The Office to USF: Mindy Kaling Talks Comedy and TV Career

The event, moderated by NBC News Daily Anchor and Senior Consumer Investigative Correspondent, Vicky Nguyen, drew a crowd of USF students, alumni, and friends to the War Memorial Gym at the Sobrato Center, eager to hear from the talented comedy writer and producer.

Fresh from receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Mindy Kaling opened up about her journey in comedy, the lessons learned from failure, and the impact of her biggest hit television series, Never Have I Ever.

Speaking to a captivated audience, Kaling shared how her passion for comedy began in high school, where she took a satire class that revealed her deep connection to the craft.

“...that’s when I realized that I liked comedy more than others. This thing ‘satire/comedy’ understands me,” Kaling said. “Comedy can be used to change attitudes, it can change the status quo, it can be weaponized, and it can liberate people,” she said.

At a time when diversity in Hollywood was limited, Greg Daniels, screenwriter and television producer, took a chance and hired Mindy Kaling for The Office in 2004. They wanted people who looked real for workplace comedy.

Kaling’s exposure and experience on the hit TV show would change the trajectory of her life. But Kaling learned quickly that she had to fight and claw her way into the entertainment industry. “Nothing is easy. Every one of my successes has been a rocky journey.”

Acknowledging the challenges behind her successes, Kaling shared about the importance of failure. “I’m in the belief that I only learn from my failures. I fail just as much, if not more, than I succeed,” she said. “What I learned from my failed projects is I’m still proud, even though it was a massive failure.”

Her parents, who had to restart their careers after moving to the U.S., shaped her outlook on perseverance. “Both my parents had to start over when they came to the U.S. They were already accomplished—my mom was an OBGYN and my dad an architect. But they showed me that sometimes you have to start over, even when it doesn’t seem fair.”

Kaling has expressed particular pride in the success of Never Have I Ever, the Netflix series that became the biggest show she’s worked on. “Of all the shows I’ve made, Never Have I Ever has been the most surprising to me,” she said. “It is by far the biggest. Forty million people watched the first season of the show.”

She noted how the show has resonated with so many people, especially those who haven’t always seen themselves represented on screen. “We look at people in TV and film, and they’re aspirational and beautiful. In the ’80s, I wondered why there weren’t people like me getting to experience a first kiss or looking glamorous and having full lives on television,” Kaling said.

The overwhelmingly positive reception to Never Have I Ever was a lesson for Kaling. “Audiences are smart. They want to relate to people, even if they don’t look like them, but it needs to really be true to someone’s experience.”

As Kaling’s career continues to take on new heights, she remains a trailblazer for diverse voices in Hollywood and an advocate for the power of comedy to create real change.

The Silk Speaker Series at the University of San Francisco brings key thought leaders in business, culture, and global affairs to share their wisdom and ideas with students, alumni, faculty, and friends of the university.

Enjoyed hearing from Mindy Kaling? Help support the Silk Speaker Series and bring more thought leaders to campus.