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class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><div class="GenericCalloutWrapper-tojWn iHBnEl llout--has-top-borr" data-ttid="GenericCallout"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO KhjZz AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image rponsive-image--expandable"><noscript><img alt="Meg Stalter pos a black drs at a premiere." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE iTuhkZ ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI fmQnYP asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd hWyo iXWezO ptn__text">Meg Stalter plays “a bad assistant” on HBO Max’s “Hacks.”</span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd iicloT jbIJNS ptn__cred">Photograph by Barry Kg / Alamy</span></div></figure></div><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Before <a href=">the panmic</a>, Megan Stalter was an unknown edian performg wherever she uld, tryg to break to actg and postg ocsnal vios on Twter and TikTok. When the panmic h, those vios beme her only outlet. Stalter began producg them at a rapid clip, as very short character sketch. Wh everybody at home and on the Inter, she started to fd a big dience, rackg up lns of views. On social media, she beme known as the queen of quarante.</p><p class="paywall">Stalter shot on her phone, and the props and stum were whatever she uld fd around the hoe. Her characters embody the full spectm of the socially awkward and cluels. Then, sudnly, Stalter jumped om the Inter to televisn, playg the worst assistant the world on the h HBO show “<a href=">Hacks</a>.” She recently spoke wh <a href=">The New Yorker Rad Hour</a> about her early onle succs, cludg her viral “<a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Hi, gay</a>” vio; landg her “Hacks” role; and playg Helen Keller’s mother “The Miracle Worker.” The nversatn has been eded for length and clary.</p><figure data-ttid="IameEmbed" class="IameEmbedWrapper-sc-dRedg cjyRVU iame-embed"><div data-ttid="IameEmbedContaer" class="IameEmbedContaer-hptgUZ fXVBaX"><div class="IameEmbedAspectRatWrapper-hFVJps BKpgQ"><iame class="IameEmbedContent-cMdiev csnuAY IameEmbedContent lazyload" height="80" width="100%" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-orig" tle="Embedd Frame" data-src=" allowfullscreen="" allow="toplay *; encrypted-media *; clipboard-wre; toplay; fullscreen; picture--picture"></iame></div></div></figure><p class="paywall"><strong>Am I gettg right that “Hacks” is your first profsnal actg job proper?</strong></p><p class="paywall">Y.</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p class="paywall"><strong>Y, you jt went om nothg to HBO Max’s huge edy h?</strong></p><p class="paywall">I uldn’t be more lucky. I n’t believe . That’s my first time on set. That’s the first time I ever had a profsnal actg job. I haven’t even done a mercial.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall"><strong>“Hacks” centers on this old-school Vegas headler edian named Deborah Vance, played by the <a href=">tly amazg Jean Smart</a>, who hir a twentysomethg edian named Ava, played by Hannah Ebr, to punch up her act and be her assistant. You play Kayla, who is an sential part of the show. Can you scribe who Kayla is?</strong></p><p class="paywall">Ava has this manager, and Kayla is the manager’s assistant, and she’s a bad assistant. She’s kd of a party fashnista slash silly rich girl whose dad owns the pany, so she has this privilege and power. She se [the manager] Jimmy as—they’re like equals, even though Jimmy is her boss. I thk she se them as -workers, and she liv her own world and don’t even realize how privileged she is.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>She’s what the Inter would now ll a “<a href=">nepo baby</a>.”</strong></p><p class="paywall">Y, absolutely.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>“Hacks” is very much about this generatnal divi edy, wh Deborah Vance reprentg the old-school, punchle-heavy <a href=">Joan Rivers</a> school of edy, and then Ava is the ls crowd-pleasg, more jagged lennial slash Gen Z kd of edy. I’m cur if you see your own work those terms—if you feel like you’re on one si or the other of that divi.</strong></p><p class="paywall">My hope is always that my stuff n be unrstood by people of all ag. I feel like I draw a lot om olr edians, anyway. A sort of one-woman show the eighti, like an olr woman dog a Vegas-style one-woman show, is kd of my spiratn. I like to hope that people of all ag n be on the si of the joke. I love “Hacks” bee I feel like there’s somethg for everyone the show. Pl [W. Downs, a -creator of “Hacks,” who also plays Kayla’s boss] was sayg that a lot of tim people tell him, like, “Oh, this is the show I n watch wh my mom, and she lov , too.” Comedy is so subjective, but any sort of art that’s not cludg, or alienatg a huge group of people—I jt would rather not. I would rather not alienate any age group or type of person. “Hacks” is somethg that people of all ag and genrs would be to bee there’s somethg for everyone .</p><p class="paywall"><strong>How did you start performg? Was there a spark where you felt, “Oh, I have to be on that stage”?</strong></p><p class="paywall">I really never remember not wantg to perform. I n’t ever remember a time I wasn’t makg vios. When I was ltle, we always liked makg vios, me and my siblgs and my s. Anytime there was a talent show or a Christmas pageant, I’d be sperate to be . I remember my choir teacher gave me a solo for the Christmas pageant, and I jt practiced the song over and over and over aga. It was jt probably two l of the solo, but I was so, like, “Oh, my God.” I jt really need to be onstage. I do thk that I’ve always been sort of weird, eaky, silly. I fely didn’t f high school, bis drama club. And I dned for everythg, and I would rearch the role and I would prepare a lot. I never got the parts that I wanted probably ever, but I did play Helen Keller’s mom “The Miracle Worker.” I didn’t even get that part. I was an unrstudy, and then they let me have bee the lead dropped out or somethg.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p class="paywall"><strong>Really?</strong></p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-2 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">Y, but that was probably my shg role. She had l, at least. After high school, I didn’t have any money saved to move to L.A. or New York, and we don’t e om money. I jt went to different muny-llege programs, and all I really wanted to do was perform, but I jt uldn’t even see a way. But then, fally, after tryg a bunch of different thgs—like teachg, nursg, missns slash church work—I did Bible school.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>You did?</strong></p><p class="paywall">Y, I was really volved my church, and I was, like, “Well, if I n’t do what I really want to do, then maybe God wants me to choose somethg that’s helpful, but a job where I know I n make money after llege.”</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR daRVRt persistent-asi" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="vqp5eg"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></div></div><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="4e73m6i"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall"><strong>Pre-panmic, what was your life like? Can you scribe what you were dog, the state of your reer, of your life, where you were livg? What was gog on?</strong></p><p class="paywall">I had jt moved to New York six or seven months before the panmic. I was havg the time of my life on different shows every night, and I was, like, “Oh, this is the dream. This is the New York dream.” I thk that’s when I first started gettg any tractn onle. I do remember, right before the panmic, my first uple of vios that had ever gone—not viral, but a lot of people were watchg, more than normal for me. I thk one vio was— was, like, the woman the movie who almost hooks up wh the lead before he go off to fd his real te love, or somethg like that.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>I remember that one.</strong></p><p class="paywall">And I was, like, “Oh, my God, wow, I’m really dog . I’m New York and I’m dog the shows at night, and people are watchg my stuff onle.” Then I thk the real attentn me wh the panmic. It really changed everythg, and [I] was not focsg on tryg to get people to see , to be hont. I jt was dog the really crazy themed Instagram Liv overnight, bee I was so alone, and I was, like, “This is a fun way to feel nnected.” Or even postg stuff, I’m, like, “Oh, this is like a creative outlet, bee we n’t perform live right now,” and was really sry and sad for me. I was jt tryg to stay afloat. I was jt tryg to not lose my md. It was so sry, but then thgs were happeng for me, too, onle.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>It’s this weird batn of a horrible moment for the world slash good time for Meg’s reer. I want to look at one of the vios that went really viral durg the panmic. “Hi, gay” was om June of 2021. It was a vio for Pri Month.</strong></p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-3 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">That vio, I lerally was shg out the door. It was Pri Month, and I’ve jt seen so many ads om plac that would never normally do a Pri thg. It jt was, like, somethg clicked—where was, like, “God, that would be so funny.”</p><p class="paywall"><strong>It’s obvly a great satire of how pani -opt the language of Pri to sell products durg June. To me, what’s so funny about is that ’s more than that. You see this character who is jt so uned to beg on mera jt tryg and failg to be prentable and pull this off.</strong></p><p class="paywall">The whole thg, I’m readg off the puter, so all of what I said was wrten. I normally like to improv wh the vios, but that one, I was, like, “It’d be funny if looks scripted and looks like I’m readg off a script.” I thk what I’m drawn to, when people-watchg or gettg spired to do a character, is people that are really fully themselv out loud. They’re different than everyone else, but they are so themselv that don’t matter what other people thk of them.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>Well, there’s somethg about your characters that reprent the breadth of Amerin idcy. There’s this one vio I love where you play a woman her r who <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">has jt been to Starbucks and is outraged</a>.</strong></p><p class="paywall">Yeah.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>Of urse, we all have followed the people who get outraged about the “war on Christmas,” or whatever. In a way, onle culture has ma everyone a kd of on-mera performer. You do really pture the sense that so many people are performg for the mera nowadays who jt aren’t up for . You n see them tryg and failg. It’s like we’re all performers now.</strong></p><p class="paywall">Everyone feels this prsure. Everybody wants to be famo or go viral. It’s fun to make fun of and to explore, like, “Why do people feel that way? Why do people feel the prsure to do that?” That’s what’s so funny about the ont-facg vio characters, bee, like that vio, a lot of people thought that was real. That’s what’s so funny.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>Really?</strong></p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-4 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">Y, I thk my favore characters to watch are people that feel real, even if they’re bonkers. They jt feel, like, “Oh, well, I know that woman.” Like that church woman, even though she was sayg crazy thgs about the Starbucks employee and celebratg Halloween, she’s so real.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>What kd of thgs were people sayg on Twter who thought was real?</strong></p><p class="paywall">People were upset wh her, this character, and sayg, “Wow, I don’t thk a Christian should be yellg at a barista” or, like, “You’re not the real kd of Christian.” Or “I don’t thk God would like that.” The other thg is I really liked the low qualy of the vios bee almost feels like the person’s even more real—bee ’s like they filmed themselv. The fun thg is you n prank people if they don’t follow you. There’s so much of that ntent now onle that you n put yours up and people thk you’re ser, and that’s really a part of the joke for me.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="13i2i"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__le-barrier article__body"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"><asi class="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper-iBnuqk lfXXa-D" data-ttid="PaywallInleBarrierWrapper"><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--paywall-le-barrier" role="prentatn" aria-live="pole" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--paywall-le-barrier"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></asi></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ContentWrapperGrid-fvkmBv brYtrA grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="body body__ntaer"><div class="ntaer ntaer--body"><div class="ntaer--body-ner"></div></div></div></div></div></div></article><div class="ContentFooterWrapper-jVNdRG dTJkpP ArticlePageContentFooterGrid-ccsXYy eMZRHU article-body__footer"><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="LkStackWrapper-NFLYw kgtXXB lkstack" data-ttid="LkStack"><div class="SectnTleRoot-dBGvdq kjAxEG LkStackHear-lKjbE hejl lk-stack--headg" data-ttid="SectnTle"><h2 class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SectnTleHed-dKqZet dxqEAa dqtvfu jttyjJ">More New Yorker Conversatns</h2></div><div class="LkStackContent-jyKicS gPhyME"><ul class="LkStackList-gGcjdZ dnMwpz"><li class="LkStackBullet-kQRqul iQHwiG lk-stack--lk-em" data-ttid="LkStackBullet"><div><p>Eva Longoria brgs <a href="/culture/the-new-yorker-terview/eva-longoria-brgs-lato-life-to-the-screen" class="InternalLkEmbedWrapper-fhjgJW cQLtaa">Lato life to the screen</a>.</p></div></li><li class="LkStackBullet-kQRqul iQHwiG lk-stack--lk-em" data-ttid="LkStackBullet"><div><p><a 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summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Why Barbie Mt Be Punished" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">The Weekend Essay</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Why Barbie Mt Be Punished</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Why Barbie Mt Be Punished" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">Mothers, dghters, and an in’s existential crisis.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Llie Jamison</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm fvDIAb" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="On Killg Charl Dickens" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Life and Letters</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">On Killg Charl Dickens</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="On Killg Charl Dickens" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">I did everythg I uld to avoid wrg my historil novel. When I fally started “The Frd,” one prciple was clear: no Dickens.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Zadie Smh</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm fvDIAb" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Are You the Same Person You Used to Be?" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Annals of Inquiry</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Are You the Same Person You Used to Be?</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Are You the Same Person You Used to Be?" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">Rearchers have studied how much of our personaly is set om childhood, but what you’re like isn’t who you are.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Joshua Rothman</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm fvDIAb" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Novelist Whose Inventns Went Too Far" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Life and Letters</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">The Novelist Whose Inventns Went Too Far</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Novelist Whose Inventns Went Too Far" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">After the Ao-Cuban wrer H. G. Carrillo died, his hband learned that almost everythg the wrer had shared about his life was ma up—cludg his Cuban inty.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>D. T. Max</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm fvDIAb ad ad--read-more"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--read-more" data-no-id="jxgt8p"></div></div></div><div class="SummaryCollectnGridToActnWrapper-gnReGN eGayfk"></div></div></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="TaboolaWrapper-hMVdpE iYfBhy"><div class="TaboolaWidgetWrapper-egPIjc hkSrgt TaboolaWidget-eUSdED hQCCRa" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetWrapper"><div class="TaboolaWidgetContent-iBEQTO eXroXG TABOOLA" id="taboola-below-article-thumbnails---f" data-ttid="TaboolaWidgetContent"></div></div></div></div><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--footer should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--footer" data-no-id="k7tzl"></div></div></div></div></div></ma><div class="BasePageMaFooterFiller-hTlZph jSriYf page__ma-footer-filler"></div><div 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hi gay instagram

Michael Schulman terviews the edian Meg Stalter about her role the HBO Max show “Hacks,” fdg onle succs durg the panmic, playg Helen Keller’s mom (briefly), and the spiratn behd her “Hi, gay” vio.

Contents:

INSTAGAYS, UNFILTERED

Comedian Megan Stalter om HBO's "Hacks" livers another hilar "Hi Gay" vio pokg fun at rporatns -optg LGBTQ language. * hi gay instagram *

The edian and actrs has enjoyed a breakout year, om stealg scen as a well-tentned by entled airhead of an assistant HBO Max's Hacks and appearg Kacey Mgrav' Star-Crossed: The Film, to droppg viral vios on Instagram (see: the stantly inic "Hi, Gay" openg of her parody of rporatns durg Pri month). Your "Hi, Gay" quote your parody vio June took on a life of s own.

Wh thoands of followers, extravagant liftyl and nonstop gym selfi, Instagays are easy to envy. But their rise marks a gay cultural shift, promptg big qutns about what all those nocent snapshots might mean. * hi gay instagram *

I had somebody the other day say, "Hi, Gay" to me on the street.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* HI GAY INSTAGRAM

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jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-hero" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-hero"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="SpaceHolr-oayp fXtswJ ad-height-hold"></div><ma id="ma-ntent" tabx="-1" class="BasePageMaContent-kFvAuh ewPCZH page__ma-ntent"><article class="article ma-ntent" lang="en-US"><div class="ArticlePageLeBackground-EufvU tFsh"><hear class="ContentHearWrapper-clujbs eYlKuB ntent-hear article__ntent-hear"><div data-ttid="ContentHearContaer" class="ContentHearContaer-cGKRbE knDxNq"><div class="ContentHearHedAccredatnWrapper-GFiQf cDNVlV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper" class="ContentHearTleBlockWrapper-cjmSKp jbzVNV"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubric" class="ContentHearRubricBlock-LmpbT kkDiIx"><div data-ttid="ContentHearRubricDateBlock" class="ContentHearRubricDateBlock-kAQcZP fTFWxD"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX dZhWBL bric ContentHearRubricContaer-eTudtt iRsSlw"><a class="RubricLk-gRWSOU fgWnkQ bric__lk" href="/culture/q-and-a"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Q. & A.</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd NbxED hpJvIc">Meg Stalter Skipped Straight om the Inter to “Hacks”</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB enhwXT ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ Mtme">The edian scrib fdg onle succs durg the panmic, playg Helen Keller’s mom (briefly), and the spiratn behd “Hi, gay.”</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa gvUmxJ"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn jKACOU"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn jKACOU rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="66px"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="66px"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bqbBYQ"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ivtvgj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd ggMZaT cXqSTL eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributors/michael-schulman">Michael Schulman</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2022-05-19T15:34:36-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd kYZrFA kEBrdf">May 19, 2022</time></div></div></div></div></div></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kbAoLA article-body__ntent"><div class="ActnBarWrapperContent-lasBkU cAHp"><div class="ActnBarWrapperComponent-cjwxLS bEeSLb"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="ActnBarWrapper-dhxmQh kNjTbQ viewport-monor-anchor"><button id="bookmark" aria-label="Save this story" class="ActnBarButton-dyFOZU hQrwCF bookmark large-screen"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z"></path></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd bkefvo 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class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><div class="GenericCalloutWrapper-tojWn iHBnEl llout--has-top-borr" data-ttid="GenericCallout"><figure class="AssetEmbedWrapper-eVDQiB byBkf asset-embed"><div class="AssetEmbedAssetContaer-eJxoAx dBHGoQ asset-embed__asset-ntaer"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO KhjZz AssetEmbedRponsiveAsset-cXBNxi eCxVQK asset-embed__rponsive-asset rponsive-image rponsive-image--expandable"><noscript><img alt="Meg Stalter pos a black drs at a premiere." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src=" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w" siz="100vw"/></noscript></picture></span></div><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE iTuhkZ ptn AssetEmbedCaptn-fNQBPI fmQnYP asset-embed__ptn"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd hWyo iXWezO ptn__text">Meg Stalter plays “a bad assistant” on HBO Max’s “Hacks.”</span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd iicloT jbIJNS ptn__cred">Photograph by Barry Kg / Alamy</span></div></figure></div><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg paywall">Before <a href=">the panmic</a>, Megan Stalter was an unknown edian performg wherever she uld, tryg to break to actg and postg ocsnal vios on Twter and TikTok. When the panmic h, those vios beme her only outlet. Stalter began producg them at a rapid clip, as very short character sketch. Wh everybody at home and on the Inter, she started to fd a big dience, rackg up lns of views. On social media, she beme known as the queen of quarante.</p><p class="paywall">Stalter shot on her phone, and the props and stum were whatever she uld fd around the hoe. Her characters embody the full spectm of the socially awkward and cluels. Then, sudnly, Stalter jumped om the Inter to televisn, playg the worst assistant the world on the h HBO show “<a href=">Hacks</a>.” She recently spoke wh <a href=">The New Yorker Rad Hour</a> about her early onle succs, cludg her viral “<a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Hi, gay</a>” vio; landg her “Hacks” role; and playg Helen Keller’s mother “The Miracle Worker.” The nversatn has been eded for length and clary.</p><figure data-ttid="IameEmbed" class="IameEmbedWrapper-sc-dRedg cjyRVU iame-embed"><div data-ttid="IameEmbedContaer" class="IameEmbedContaer-hptgUZ fXVBaX"><div class="IameEmbedAspectRatWrapper-hFVJps BKpgQ"><iame class="IameEmbedContent-cMdiev csnuAY IameEmbedContent lazyload" height="80" width="100%" sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-orig" tle="Embedd Frame" data-src=" allowfullscreen="" allow="toplay *; encrypted-media *; clipboard-wre; toplay; fullscreen; picture--picture"></iame></div></div></figure><p class="paywall"><strong>Am I gettg right that “Hacks” is your first profsnal actg job proper?</strong></p><p class="paywall">Y.</p><div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--article-mid-ntent" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--article-mid-ntent nsumer-marketg-un__slot---ntent"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><p class="paywall"><strong>Y, you jt went om nothg to HBO Max’s huge edy h?</strong></p><p class="paywall">I uldn’t be more lucky. I n’t believe . That’s my first time on set. That’s the first time I ever had a profsnal actg job. I haven’t even done a mercial.</p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-1 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall"><strong>“Hacks” centers on this old-school Vegas headler edian named Deborah Vance, played by the <a href=">tly amazg Jean Smart</a>, who hir a twentysomethg edian named Ava, played by Hannah Ebr, to punch up her act and be her assistant. You play Kayla, who is an sential part of the show. Can you scribe who Kayla is?</strong></p><p class="paywall">Ava has this manager, and Kayla is the manager’s assistant, and she’s a bad assistant. She’s kd of a party fashnista slash silly rich girl whose dad owns the pany, so she has this privilege and power. She se [the manager] Jimmy as—they’re like equals, even though Jimmy is her boss. I thk she se them as -workers, and she liv her own world and don’t even realize how privileged she is.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>She’s what the Inter would now ll a “<a href=">nepo baby</a>.”</strong></p><p class="paywall">Y, absolutely.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>“Hacks” is very much about this generatnal divi edy, wh Deborah Vance reprentg the old-school, punchle-heavy <a href=">Joan Rivers</a> school of edy, and then Ava is the ls crowd-pleasg, more jagged lennial slash Gen Z kd of edy. I’m cur if you see your own work those terms—if you feel like you’re on one si or the other of that divi.</strong></p><p class="paywall">My hope is always that my stuff n be unrstood by people of all ag. I feel like I draw a lot om olr edians, anyway. A sort of one-woman show the eighti, like an olr woman dog a Vegas-style one-woman show, is kd of my spiratn. I like to hope that people of all ag n be on the si of the joke. I love “Hacks” bee I feel like there’s somethg for everyone the show. Pl [W. Downs, a -creator of “Hacks,” who also plays Kayla’s boss] was sayg that a lot of tim people tell him, like, “Oh, this is the show I n watch wh my mom, and she lov , too.” Comedy is so subjective, but any sort of art that’s not cludg, or alienatg a huge group of people—I jt would rather not. I would rather not alienate any age group or type of person. “Hacks” is somethg that people of all ag and genrs would be to bee there’s somethg for everyone .</p><p class="paywall"><strong>How did you start performg? Was there a spark where you felt, “Oh, I have to be on that stage”?</strong></p><p class="paywall">I really never remember not wantg to perform. I n’t ever remember a time I wasn’t makg vios. When I was ltle, we always liked makg vios, me and my siblgs and my s. Anytime there was a talent show or a Christmas pageant, I’d be sperate to be . I remember my choir teacher gave me a solo for the Christmas pageant, and I jt practiced the song over and over and over aga. It was jt probably two l of the solo, but I was so, like, “Oh, my God.” I jt really need to be onstage. I do thk that I’ve always been sort of weird, eaky, silly. I fely didn’t f high school, bis drama club. And I dned for everythg, and I would rearch the role and I would prepare a lot. I never got the parts that I wanted probably ever, but I did play Helen Keller’s mom “The Miracle Worker.” I didn’t even get that part. I was an unrstudy, and then they let me have bee the lead dropped out or somethg.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p class="paywall"><strong>Really?</strong></p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-2 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">Y, but that was probably my shg role. She had l, at least. After high school, I didn’t have any money saved to move to L.A. or New York, and we don’t e om money. I jt went to different muny-llege programs, and all I really wanted to do was perform, but I jt uldn’t even see a way. But then, fally, after tryg a bunch of different thgs—like teachg, nursg, missns slash church work—I did Bible school.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>You did?</strong></p><p class="paywall">Y, I was really volved my church, and I was, like, “Well, if I n’t do what I really want to do, then maybe God wants me to choose somethg that’s helpful, but a job where I know I n make money after llege.”</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR daRVRt persistent-asi" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="vqp5eg"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></asi></div></div><div data-ttid="RowWrapper" class="RowWrapper-UmqTg HEhan full-bleed-ad row-mid-ntent-ad"><div class="StickyMidContentAdWrapper-fSBzwl drzyIa ad-stickymidntent"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--mid-ntent should-hold-space"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--mid-ntent" data-no-id="4e73m6i"></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa bDyAMU body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="paywall"><strong>Pre-panmic, what was your life like? Can you scribe what you were dog, the state of your reer, of your life, where you were livg? What was gog on?</strong></p><p class="paywall">I had jt moved to New York six or seven months before the panmic. I was havg the time of my life on different shows every night, and I was, like, “Oh, this is the dream. This is the New York dream.” I thk that’s when I first started gettg any tractn onle. I do remember, right before the panmic, my first uple of vios that had ever gone—not viral, but a lot of people were watchg, more than normal for me. I thk one vio was— was, like, the woman the movie who almost hooks up wh the lead before he go off to fd his real te love, or somethg like that.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>I remember that one.</strong></p><p class="paywall">And I was, like, “Oh, my God, wow, I’m really dog . I’m New York and I’m dog the shows at night, and people are watchg my stuff onle.” Then I thk the real attentn me wh the panmic. It really changed everythg, and [I] was not focsg on tryg to get people to see , to be hont. I jt was dog the really crazy themed Instagram Liv overnight, bee I was so alone, and I was, like, “This is a fun way to feel nnected.” Or even postg stuff, I’m, like, “Oh, this is like a creative outlet, bee we n’t perform live right now,” and was really sry and sad for me. I was jt tryg to stay afloat. I was jt tryg to not lose my md. It was so sry, but then thgs were happeng for me, too, onle.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>It’s this weird batn of a horrible moment for the world slash good time for Meg’s reer. I want to look at one of the vios that went really viral durg the panmic. “Hi, gay” was om June of 2021. It was a vio for Pri Month.</strong></p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-3 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">That vio, I lerally was shg out the door. It was Pri Month, and I’ve jt seen so many ads om plac that would never normally do a Pri thg. It jt was, like, somethg clicked—where was, like, “God, that would be so funny.”</p><p class="paywall"><strong>It’s obvly a great satire of how pani -opt the language of Pri to sell products durg June. To me, what’s so funny about is that ’s more than that. You see this character who is jt so uned to beg on mera jt tryg and failg to be prentable and pull this off.</strong></p><p class="paywall">The whole thg, I’m readg off the puter, so all of what I said was wrten. I normally like to improv wh the vios, but that one, I was, like, “It’d be funny if looks scripted and looks like I’m readg off a script.” I thk what I’m drawn to, when people-watchg or gettg spired to do a character, is people that are really fully themselv out loud. They’re different than everyone else, but they are so themselv that don’t matter what other people thk of them.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>Well, there’s somethg about your characters that reprent the breadth of Amerin idcy. There’s this one vio I love where you play a woman her r who <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">has jt been to Starbucks and is outraged</a>.</strong></p><p class="paywall">Yeah.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>Of urse, we all have followed the people who get outraged about the “war on Christmas,” or whatever. In a way, onle culture has ma everyone a kd of on-mera performer. You do really pture the sense that so many people are performg for the mera nowadays who jt aren’t up for . You n see them tryg and failg. It’s like we’re all performers now.</strong></p><p class="paywall">Everyone feels this prsure. Everybody wants to be famo or go viral. It’s fun to make fun of and to explore, like, “Why do people feel that way? Why do people feel the prsure to do that?” That’s what’s so funny about the ont-facg vio characters, bee, like that vio, a lot of people thought that was real. That’s what’s so funny.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>Really?</strong></p><div data-attr-viewport-monor="le-recirc" class="le-recirc-wrapper le-recirc-observer-target-4 viewport-monor-anchor"></div><p class="paywall">Y, I thk my favore characters to watch are people that feel real, even if they’re bonkers. They jt feel, like, “Oh, well, I know that woman.” Like that church woman, even though she was sayg crazy thgs about the Starbucks employee and celebratg Halloween, she’s so real.</p><p class="paywall"><strong>What kd of thgs were people sayg on Twter who thought was real?</strong></p><p class="paywall">People were upset wh her, this character, and sayg, “Wow, I don’t thk a Christian should be yellg at a barista” or, like, “You’re not the real kd of Christian.” Or “I don’t thk God would like that.” The other thg is I really liked the low qualy of the vios bee almost feels like the person’s even more real—bee ’s like they filmed themselv. The fun thg is you n prank people if they don’t follow you. There’s so much of that ntent now onle that you n put yours up and people thk you’re ser, and that’s really a part of the joke for me.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="13i2i"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" aria-hidn="te"><div class="nsumer-marketg-un__slot nsumer-marketg-un__slot--display-rail"></div><div class="journey-un"></div></div></div><div class="StickyBoxPlaceholr-grPmrg dxAvXx"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 PaywallInleBarrierWhWrapperGrid-fyrGfS kLQIUk grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em 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href="/culture/the-new-yorker-terview/harvey-karp-knows-how-to-make-babi-happy" class="InternalLkEmbedWrapper-fhjgJW cQLtaa">Harvey Karp</a> knows how to make babi happy.</p></div></li><li class="LkStackBullet-kQRqul iQHwiG lk-stack--lk-em" data-ttid="LkStackBullet"><div><p>Tx explas why <a href="/culture/the-new-yorker-terview/tx-explas-why-were-datg-all-wrong" class="InternalLkEmbedWrapper-fhjgJW cQLtaa">we’re datg all wrong</a>.</p></div></li><li class="LkStackBullet-kQRqul iQHwiG lk-stack--lk-em" data-ttid="LkStackBullet"><div><p>Ken Jenngs has some <a href="/culture/the-new-yorker-terview/ken-jenngs-has-some-qutns-about-ath" class="InternalLkEmbedWrapper-fhjgJW cQLtaa">qutns about ath</a>.</p></div></li><li class="LkStackBullet-kQRqul iQHwiG lk-stack--lk-em" data-ttid="LkStackBullet"><div><p>Llie Marmon Silko <a href="/culture/the-new-yorker-terview/llie-marmon-silko-saw--g" class="InternalLkEmbedWrapper-fhjgJW cQLtaa">saw g</a>.</p></div></li><li class="LkStackBullet-kQRqul 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SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">The Weekend Essay</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">Why Barbie Mt Be Punished</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-1" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture 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rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="On Killg Charl Dickens" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Life and Letters</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">On Killg Charl Dickens</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-2" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="On Killg Charl Dickens" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">I did everythg I uld to avoid wrg my historil novel. When I fally started “The Frd,” one prciple was clear: no Dickens.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Zadie Smh</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hlYhBH summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below-sktop-only summary-em--layout-posn-image-right summary-em--layout-proportns-33-66 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center 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target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz jMoLpX"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Are You the Same Person You Used to Be?" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd jxOIpm cPtisA summary-em__k">Rearchers have studied how much of our personaly is set om childhood, but what you’re like isn’t who you are.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div 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class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl ldWYvC summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN fYiFyD summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Life and Letters</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM cZPaWG summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ iIjKeM summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">The Novelist Whose Inventns Went Too Far</div></a><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb USLvL summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-4" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg egpoQR summary-em__image"><div 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G. Carrillo died, his hband learned that almost everythg the wrer had shared about his life was ma up—cludg his Cuban inty.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi hYsZi summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>D. T. 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