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When Mindy Kaling isn’t answering a moronic reporter about the color of guy she wants, she is defending the fact that she’s an Indian woman with her own network television show. Via Flavorwire:
But when the time came to field questions from the mostly female audience, one woman posed this query: “You guys have a great, diverse set of characters, but was it a conscious decision for Mindy to be the only female doctor, and the only doctor color of show?” There were a couple of minutes of pleasant response, with co-panelists and Mindy co-stars Ike Barinholtz and Adam Pally earnestly praising their female cast members. But by then, Kaling had lost patience: “I look at shows on TV, and this is going to just seem defensive, but I’m just gonna say it: I’m a fucking Indian woman who has her own fucking network television show, OK?”
Good for her. It gets annoying when you hear a blithering idiot ask canned questions like that. This is why I couldn’t be famous. I can do the whole acting thing, but having to sit and listen to stupid questions without bludgeoning the interviewer with a sock full of quarters would be impossible. Keep going, Mindy.
The audience applauded, but Kaling was just getting started. “I have four series regulars that are women on my show, and no one asks any of the shows I adore — and I won’t name them because they’re my friends — why no leads on their shows are women or of color, and I’m the one that gets lobbied about these things. And I’ll answer them, I will. But I know what’s going on here.” Some laughter (some of it nervous) echoed through the ballroom. “It is a little insulting because, I’m like, God, what can I — oh, I’m sitting in it. I have 75 percent of the lines on the show.”
Man, you have to feel for the reporter for asking such a ridiculous question. But, no, you asked for it.
“And I’m like, oh wait, it’s not like I’m running a country, I’m not a political figure,” she continued. “I’m someone who’s writing a show and I want to use funny people. And it feels like it diminishes the incredibly funny women who do come on my show… I don’t know, it’s a little frustrating.” And at this point, Pally piped up: “Well, we took two different tacks in the answer.”

Note to self: Bring my A-game when attending SXSW next year. Also, bring some flip-flops, beer, 3 changes of clothes, a super soaker, fake mustache, and a Ninja Turtle helicopter that can also punch. I’m not very good at packing.
Via Flavorwire
Wow… that is one unflattering banner pic!
Stretch mark city on those arms.
I saw an old office re-run recently and couldn’t believe how thin she was in like season 2. I wonder if she’d be as touchy with a question about her weight as she is about her ethnicity.
Yeah, great, wonderful, blah blah blah.
In other news, Fox canceled Raising Hope. You may commence weeping and screaming at the sky now.
They did? Aww man. I loved not watching that show.
What the hell?!?! My wife and I just plowed through what was available online and it’s one of our favorite shows now. DAMN YOU FOX!!
The 4th season has been pretty bad. I’m ok with it ending.
America’s really letting me down lately
AND ABOUT GODDAMN TIME TOO
I’m with Dissident on this one, the show was pretty solid through most of season 3 but this season hasn’t been good. Two years ago I would have griped but at this point, eh.
too bad her f*cking show is not that f*cking good…
Thank you!
Well said.
A better question would have been “Why were you so much funnier on ‘The Office’?”
This. The thing about her show, for me, is everyone else on there is funnier than her.
@Horatio Cornblower I read an interview with BJ Novak and he was talking about how he feels he’s grown up a lot since the Office and is still figuring out what’s next. By contrast, Mindy (the character) feels like Kelly in every aspect of her quirkiness. So maybe it’s just less funny this time around, we’re tired of it etc.
I may be tired or my reading comprehension may have gone to hell since grad school (probably both), but Kaling’s answer seemed to be a jumbled, rambling bunch of thoughts. Like she knew she was supposed to be insulted but wasn’t sure exactly how.
Lunch Lady Arms.
I fucking LOVED that helicopter.
I’m not saying I spent 30 minutes looking for it in my basement…Yeah, I did.
In my head-canon, Ryan was the one who asked the question.
Hey, commenters, you know the rule: everything Mindy does and says is AWESOME. See also: Lena Dunham.
er, um, sarcasm
Bring me Solo and the wookie
I also love how Mindy manages to sputter a semi-coherent retort, and it’s “Mindy DESTROYS Stupid Reporter!!!!!11!”
… Which was at least 90% white. More if you don’t count the Mexican hotel employees.
Fuck SXSW.
I always wondered why Jeff Sorenson, phenomenal actor (his words, not mine), never forayed into the business. Now I know. Having to answer dumb questions.
The man has standards, dammit.
“I’m someone who’s writing a show and I want to use funny people […]”
So lemme get this straight:
-person asks question “why no other women leads or doctors of color”
-female (of color) lead responds that she “wants to use funny people”
-ergo, she, female (of color) believes herself to be not funny, but wants the show to be funny, so hires people not like her
got it.
Kaling is two women of color on the show.