldn't have said that. I don't want to talk about this. Yeah. You know, what am I?

What am I trying to do? Who am I saying I am? Yeah. I don't know. Yeah. But it's okay. Are you in therapy now still? No, I need to get a therapist.

I had one and she, after I moved to California, she was like, I can't. keep seeing your shoes in New York. That's bullshit. I know. I've been talking to the same guy for 30 years and he's in New York. Do you think you don't think you've like finished all the work you could with him? No, no, no. Really?

I don't think, I don't think, well, I am much better. I'm better now than I ever have been. That's amazing. Baby. I'm a native New York. No, I'm happier than I've ever been. I mean, a lot of work has been put into stuff that I have, like, learned and actually made progress and basically stop putting my hand on the stove and going, ouch. Yeah.

You know, like, now I know, like, the stove is hot. Right, right, right. To boil it down. But I'm very happy in my life, but I still, they're still all kinds, you know. there's still all kinds of stuff that I need to talk about. And then I still, like for me, I've always said, it's like, for me, I don't, I don't believe in God. I don't have, and I'm even like to say I'm spiritual, like that makes me feel gross. And I don't know what the fuck people are talking about.

It just means, what is it? I'm not, I don't have, like, religious or spiritual affiliation, but I do like, there are certain, I love walking. Yeah. Walking like when I was in New York, I was walking eight miles a day. And that like gets me to a different place. Yeah. Where I'm like, maybe this is what people get when they pray. Yeah, yeah. Like I kind of just get in the zone. Yeah. Something different than what I'm used to. Yeah. So that I get that. But I don't have, you know, I, yeah, I wouldn't say I'm spiritual or. I, I just feel like, you know, because I guess I look at like what religion does for people, which is like to. give them answers, you know, and give them comfort. And I think also like a sense of purpose and progress. And that's all therapy. That's like therapy does all of that stuff for me. Yeah. You know. And it also too. It's an organizing principle. Yeah. And if you do it right,

it requires sacrifice. You have to sacrifice the parts of yourself that, you know, like if you're you're not going to, if you're not going to be, say, I'm going to get out of magnifying glass. And then you're not going to turn it on yourself. Put the fucking thing away. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. And I know a lot of, I mean, I know people, a lot of people do that with therapy and they look for it as like, well, this is, I'm getting someone on my side to shore up my side of the story. Right. Right. And it's like, well, then you're wasting your time and money, you know. I did a group therapy thing. It was very, it was. It was. during COVID. I've never done that.

I have to say, I mean, it is hard, but it was like, that's like 10 people turning a magnifying glass on you. Wow. And being like, can you see? And it was like. Wow. And it's on Zoom. This was on Zoom. Usually it's in person, because it was COVID, it was on Zoom.

And it was, I did it every day. It was like six hours a day for a year. I mean, this is what I'm talking about when I say like five years ago. I was a different person. Right, right. But the point of it was to get in. conflict with each other because it was all, it's like a group therapy program for people with personality disorders and often for those people, your trigger is conflict. So the idea was

like to get people to yell at each other. Just to just be used to it and to be able to handle it more. Every like, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it was like, but it's like you have, I had people yelling things at me about myself. I mean, it's not like abusive, but it was like, it was like, it was intense. Yeah. It was extremely interesting. But that was the best therapy I've ever done. And it was useful.

It changed my life. Oh, wow. Completely. Wow. It was extremely painful. Yeah, yeah. But it was, yeah, it was transformative. Was it hard to sort through the stuff where you're like, that's not true?

Yes. And then the stuff that was like, oh, bullseye. Well, there was a therapist who would lead the group, who was also our individual therapist. So he would kind of throw fuel into the fire where he'd be like, well, Rachel, doesn't what she's saying remind you of this thing? And didn't you say this thing about her in our session? But then also he kept guardrails on where if someone said something that was just so not true, you could defend yourself. And he'd also be like, well, I think you're saying this because X. Yeah, yeah. It was fascinating. Wow. How did you find that? It was impossible. I mean, it broke me down.

And I wouldn't say that I've recommended it to people who need it. Yeah, yeah. And I think it does help. It's like it's kind of one of the only treatments for personality disorders is this program. It's like very well researched. But it, I mean, I was a shell of a person for a year. Wow. But I was still doing stand up.

Wow. Well, there's a lot of shells of humans out there on this stage doing standup for 30 fucking years. Yeah. You've been doing a crowdwork show. That's true. Called Between Us. And you'll be performing it in Edinburgh. Have you been to Edinburgh before?

I've done it the last two years. Oh, wow. I love it. Have you ever been? I've never been. You've got to go. Yeah, I don't know. You should do live podcasts there every day with a random Scottish person.

Oh, that would be fun. Yeah. How is like a crowdwork show? Like, how is it doing that? It's really fun. I think, I think, I think, you know, kind of what I was saying before, if like I like doing sort of this unscripted

or like just talking to people on the street, like I just really enjoy it and I think I'm good at it. Yeah, I think so too. I think I'm a bit disarming and I don't, I think people feel bad for me. I'm not sure what it is. I mean, this thing we just shot, it was like the stuff people will say to me

when I give them just the littlest runway is like, it's incredible. Yeah. And I think doing crowd work has been just a fun live version of it. And this show, there's sort of a catch. I'm like reluctant to say what it is because then it kind of ruins the show. Well, then don't. No.

But it's really interesting. So you do have some kind of format. It's not just like where I'm going to go out. I'm working it out. Oh, okay. I started by just being like, I'm just going to, you know, I don't know, see what happens. Yeah. And then I figured out, oh, there's one thing I want to learn from the crowd in doing this.

And then it's just been working. What's the best way to work towards that goal and trying different endings? And it's still, I just did it a week ago and it was so different than the one I had done even the week before. And it's just, it's really a crapshoot. It's got to be fun. It is fun. It's really draining. And rewarding too.

Yes. Yeah. When it works, it works. Yeah. And it is like, you know, this thing I'm talking about in the show, I think, is very like people get really sensitive about it. And now I'm talking. Whatever I'm not. No, don't.

Don't. Yeah, yeah. I don't want you to blow your. Blow my load. Blow your game. Yeah. But it's really interesting. And I've done, I mean, outside of Edinburgh, like the festival, I've done shows in the UK.

And I've done crowd work there and they really hate me. Like, they just do not, they don't understand what I am. No, in the UK, but like not, because that festival, particularly in Scotland, I've done like a couple different shows in Scotland when it's not the fringe festival. And I think that just like the average Scottish person is like, who the fuck is it? Like, what am I looking at? Yeah, yeah. And they really don't like me. And it's really humbling.

And so I'm worried about bringing my crowd show there. but I also think that I'll learn a lot. Yeah. Well, there's a certain safety in a festival called Fringe Fest. You know what I mean? Yes. People know what they're getting. Yes.

There they do. Yeah. It's very expensive to the festival. It's not worth it. Really? It's so fun, though. Yeah, yeah. I don't know.

You should go. Maybe someday, you know. Yeah. I got a lot going on, though. Right. I got a podcast. Oh, my God. And you can't do that from anywhere.

I get hundreds of listeners. Well, Rachel Colley, thank you so much for coming in. Thanks for having me. It's great talking to you. And I, yeah, I wanted to have you in just because I think you're so funny and I love your stuff. Thanks. And I think that it's, you know, it's just very brave the way you put yourself out there and possibly stupid. I agree.

As I get older, I'm like I should never have started. Too late now. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. sunk time cost or fallacy. Yeah, all of a sudden you're going to get cagey. I can't talk about that.

No, leave me some mystery. Well, thanks for coming. Thanks. And thank all of you for listening. And I'll be back next week with more of this. Yay. The three questions with Andy Richter is a team cocoa production. It is produced by Sean Doherty and engineered by Rich Garcia.

Additional engineering support by Eduardo Perez. and Joanna Samuel, executive produced by Nick Leow, Adam Sacks, and Jeff Ross, talent booking by Paula Davis, Gina Batista, with assistance from Maddie Ogden, research by Alyssa Graal. Don't forget to rate and review and subscribe to the three questions with Andy Richter wherever you get your podcasts. And do you have a favorite question you always like to ask people? Let us know in the review section.

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