Aparna Nancherla is a comedian, writer, actress, and bestselling author whose distinctive voice has made her one of the most original comics working today. You've seen her stand-up on Netflix, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Conan, heard her in BoJack Horseman, and watched her in series like Corporate, The Great North, The Standups, and A Simple Favor. Her memoir, Unreliable Narrator, further cemented her reputation as one of comedy's most thoughtful and honest voices.

We sit down over a game of Jenga, but the conversation quickly becomes something much more interesting. We talk about why performing comedy became possible only after confronting depression and anxiety and what it's like to build a career while staying true to a personality that isn't exactly the loudest one in the room. I really appreciated how candid she is about mental health. Nothing feels performative. She's simply willing to talk about experiences that a lot of people quietly carry around every day.

Of course, we still make time for the important questions. We debate why people invent terrible excuses for skipping parties, the ethics of overpriced coffee, and whether meditation automatically makes you a better person.

Aparna has a quiet confidence that's easy to miss if you're only listening for jokes, but it's exactly what makes her such a compelling comedian. As simple as her advice sounds - "just keep going" - I have a feeling it's going to stick with a lot of people.

Order Aparna's book "Unreliable Narrator: My, Myself, and Imposter Syndrome"

Watch Aparna's special on Comedy Central's "The Half Hour"

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