Kristen Schaal

Kristen Schaal

Schaal at the 2010 Brooklyn Book Festival
Birth name Kristen Joy Schaal[1]
Born January 24, 1978
Longmont, Colorado, U.S.
Medium Stand-up, television, film, books
Nationality American
Years active 2001–present
Genres Observational comedy, Satire/Political satire
Spouse Rich Blomquist (m. 2012)
Notable works and roles Mel on Flight of the Conchords
Louise Belcher on Bob's Burgers
Commentator on The Daily Show
Mabel Pines on Gravity Falls
Amanda Simmons on The Hotwives of Orlando
Carol Pilbasian on The Last Man on Earth

Kristen Joy Schaal (pronounced /ʃɑl/;[2] born January 24, 1978) is an American actress, voice artist, writer, and comedian. She is best known for her roles as Mel on the HBO series Flight of the Conchords and as Louise Belcher on FOX animated comedy Bob's Burgers. Other notable roles include her appearances as a commentator on The Daily Show, Mabel Pines on Gravity Falls, Amanda Simmons on The Hotwives of Orlando, Hazel Wassername on 30 Rock, Victoria Best on WordGirl, Trixie from the Toy Story franchise and Anne on Wilfred. She co-stars in the FOX comedy The Last Man on Earth, which premiered on March 1, 2015.

Early life

Schaal was born "Kristen Joy Schaal"[1] in Longmont, Colorado, to a Lutheran family of Dutch[3] and German[4] ancestry. She was raised on her family's cattle farm, in a rural area near Boulder.[3] Her father is a construction worker and her mother is a secretary.[5] Schaal has a brother, David, who is three years older than she is.[5] She graduated from Northwestern University and then moved to New York to pursue a comedy career. Five years later, in 2005, she had her first break when she was included in New York magazine's article "The Ten Funniest New Yorkers You've Never Heard Of".[6]

Career

Live comedy

In 2006, Schaal performed at the 2006 HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, where she won the award for "Best Alternative Comedian". She was also the winner of the second annual Andy Kaufman Award (hosted by the New York Comedy Festival), Best Female Stand-up at the 2006 Nightlife Awards in New York, and "Best Female Stand Up Comedian" at the 2007 ECNY Awards.[7] At the 2008 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, she won the Barry Award for her show Kristen Schaal As You Have Probably Never Seen Her Before, tying with Nina Conti.[8] Also in 2006, Schaal appeared on the first season of the Comedy Central show Live at Gotham.[9] She co-hosts the weekly variety show Hot Tub in Los Angeles, which was voted “Best Variety Show of 2005” by Time-Out New York’s readers poll. She also performs at the Peoples Improv Theater on the improv team, "Big Black Car", which was awarded best improv troupe of 2005 at the Emerging Comics of New York awards. She is a founding member of the theatre company The Striking Viking Story Pirates, which adapts stories by children into sketches and songs.

Schaal performed live at the Edinburgh Fringe 2007 in Scotland, where she was one of six acts (chosen from over two hundred American productions at the Fringe) requested to perform at the US Consul General-sponsored "Fringe USA" Showcase.

On her return to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2008, Schaal was nominated for the If.comedy award for Kristen Schaal And Kurt Braunohler: Double Down Hearts.[10]

Schaal has also performed at the Royal Albert Hall, London, as part of The Secret Policeman's Ball 2008 in aid of Amnesty International, and at the Bonnaroo 2009 music festival.

In 2010, Schaal appeared as a stand-up comic on John Oliver's New York Stand Up Show and at the Solid Sound Festival at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

Film, TV and radio

Schaal onstage in 2005

Schaal rose to national attention for her role on HBO's Flight of the Conchords as the stalker-fan Mel, a role which earned her an Ewwy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2009. She was also a credited consultant and writer for Season 11 of South Park, appeared on the BBC's Never Mind the Buzzcocks and played the boss in Fuse's mockumentary The Intern. She made her first appearance as a "special commentator" on Comedy Central's The Daily Show on March 13, 2008. She is often presented as The Daily Show "Senior Women's Issues Correspondent". On April 13, 2008, she made an appearance on Good News Week during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and in October 2008 she appeared in Amnesty International's The Secret Policeman's Ball 2008.

Her other film and television credits include Kate and Leopold, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Snake 'n' Bacon, Norbit, Get Him to the Greek, Conviction, Cheap Seats, Freak Show, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, Adam and Steve, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, Delirious, Australian show Good News Week, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Education of Max Bickford, Comedy Central's Contest Searchlight, Ugly Betty, How I Met Your Mother, MTV's Human Giant and Mad Men. She was also a contributor to the sketch/music series The Nighttime Clap on the Fuse music network. She also appeared on Fuse's original comedy series The P.A. Schaal appeared in two TV pilots written and directed by Jersey City comedian Dan McNamara -- The Calderons[11] and Redeeming Rainbow,[12] both of which were screened as official selections at the 2006 and 2007 New York Television Festivals. She was also in television commercials for Wendy's, RadioShack, and Starburst. She made an appearance, in April 2008, on the IFC sketch comedy show The Whitest Kids U' Know. On April 3, 2009 she taped an episode of Comedy Central Presents.[13] In 2010, she added her voice to the PBS Kids GO! series WordGirl as Victoria Best, a child prodigy whose parents taught her to be the best at everything that she does.[14] Kristen currently voices 12-year-old Mabel Pines on Disney Channel's Gravity Falls. She also voices the character Louise on the FOX Network series Bob's Burgers.

She also stars in A. D. Miles' MyDamnChannel.com series Horrible People. In October 2008, Schaal appeared in an episode of Spicks and Specks. On June 10, 2009, Schaal broadcast her first radio show, High Five!!, on Sirius XM Radio's 'RawDog' channel with co-host Kurt Braunohler.[15] She played Gertha Teeth in the 2009 movie The Vampire's Assistant. Schaal stars in her own web series, Penelope Princess of Pets, one episode of which doubled as the video for the New Pornographers' "Mutiny, I Promise You".[16] She voiced Trixie the Triceratops in Toy Story 3 and Pumpkin Witch and Palace Witch in Shrek Forever After.[17] She was also in the music video for Joey Ramone's "New York City". She also guest starred in the Modern Family episode "Fifteen Percent", as well as the music video for "Conversation 16" by The National. Schaal guest starred on the MC Frontalot album Solved. She was featured with Kurt Braunohler on the Radiolab episode "Loops".[18] Schaal was in a commercial for the Xperia Play version of Minecraft.

Schaal guest starred on The Simpsons May 8, 2011 episode "Homer Scissorhands" in which she plays Taffy, a love interest of Milhouse. She is incorrectly listed in the credits as Kristen Schall. This prompted Simpsons writers to issue her a unique apology on the next week's episode in which Bart's chalkboard gag in the intro to the show states "It’s Kristen Schaal, not Kristen Schall." Schaal also starred in a music video for Weird Al Yankovic's 2014 song "Tacky", a parody of Pharrell Williams's "Happy".

In 2014, Schaal co-starred alongside Casey Wilson, Danielle Schneider, Tymberlee Hill, Andrea Savage, and Angela Kinsey in the first season of the Hulu original series The Hotwives of Orlando. She is currently co-starring alongside Will Forte in the FOX comedy The Last Man on Earth, which premiered on March 1, 2015.

Schaal also voices a character Sarah Lynn in a 2014 Netflix original animated series BoJack Horseman.[19]

Books

Schaal wrote a humor book, The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex, with her husband, former Daily Show writer Rich Blomquist. It was published in July 2010 by Chronicle Books.[20] She originally intended for them to write the book under pseudonyms, "because I don't want anyone to imagine me doing those things,"[21] but she realized it would be harder to promote the book without using their real names.

Personal life

Schaal married former Daily Show writer Rich Blomquist in September 2012.

Filmography

Film and television
Year Title Role Notes
2001 Kate & Leopold Miss Tree Film debut
2001–2002 The Education of Max Bickford Valerie Holmes 3 episodes
2004 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Abby Episode: "Brotherhood"
Poster Boy Bookstore Lady #14
2005 Adam & Steve Ruth
Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker Emily Episode: "Dog Show/World Beard and Mustache Championship"
2006 Conviction Allie Rubinoff Episode: "Madness"
Delirious Joelle
Ugly Betty Nancy Episode: "Pilot"
Six Degrees Gail 2 episodes
Freak Show Various Voice, 7 episodes
2007 Scott Bateman Presents Earth's New Robot Overlord
Trixie Tangway		 Voice, 2 episodes
Norbit Event Organizer
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Alana Binder Episode: "30"
Human Giant Girl in Doritos Commercial Episode: "Lil 9-11"
Mad Men Nannette Episode: "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes"
How I Met Your Mother Laura Girard Episode: "The Platinum Rule"
2007–2009 Flight of the Conchords Mel 21 episodes
2008 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Tammy Tangerine (voice) As Frannie Hood, Episode: "Bible Fruit"
The Whitest Kids U'Know Homeless Woman Episode: "2.9"
Never Mind The Buzzcocks Herself Series 21, Episode 4
2009 Xavier: Renegade Angel Frantic Spectator / Old Ryan's Wife (voice) Episode: "Going Normal"
Comedy Central Presents Herself Season 13, Episode 24
Snake 'n' Bacon The Green Fairy TV movie
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard Stewardess Stacey
Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant Gertha Teeth
Comedy Showcase Tourist Episode: "The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret"
2010 Modern Family Whitney Episode: "Fifteen Percent"
When in Rome Ilona
Valentine's Day Ms. Gilroy
Comedy Lab Penelope Episode: "Penelope Princess of Pets"
Shrek Forever After Pumpkin/ Palace Witch Voice
Get Him to the Greek Today Show Production Assistant
Toy Story 3 Trixie Voice
Dinner for Schmucks Susana
Going the Distance Female Bartender
Fact Checkers Unit Paula Episode: "One Groundhog Day Dog"
WordGirl Victoria Best (voice) Episode: "Victoria Is the Best ... WordGirl?"
Scared Shrekless Sugar the Gingerbread Girl Voice
2011 Butter Carol Ann
The Simpsons Taffy Voice, Episode: "Homer Scissorhands"; credited as "Kristen Schall"[22]
The Penguins of Madagascar Muffy, Bluffy, and Fluffy the bunny rabbits Voice, Episode: "Operation: Neighbor Swap"
Hawaiian Vacation Trixie Voice
Soul Quest Overdrive Tammy Voice
The Muppets Moderator
The Heart, She Holler Hershe Heartshe 6 episodes
2011–2012 American Dad! Librarian / Girl Voice, 2 episodes
2011–present Bob's Burgers Louise Belcher Voice, Series regular
2012 Sleepwalk with Me Cynthia
2012–2013 30 Rock Hazel Wassername 11 episodes
2012–2014 Adventure Time Jake Jr. Voice, 4 episodes
2012–present Gravity Falls Mabel Pines Voice, Series regular
2013 Archer Tiffy Voice, 2 episodes
Despicable Me 2 Shannon Voice
Never Mind the Buzzcocks Herself Series 27, Episode 5
Wilfred Anne 4 episodes
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 Barb Voice
NTSF:SD:SUV:: Deborah Episode: "Trading Faces"
Comedy Bang! Bang! Gina Guppies Episode: "Jessica Alba Wears a Jacket with Patent Leather Pumps"
Toy Story of Terror Trixie Voice
The Big Fat Quiz of the Year Herself Panelist
Welcome to the Jungle Brenda
@Midnight Herself Season 1 Episode 5
2014 The Hotwives of Orlando Amanda Simmons Series regular
BoJack Horseman Sarah Lynn Netflix Series
Glee Mary Halloran Episode: The Untitled Rachel Berry Project
Toy Story That Time Forgot Trixie Voice
2015 A Walk in the Woods Filming
Last Man on Earth Carol Pilbasian Main role (13 episodes)
2016 Michelle Darnell Filming

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 ["United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KL3F-MLP : accessed 12 April 2015), Kristen Joy Schaal, Residence, New York, New York, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.]
  2. ↑ StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson: "The Science of Sex". 2013. Accessed 12 August 2013. The original Dutch pronunciation would be /sxaːl/.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Patterson, John (2010-10-15). "Kristen Schaal: The toast of American comedy". The Guardian. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  4. ↑ Maron, Marc (2013-06-18). "WTF - Kristen Schaal talks about makin’ it." (Podcast).
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "The Kooky Monster". Melbourne: The Age. 2008-03-23. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  6. ↑ Todd, Charlie (2005-09-26). "The Ten Funniest New Yorkers You've Never Heard Of". New York Magazine. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  7. ↑ "4th Annual ECNY Award Winners". ECNY Awards. 2011-02-10. Archived from the original on 2012-05-01. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  8. ↑ Kent, Melissa (2008-04-13). "Top comics grin and share the main prize". The Age. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  9. ↑ Strachan, Alex (2009-10-17). "Live at Gotham a Prerequisite for the Big Time". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  10. ↑ "Edinburgh Festival If.comedy award shortlist announced". The List. 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  11. ↑ The Calderons at the Internet Movie Database
  12. ↑ Redeeming Rainbow at the Internet Movie Database
  13. ↑ "COMEDY CENTRAL(R) Gets the New Year Rolling with Laughter!". PR Newswire. Bloomberg. 2009-01-05. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  14. ↑ Liu, Ed (2009-06-10). "Scholastic Media Renews "WordGirl" for 26 More Episodes". toonzone.net. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  15. ↑ Brophy-Warren, Jamin (2009-06-10). ""Flight of the Conchords" Meets "South Park" on Satellite Radio". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  16. ↑ "Kristen Schaal (COMEDIAN)". The Believer. June 2008. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  17. ↑ Chen, David (2009-10-12). "Lee Unkrich Announces Kristen Schaal and Blake Clark Cast in Toy Story 3; Toy Story 3D Double Feature To Stay in Theaters". slashfilm.com. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  18. ↑ "Kristen Schaal". Radiolab. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  19. ↑ Paskin, Willa (August 22, 2014). "The Longest Face". Slate. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  20. ↑ Schaal, Kristen; Blomquist, Rich (2010-07-28). The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0811871266.
  21. ↑ Powers, Nicole (2008-12-10). "Kristen Schaal: Confessions of a Disappointed Hillary Supporter". SuicideGirls. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
  22. ↑ Itzkoff, Dave (2011-05-16). "Credit Where It’s Due: A ‘Simpsons’ Spelling Lesson". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-06-06.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kristen Schaal.