Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?

Kaling admits that she loves romantic comedies. She recognizes that the genre is not often viewed favorably, and she acknowledges that it comes with certain tropes that do not exist in real life. Many romantic comedies feature “The Klutz,” a beautiful woman who falls and hurts herself frequently. Kaling explains that this woman is a fabrication of the genre, as is the trope of the “Manic Pixie Dream Girl,” an eccentric and ethereal stock character in fiction. The severe, work-obsessed career woman often appears in romantic comedies, out of touch with her own sexuality or romance. Kaling explains that she considers herself to be career-oriented and has not lost her kindness or warmth.

Fans of The Office often confuse Mindy Kaling with her character Kelly Kapoor, believing them to be the same person. Kaling draws many distinctions between herself and her character. She would not, for example, pretend to be pregnant to gain attention from a man.

Kaling signed a contract to write and act in six episodes after an initial meeting with the show’s creator, Greg Daniels. She was nervous about the meeting and her lack of experience, but Greg had watched her play Matt & Ben and liked her work.