Kate Spencer

hallekiefer: sixbucks: laughingsquid: Prancercise, A Springy...

Wed, 29 May 2013 17:46:21 -0400

sixbucks:

laughingsquid:

Prancercise, A Springy Exercise Similar to a Horse’s Gait

I have never been more proud to be a white person.

We all fantasize about making a faux workout tape in order to trick people into looking at our camel toes. But to actually do it? Hats off, Joanna.

I still can’t figure out if this is real.

When did you know you truly wanted to become a comedian?

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:24:00 -0400

Um, I think when I first saw Saturday Night Live as a kid. I remember a song Gilda, Lorraine and Jane sang about Chevy falling down on TV that stuck with me then. But then most definitely when I saw The State in high school.

Hey Kate, I discovered you and your a blog a little while back now, and absolutely fell in love (I tweeted you about it, you probably lost it in your millions of fangirl's tweets) the thing is, I need help, I feel a little lost and stuck, as if I'm going through life as everyone else wants me to and I want to do something different but I'm scared, can you help? You're wise and amazing and lovely and I need someone like you to give me an alternative perspective! love, Bryony, Birmingham, England

Fri, 10 May 2013 01:21:20 -0400

Dear Bryony,

Thank you for such a sweet note. Let me just say that I think everyone in the world has felt as you do. I know I have many, many times in my life. Don’t be too hard on yourself about it. Just recognizing you feel a bit lost and want to try something different is amazing! Maybe you’re not scared, maybe you’re just taking your time to figure out what that next step is. Be nice to yourself, above all else. None of this is easy.

I’ve done improv comedy for a long, long time now. Often I get stuck in a horrifying rut. I feel awful after shows and convince myself that my performing is terrible and ruining everything. This puts me in my head, so then I end up being too scared to do anything in the show, terrified I’ll just ruin it with my awful-ness. I’ve learned that in order to move myself through this rut, I have to challenge myself to take risks on stage. Often they are very little, tiny things - things only I’d know I’m doing. It always feels really scary. Often I fail at what I’m trying to do. But just getting out there and forcing myself to not think and just do something new ends up feeling amazing. And slowly, I moved myself out of the rut.

I guess my terribly articulated point is this: it’s okay to be scared. This stuff is scary. You don’t need to make sweeping, huge life changes all at once (though if you want to, go for it!). You can go as slowly as you need. When you’re ready, just do one teeny tiny small thing to move yourself in the direction you want to go. Slowly but surely, you will get there, and will probably feel happier and more authentically you than before. And I bet the people in your life will love you through all of it. Those that don’t weren’t worth your time in the first place.

I don’t know if this even makes sense. But I’m glad you reached out. xo

patbaer: In 2006, the awesomely wonderful Kate Spencer ran a...

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:10:24 -0400

patbaer:

In 2006, the awesomely wonderful Kate Spencer ran a marathon (and dedicated the run to her mom) in Maine. Justin Purnell organized a group of folks together to drive up and surprise Kate on the route. We left NYC at 1am on a Saturday and drove straight there. Katie Dippold and Chad Carter flew in to see Kate as well (only Justin knew this, we were also surprised by them!).

I was digging through my old flickr account when I found these photos. Moments like these are what I think of when I think about this community.

I’ve written before about the amazing support I received from the UCB community/friends when my mom was ill, and this is a wonderful example. I don’t really have words for how much this meant to me and still does. These are some of the greatest people I know.

Also pictured: my BFF Liese who ran the race with me even though she has the agility and speed of an antelope whereas I run like a manatee trying to move on land. Not pictured: the large group of college friends and my mom’s friend Kathlyn, who also ran this race, and the hundreds of people who donated and helped me raise $20k for pancreatic cancer research. Thanks for posting these Pat. My friends are amazing! I’m so lucky.

kdo: Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:33:07 -0400

kdo:

Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers - Roadrunner (Twice) (1972)

#Boston

Photo

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:16:57 -0400

Patriots' Day

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:09:00 -0400

I am devastated today. I am a born and raised Massachusetts native, and grew up outside Boston. I am grieving for my city today, as we all are. But I feel hope today, too.

Patriots’ Day is a special day in Boston. It’s the day I’m always most homesick for my hometown. It’s a state holiday - schools are closed and banks close early. There is no mail delivery. This is so engrained in the local culture that when I moved to New York after college I was confused when we did not have the day off from work. I guess I always thought Patriots’ Day was a national thing.

On this day, there is an early morning reenactment of the Battle of Lexington and Concord. At some point in your youth your school will probably make you attend this, or your mom. It’s painful to rise at 5AM when you’re twelve to go see people retrace Paul Revere’s ride, but it’s a Massachusetts right of passage I’m grateful for.

The Red Sox have their first home game of the year on this day. The game is in the morning and signals the start of spring in Boston, like one giant daffodil popping out of the Green Monster. Once again, you’re filled with hope of a renewed Red Sox line up that might not fail you this year. Everything is fresh and new again, but routed in the history and tradition that makes the city and the team so great (even when they’re losing).

But most importantly, it’s Marathon Monday. There is truly nothing that captures the spirit of Boston and Massachusetts more than the marathon. It runs right through my town, and the whole world shows up to watch. Everyone knows a billion people running; each year my mom would cheer for her old OBGYN who delivered me when I was born. It’s fun and festive - people run in ridiculous costumes that seem impossible to sustain for 26.2 miles. But it is also downright emotional - a large group of wheelchair runners are the first to appear along the route, as well as able-bodied runners pushing participants in wheelchairs, like the much beloved father-son Team Hoyt. Everyone cheers, everyone cries. It’s an international event, but is incredibly local and true to the spirt of Boston: people persevering over an incredible challenge, with fervent, wild support all around.

Patriots’ Day is Boston’s best day; it’s happiest and most hopeful. There are parties everywhere, especially in Boston along the marathon route, celebrating the race and these wonderful moments that make the city so unique and special. And so, because someone chose to hurt the city on this of all days, I am especially saddened and devastated. I want people who aren’t from Boston to know how magical Patriots’ Day is, how it was my favorite day growing up and how it captures everything good about being a resident of Massachusetts. I’m confident that nothing will damper the spirit of this day, and that next year the state and the city will celebrate (and remember and honor those injured and lost today) even stronger. Nothing can keep the Commonwealth down. They don’t call us Massholes for nothing.

That time a Property Bro replied to my tweet about his hair with...

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 18:53:15 -0400

That time a Property Bro replied to my tweet about his hair with “;) lol.”

latimes: The girl who just wanted to play football Ella, a...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:54:38 -0400

latimes:

The girl who just wanted to play football

Ella, a 13-year-old who attends the Sequoyah School in Pasadena, just wants to play football - something easier said than done when the rest of the teams in the area refuse to play against a girl.

As the season began, the league voted against allowing a girl to play. If Ella played, it would mean a forfeit, even though the games could still take place. And Sequoyah would be banned from postseason play.

Ella’s teammates didn’t blink.

As it turns out, the team finished 0-8 after Ella joined them, not because they lost, but because each time she prepared to take the field, they were forced to forfeit.

Read the rest of reporter Chris Erskine’s story here.

Photo: Michael E. Stern

Photo

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 07:54:49 -0400

spotastic: comedycentral: Comedy Central Picks Up Amy...

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 13:04:13 -0400

spotastic:

comedycentral:

Comedy Central Picks Up Amy Poehler-Produced Broad City!

The hilarious web series Broad City from UCB alums Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer is coming to Comedy Central as a new weekly series produced by Amy Poehler! The show, which follows two friends dealing with the everyday minutiae of life in New York, has been given a ten-episode order and will premiere in 2014.

Said Amy about the news, “I’m excited to work with Comedy Central and introduce Abbi and Ilana to America. And all the other countries. And also Mars. We’ve got big plans.”

In the meantime, be sure to check out the web series that started it all.

[Photo by Eric Michael Pearson]

Booooom

Very cool things happening to very cool women I know! Congrats Ilana and Abbi!

classicajays: Since today is International Women’s Day, I...

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 02:02:04 -0500

classicajays:

Since today is International Women’s Day, I thought I’d post this for you all. This is from season 35 of Saturday Night Live, Will Forte does the “Women’s Herstory” song. Happy International Women’s Day! Good job women!

The fact that Will Forte is not the most famous person on earth is a deep shame.

anthonyking: Just looked at my Google calendar for this...

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 13:01:51 -0500

anthonyking:

Just looked at my Google calendar for this weekend— Kate’s calendar is in orange. Mine is in blue. #priorities

Today in: my family.

Free your workers, Yahoo! Working from home is a women's issue

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:54:48 -0500

Free your workers, Yahoo! Working from home is a women's issue:

What Irin Carmon said.

KATIE FISHER DAY My friend Matt Fisher is a wonderful guy, and...

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 14:57:00 -0500

KATIE FISHER DAY

My friend Matt Fisher is a wonderful guy, and he had a wonderful sister named Katie who sent him cookies every week (yes, EVERY WEEK) for the entire four years he was in college. She was was killed in a car accident in 2010, when she was just 24.

In honor of Katie, Matt and friends have started Katie Fisher Day to celebrate her memory, spirit and incredible love for her friends, family and life. The video above explains how you can participate, but it’s really, really simple:

1. Pick someone you love.

2. Bake some cookies.

3. Send them to that person you love.

It’s that easy. Join us, won’t you?

[On a personal note, I will add that while I only met Katie a handful of times, she was a huge Twilight fan (as is Matt’s lovely wife) and was always game for nerding out about Twi with me via our respective Facebook walls. So if any Twilight fandom members are reading this and want to participate and help spread the word, I’d be ever so grateful.]

Enlightened is TV’s best show right now—and it needs more viewers

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:28:38 -0500

Enlightened is TV’s best show right now—and it needs more viewers

amyohconnor: The best tweet I’ve seen re: Girls.

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 01:04:06 -0500

amyohconnor:

The best tweet I’ve seen re: Girls.

the Anthony King: The UCB "Controversy" - NY Times Edition

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 14:37:34 -0500

the Anthony King: The UCB "Controversy" - NY Times Edition:

anthonyking:

I’ve already written about this “should UCBT pay its performers?” debate. I even “discussed” the issue with Jason Zinoman on Twitter before he wrote his NY Times article. And many other people have written wonderful defenses of the UCBT model.

Personally, I think comparing UCBT…

I know Fox News is filled with garbage and people speaking...

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 13:00:00 -0500

I know Fox News is filled with garbage and people speaking nonsense all the time, but this is one of the most insane conversations I’ve ever seen, in which not a single person on the panel makes even a drop of sense.

[h/t @AntDeRosa]

baguettemenots: Anthony King and Kate Spencer Hello, here is...

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 23:40:13 -0500

baguettemenots:

Anthony King and Kate Spencer

Hello, here is my family and a baguette having a tea party. Thanks John Milhiser!