Alexis Wilkinson's guest appearances

Alexis Wilkinson

Another Round

Creating Our Own Lives

She Does Podcast

Jonny Sun

Margaret Cho

Hannah Giorgis

Chris Hayes

Nicole Byer

Hillary Clinton

Sabaah Folayan

Cory Booker

Ava Duvernay

Julianna Barwick

Wendell Pierce

Maggie Steber

Lynsey Addario

Marcus Samuelsson

Hari Kondabolu

OwlTail

“Humor gives me release. Sometimes there’s just too much tension and you have to let it go. Laughter is such a great natural physical response to do that.” Humor has been a tool for success for Alexis Wilkinson, and not just a tool for survival. She writes for Brooklyn Nine-Nine and previously wrote for VEEP, a job that she got right out of college, at the age of 22. And, before that, she made headlines as the first African-American woman to be president of Harvard Lampoon magazine.

“Humor gives me release. Sometimes there’s just too much tension and you have to let it go. Laughter is such a great natural physical response to do that.” Humor has been a tool for success for Alexis Wilkinson, and not just a tool for survival. She writes for Brooklyn Nine-Nine and previously wrote for VEEP, a job that she got right out of college, at the age of 22. And, before that, she made headlines as the first African-American woman to be president of Harvard Lampoon magazine.

[S2] Alexis Wilkinson: Disarming People with Laughter

Alexis Wilkinson went from being the first black woman President of Harvard’s acclaimed humor publication, The Lampoon, to writing for HBO’s hit comedy series, “Veep.” She’s become an outspoken public figure and writer--with work featured in Slate, Opening Ceremony and TIME--but as we know, big victories such as these don’t come without a lot of work, a few disruptions and some twists and turns in the road. In this episode, Alexis recalls her experiences of “comping” or trying out for The Lampoon multiple times, finding her place in the middle of an elitist institution, losing her best friend and working to create media that represents this diverse world as it actually is. Her response to naysayers? Laughter. And this is why she chose comedy. Music in this episode is by Chargaux.      “The best thing you can do when the unexpected happens is to laugh at it. That’s the best outcome. You either get angry or you laugh at it.”    — Alexis WilkinsonRELATED LINKS:Alexis on TwitterAlexis' writing on Opening Ceremony, Slate, Time, Cosmopolitan &amp; xojaneBoston People feature on AlexisAlexis on Studio360Veep CLIPS USED IN SHOW:Veep Theme SongAlexis at Chicago Ideas Week ConferenceNPR Interview with AlexisAlexis on Melissa-Harris PerryClip from Veep Episode 7, Season 2 - "The Shutdown"Clip from Veep Episode 1, Season 1 - "Fundraiser"  Name: Alexis WilkinsonCurrent City: Los Angeles, CaliforniaWhat are you listening to now? "I Wanna Boi" by PWR BTTMWhat film/book/show/piece of media changed you? I've gotten really into the director Alexander Payne lately. "Citizen Ruth" is a great movie. I've been thinking a lot about smart satire and treating "unlikable" characters with compassion and that film does an amazing job of both. Who is your career role model? Shonda RhimesWhat is a tool you can't live without? My foundation primer by BECCA! My skin is oily like an empty bag of chips without it. I also have a Mophie phone charging case that has changed my life. How do you drink your coffee/tea? Milk and sugar if I'm relaxed. Black if I'm getting down to business.What's your spirit animal? House cat: attractive, inflated sense of importance, adaptable, rudeUpdates? We're finishing up shooting the last episodes of Veep, which everyone should check out! The new season premieres the 24th of April. I've got a couple projects in both film and TV that are moving forward, but it's a bit too soon to tell. Fingers crossed! CREDITS:Produced by Sarah Ginsburg &amp; Elaine SheldonSound design by Billy WirasnikIllustration by Christine Cover MUSIC in this episode is by Charly &amp; Margaux of CHARGAUX. Visit their website, purchase their music on iTunes and check out their MusicMaker episode Wednesday, February 17th.    Songs you heard: Lullaby (feat. Soft Glas), Tell William, I'm So Pretty from the album Broke &amp; Baroque // All The Parties, Lone Ranger, Great Expectations from the album The Gallerina Suites

Alexis Wilkinson went from being the first black woman President of Harvard’s acclaimed humor publication, <a href="http://www.harvardlampoon.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Lampoon</a>, to writing for HBO’s hit comedy series, <a href="http://www.hbo.com/veep" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“Veep.”</a> She’s become an outspoken public figure and writer--with work featured in Slate, Opening Ceremony and TIME--but as we know, big victories such as these don’t come without a lot of work, a few disruptions and some twists and turns in the road. In this episode, Alexis recalls her experiences of “comping” or trying out for The Lampoon multiple times, finding her place in the middle of an elitist institution, losing her best friend and working to create media that represents this diverse world as it actually is. Her response to naysayers? Laughter. And this is why she chose comedy. Music in this episode is by <a href="http://www.chargaux.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chargaux</a>. <blockquote> “The best thing you can do when the unexpected happens is to laugh at it. That’s the best outcome. You either get angry or you laugh at it.” </blockquote> — Alexis Wilkinson RELATED LINKS:<ul><li>Alexis on <a href="https://twitter.com/OhGodItsAlexis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a></li><li>Alexis' writing on <a href="http://www.openingceremony.us/entry.asp?pid=10862" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Opening Ceremony</a>, <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/07/09/key_peele_is_the_one_show_that_knows_how_to_make_america_s_strained_race.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Slate</a>, <a href="http://time.com/2950998/an-open-letter-to-maya-peterson-on-the-politics-of-humor/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Time</a>, <a href="http://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/advice/a6301/women-comedy-whose-girl-is-this/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cosmopolitan</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.xojane.com/it-happened-to-me/alexis-wilkinson-harvard-lampoon" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">xojane</a></li><li><a href="http://people.boston.com/alexis/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Boston People feature</a> on Alexis</li><li>Alexis on <a href="http://www.studio360.org/story/are-comedy-audiences-too-sensitive/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Studio360</a></li><li><a href="http://www.hbo.com/veep" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Veep</a> </li></ul>CLIPS USED IN SHOW:<ul><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8ICxHcQTis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Veep Theme Song</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wvibhpG1yc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alexis at Chicago Ideas Week Conference</a></li><li><a href="http://www.npr.org/2013/12/18/255223367/african-american-woman-to-run-humorous-harvard-lampoon-magazine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NPR Interview with Alexis</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jsfi5KgbjA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alexis on Melissa-Harris Perry</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4EsiTSZ5yY" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Clip from Veep Episode 7, Season 2 - "The Shutdown"</a></li><li>Clip from Veep Episode 1, Season 1 - "Fundraiser"</li></ul> Name: Alexis WilkinsonCurrent City: Los Angeles, CaliforniaWhat are you listening to now? "I Wanna Boi" by PWR BTTMWhat film/book/show/piece of media changed you? I've gotten really into the director Alexander Payne lately. "Citizen Ruth" is a great movie. I've been thinking a lot about smart satire and treating "unlikable" characters with compassion and that film does an amazing job of both. Who is your career role model? Shonda RhimesWhat is a tool you can't live without? My foundation primer by BECCA! My skin is oily like an empty bag of chips without it. I also have a Mophie phone charging case that has changed my life. How do you drink your coffee/tea? Milk and sugar if I'm relaxed. Black if I'm getting down to business.What's your spirit animal? House cat: attractive, inflated sense of importance, adaptable, rudeUpdates? We're finishing up shooting the last episodes of Veep, which everyone should check out! The new season premieres the 24th of April. I've got a couple projects in both film and TV that are moving forward, but it's a bit too soon to tell. Fingers crossed! CREDITS:<ul><li>Produced by Sarah Ginsburg &amp; Elaine Sheldon</li><li>Sound design by Billy Wirasnik</li><li>Illustration by Christine Cover</li></ul> MUSIC in this episode is by Charly &amp; Margaux of CHARGAUX. <a href="http://www.chargaux.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Visit</a> their website, <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/chargaux/id962255125" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">purchase</a> their music on iTunes and check out their MusicMaker episode Wednesday, February 17th.  <a href="http://www.chargaux.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a> Songs you heard: Lullaby (feat. Soft Glas), Tell William, I'm So Pretty from the album Broke &amp; Baroque // All The Parties, Lone Ranger, Great Expectations from the album The Gallerina Suites

27. Alexis Wilkinson: Let Me Work It Out

Is This Real Life? Great Wall Edition, Tracy's Joke Time, and an interview with Alexis Wilkinson, who was the first black female president of the Harvard Lampoon and now writes for Veep.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is This Real Life? Great Wall Edition, Tracy's Joke Time, and an interview with Alexis Wilkinson, who was the first black female president of the Harvard Lampoon and now writes for Veep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

Episode 27: No New Friends, My Squirrel Dude (with Alexis Wilkinson)