True/Slant Interview

I was interviewed by Michael Humphrey of True/Slant.  Michael is like a magical unicorn with the power to interview extremely effectively.  I had a lot of fun doing this and it made me feel like a rock star, so I thought I'd share with you guys.  It also might help to answer a few of your questions about why I am the way I am:

http://trueslant.com/michaelhumphrey/2010/05/03/the-life-and-lines-of-allie-brosh-hyperbole-and-a-half/

114 comments:

Gigi said...

Allie! That was an utterly awesome interview!! Loved it.

CodyAnne. said...

"That’s the thing with ADHD – you can’t ever just pick one thing you want to do. "

OMG I just read - and commented on a few minutes ago - on a post about ADHD, and I said something like my Dad always told me that I can't choose "D All of the Above" in life, but that I sure do try... hehe.

Awesome interview, and I would so buy your book!

Moooooog35 said...

A magical unicorn with the power to interview?

I can't believe he bumped Maury Povich off that perch.

furiousBall said...

congrats!

Unknown said...

I have never been called a unicorn before. I think that's the greatest compliment I have ever had in my life.

Gnetch said...

Oooh, awesome interview. You're really a celebrity now. I'd totally buy your book if you finally decided to get one published. Really. :)

Kaylee said...

congratulations allie! 2 million in one month!

Steam Me Up, Kid said...

You are such a pro! Congrats, Allie.

Ella Unread said...

Great interview! Congratulations, Allie! :D

Nate St. Pierre said...

Well, I guess I think you're even cooler now.

Bo Roper said...

I really don't know what to do with you being serious about anything. But that was a cool interview. Nice to have a little insight into you.

Anonymous said...

I'm going to be an echo of the previous comments AND a prediction of comments to follow: That was a great interview! If I was ever interviewed for anything other than a job, I'd probably spaz out and my mouth wouldn't want to form words properly. Oh well, that won't happen...

Anyway, again, you did fantastic! I wish I had a "colorful childhood". All I did was play violent video games with my brother... surprised I'm not serial killer by now...

izzabitz said...

I know Michael, and he is a magical unicorn. I'm glad he's finally receiving the recognition he deserves.

By the way, I love your blog.

Frenetic said...

That was so interesting to read! Definitely enjoyed it, and I'm super impressed you were able to respond so intelligently. I would probably just shut down and say "um" a lot, because I'm terrible at interviewing like that.

Una LaMarche said...

Congratulations on all of your success, Allie! I hardly ever comment any more because there are always approximately 800 people ahead of me, but it's been awesome to see the rest of the world discovering your brilliance. ~Una

Holly Renee said...

Great interview! Congrats on all the success!!! You are hilarious and deserve every bit of it. It was great to read more about you.

Sam Liu said...

Just read the interview, Allie and it was brilliant, a really interesting read. I can't believe that the longer post can take you up to 16 hours! Now if that's not dedication and tenacity, I don't know what is :D

Salt said...

You are the wind beneath my wings. Fantastic interview, girl!

Rachelle said...

Mostly, I'm just excited at this proof that you ARE actually still alive!

Qualmless said...

Great interview! Was it a written or verbal interview? If verbal, I'm doubly impressed - very eloquent.

Jophiel said...

I've only known about your blog for a few weeks and the best part of this interview, for me anyway, was introducing me to the fish story and drunken boat story. Hilarious! Amazing! Wondergrul!

It's really inspiring the way you just do what you're having most fun with and trust it enough to do it fulltime (I'm supposing?). I think I'm about to make that same decision, but man is it scary!

Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou for being so inspiring!

Shannon said...

Yay, congrats Allie! You did great and were really funny!

_*rachel*_ said...

As far as writing a book goes, this blog has already hit some agents' radar:

http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2010/04/friday-funnies.html

http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2010/04/i-you-alot.html

And if you ever do write a book, this blog has enough readership it would definitely count as a publishing credit--and that's rare.

Lindsay said...

Congratulations Allie! It's so exciting to see a writer making a path for herself like this. You inspire me with your awesomeness!
P.S. So glad you're not dead!

Johana Hill said...

You're an amazing human being. Thank you for being the highlight of my days... ;p

Annabanana said...

Great interview! Congrats on being super famous xxx

Fia_for_life said...

Your blog is totally fame worthy, Im actually surprised you werent being interviewed earlier. I love you total randomness, have you heard of "Teen Girl Squad" Its sorta the same style your posts are done, but like little cartoon videos of extream messed-up-ness!, I just did a post about

ithttp://confessionsofateenageexpat.blogspot.com/

even if you dont want to check out my blog, you have to youtube it, I know you will love it

Mary@Holy Mackerel said...

Great interview, Allie!! YAY!!!!!

Jaxie Fantastic said...

What a great interview! I'm glad you're getting recognized for your awesomeness, and it was really interesting to see the method behind some of the madness on this blog, lol. LOVE IT!

Kelly said...

I just discovered you a couple weeks ago and am HOOKED. You rock.

Anonymous said...

I like this ALOT.

krishna said...

hey allie..love your blog..have been reading all your previous posts..and would just like to let u know that your doing a good job...and yes u can now claim to be world famous(i am from India and i have been passing on word about your blog to my friends who also love your writing)
best of luck with the book

Anonymous said...

Allie, you are awesome!
I was having a totally crappy day and your blog made me feel 100% better.
Thanks!

mepsipax said...

There is an explanation?

Unknown said...

Would it be super weird and creepy to say that you've become one of my heroes? Probably. But I'm saying it anyway.

Anonymous said...

So well deserved. I found you via three friends on my Facebook a couple of weeks ago. Within a few posts, I immediately thought ot myself, "I know like six people who would enjoy the eff outta this." The best part is that it's come back to me - people are telling me I should read H&1/2 and I'm all like, "Too late, I've already read it. Nyah."

You rock so hard.

~Kim

whyimbored said...

Congrats - that is a really superb piece. You're getting famous-er!

Sarah said...

That would be the most disturbing children's book ever.
I can't wait to buy it.
Next time I make pasta, I'll record my 3-year-olds yelling, "Spaghatta Nadle!" for you.

Veronica M. D. said...

Great interview, Allie!!! You are such a pro.

ARM said...

Awesome Allie info! I just love your stories and they wouldn't be the same if you weren't the person that you are. I bet the pressure is crazy now. Props to the family.

Pete56 said...

WAY spiffy!
You're more adult than I, and I'm more than twice your age.
uh huh..An old guy, who laughs like hell at your seriously brilliant narratives.
...and also, I don't think I could coerce that many words from the combined wills of my brain and larynx, at one shot.(I've experienced enough that I know when to shut up)

Unknown said...

I'm a teacher, and I'd LOVE for you to write children's books. I hope you're not joking about this. I think kids would really love your humor, and they can definitely relate to the drawings. I can see all kinds of class assignments branching off your stories already. I think you'd rock a wordless picture book (as well as one with words). I say go for it.

MG Teacher said...

Allie-
I just had to let you know that today's ad brought to me by Google on your page was for thermometer calibration and sales. Your "I'm Not Dead" post is making even the ads on your page funny. I think you may have won the internet.
-Kelly

Tyler said...

Oh my... please DO write a how to book... I believe that is where your powers can best be used (outside of here, of course)

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Umm...I was saying something about wishing I were a unicorn too...except with dragon wings....but the typos and the "comment removed by author" attempt-to-correct kinda did me in.

Awesome interview, though!

Lou said...

I have only just started reading your blog all the way from Australia in the last few weeks. The addition of my homeland is so if you do need to go super creepy and find me you have a hint.

I loved the interview and most of all the U B Hating Post because I hadn't read it. Looked at the blogs you're supposed to be copying..... none of them made me laugh out loud. When I first read your blog I think I laughed so hard I lost a little bit of wee......

If this is what you can do with a colourful childhood and ADHD - I have been inspired! Thanks!

I'm Katie. said...

You're famous! -er! Woo!

Allie said...

Omg! I have ADHD too! They might as well call it creativity disease...

sweeeeet interview

MissJessKa said...

I have to say I am super excited about this for you. More than once I find myself reading a bit of what you say and think, "Me too!!!". I haven't decided if this is alays a good thing, but it certainly makes me chuckle a bit! Keep up the fantastic work and congrats on the interview!

Meryl Estabrook said...

I'm pretty sure being interviewed is the definitive stamp of rock- stardom. Way to go!! :-)

Anonymous said...

yayayayayayayay!

I have never commeneted on here before, but I have big love for what you do here. Way to go on winning the internets.

Unknown said...

"That’s the thing with ADHD – you can’t ever just pick one thing you want to do. Sometimes that ends in disaster and sometimes it actually ends up making you extremely prolific. I hope I wind up as the latter."


Me too Allie, me too.

My Walkabout said...

super congrats!
excellent interview
your stories bring balance and laughter to my world.
thanks!

Anonymous said...

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-" is what started this all? RAGE GUY HAS MADE A LEGEND!!

Maureen said...

All I seem to remember from my childhood is doing homework, and being distracted by my brother with ADHD. It took me a long time to do homework.

Maudlin said...

Loved this interview! I find myself going, "Holy crap, that is totally me" for a lot of what you've shared.

It's like this one time that I stuck my finger under the sewing machine needle, and my poor mother was -horrified-. Looking back, I think it's pretty hilarious, but certainly not at the time.

Your blog rocks. :)

Morgan said...

Alright, time for my first comment! :)

I found your blog about two weeks ago, and finally yesterday made it back through all your archives, your Ad Whore site, and the secret surprise at the end of your blog. I'm pretty much addicted now, and just wanted to say that I love your style of humor, and your dedication to writing so many posts, and having EVERY ONE be funny! It's such a nice change from the hundreds of wedding blogs I've been reading the past year.

I completely agree with your interviewer, the fish story is one of the best pieces I've ever read! It has made me laugh so hard I cry all 40 or so times I've re-read it! I just am so thankful my dad never let me take a fish home as a kid--he always made me release them, but not before I insisted on kissing them and giving them a pat on the head for a safe release!

Anyway, just wanted to tell you how awesome you are! Can't wait for new posts, now that I've run out of your archives.

P.S. On your ad site yesterday, I clicked on "cat diarrhea," you know...to just see what it was all about. I actually found a result for this awesome $400 self cleaning litter box that automatically scoops the box, liquefies the cat poo and then spits it into a toilet for you. If I could ever afford it, I think it just might save my life, because then I would never have to deal with cat diarrhea again! So thanks, not only are you now my new favorite source of entertainment online, but you just might be responsible for me not having to kill myself rather than have to empty a litter box again!

rae said...

Instead of a children's book, you should do cards. For Hallmark n' shit!

Kirsten Moore said...

i have been meaning to comment for a while now, but i too, had discovered your blog about a month ago, and it took me a few days, but i read the whole entire thing! count me among the people who are grateful to see that there are other people in the world who have the same crazy that i do. keep on writing, and i will keep on reading. now i wait with anticipation for your next post.

djkregger said...

It's because of the ADH... wait, did you see the purple elephant that just ran down the road?

osteopathosaurus said...

Yay Allie! Great interview. You should totally feel like a rock star except squared or maybe even cubed cos I can't think of any rock stars with such a crazy awesome blog. PS-I went with my husboyfriend and friends to a dinosaur exhibit here in KCMO this weekend and they were kind of surprised by my excitement over the velociraptors specifically. I even pretended to be a velociraptor attacking some of the animated dinosaurs. Except the first one, they were motion activated and it scared the shit out of me, I screamed and little kids were staring at me. Don't get me wrong, I did other dinosaur impressions too and got some fake dinosaur tattoos including non-velociraptors which I totally want to put on my neck but I have a standardized patient interview this week and that would prolly be unprofessional. But my point is I thought of you with the velociraptors. This is way off topic from your awesome interview, I guess it's related in that your blog is affecting my non-internet life. And for that, Allie Brosh, I thank you. Keep up the good work. :)

James said...

Allie, you have magic writing abilities. That's really all I have to say. Oh, that and my dad also worries that "the Google" will find me.

Living Shallow, Living Well said...

Great interview, Allie- you are very talented (you have probably heard that a thousand times) and I am excited for your future! If you want to write a book, I'm sure a couple million people would happily buy it!

lmarchisotto said...

My grandmother asked me if I use "the Googles" one day. I swear it sounds like a disease.

Bec said...

Look out Allie, the google will get chu D:

Summer said...

Phew! I started reading your blog around the 23rd of April, and I've managed to finish everything, even... side B...
>.>
<.<
Anyways, there were 9 days between the dying post and the showering one, and I was thinking, "God, just my luck. She'll decide to stop writing now, watch."
Needless to say, I'm relieved. I feel like you're rubbing off on me. I was treated for ADHD as a kid and taught a few coping skills(or so they tell me), and I've noticed my attention deficit tendencies more. Also, I think I'm getting funnier. So thank you.

nodavebarry said...

Hi Allie. I'm spreading the hyperbole word Down Under in wee small little Nu Zilland. Some people actually get it, but many others have played brick-in-the-head with me. Stuff 'em. But... it's tragic that you did not mention Justin Bieber in your interview. If you hadda, you would be really popular because, like, he's so babybabybaby. Ugh. I had to smack him in my blog. Mebbe you could use your shower hammer on him? Would it reach that low, to his wee little head? Keep it up! Bill

Yaar said...

Great interview, I had no idea that so many hours went into some posts!

Fame is coming your way unless google gets you first, and you deserve it!

Also I would love to see a comedic 'How to:' book.

Pug and Sue said...

That was pretty rad. :D Your fish story, still to this day, makes me laugh until I'm in tears. I'll randomly be doing laundry and I will break down laughing cause I remembered it. Or I'll be driving and... oh wait, that's probably not a good time to think about it. >_>

~J~ said...

Hi! I just wanted to let you know that I am giving you the Happiness Blogger Award....you can go to my blog to read all about it! Hope you are having a lovely day!

http://jmt978.blogspot.com/2010/05/happyness-blog-award.html

lacrema said...

Holymother... I just discovered you the othert day via a facebook friend, and now I feel like one vof those latecomers to the party that's all "whoa, these guys@rock SO HARD" when they're arriving at the end of a Jay-Z concert in Times Square. And Jay would = "these guys". Or something. Regardless, I've read back to 2006 so far. Can't wait for the rest. Also, I am afraid of the rapist who may or may not be outside my bedroom door.

Niraja said...

Being interviewed by someone akin to a magical unicorn sounds awesome. I'm sure only famous people get to attain that level of coolness. So, you must be famous! Yay!

If you do a "how to" book, I will buy it. I would also love to see a Spaghatta Nadle compilation book. "Mahs!"(in part 4) had me crying with laughter. I had to close my lap top to calm down.

Keep up the awesome!

Randall Knapp said...

Hi, I love your blog, I only found it last week but have laughed myself to tears several times since then!

Thanks for sharing with the world who you are. God bless, and you're going to hell for swearing! ;)

Snowflake Ninja said...

[To start off, I just began this paragraph with "there are" and it made me wish to kill myself]

Times come and go where I wonder if I'm deeply in love with you, based purely on what I read that you post. In the end, I do believe I am. Anyways, Allie, please continue playing the part of "Amazing Bloggist" that you have. And please, do write a book because I wish to own it.

Boombastically,
Snowflake Ninja

TheFatHeadedKlingonWoman said...

Wait, so you've only been doing this a year!? And you're really this big already- how does this happen? Can I be jealous now?

Guess when you've got it, you've got it. Congrats on your success, and your interview, and all the other accolades. Pretty soon we'll be seeing you in magazines partying w/ Paris Hilton or somebody.

Anonymous said...

Oooh, look at you gettin' all the more famous by the day! =P


Great interview though, really. Just one question - why oh why do you draw Boyfriend bald as a cue-ball when in that "Provided by Allie" picture said Boyfriend actually has tons of dark, wavy locks?

Curious minds are curious. And nosey.

Anonymous said...

Hello Allie

I found your site via the True Slant article.

Very Good, Creative, Entertaining.

Glad You're There

Rick

Unknown said...

Shweeeet. That was great!!! Forwarding to Girlfriend who is also a writer of her memoirs, but they are rarely as funny and often end in something terribly traumatic happening that I didn't think was traumatic, but she did, and makes me looks like a bitch, or her look like an alcoholic.

Either way, she's like your antithesis and I want her to start a blog, but it will never be uplifting or hilarious. But it will have drawings! :D

Thanks for existing.

Anonymous said...

Hi there...love your blog, and the interview.

One question: what kind of creature is an "awhile"? I picture something like an owl..

Rebekah said...

I loved your interview. Was it in person? If so, you interview extremely well. I used to report, and people are hardly ever that well spoken on the spot unless they're politicians and have prepared statements someone else wrote, usually with questionable grammar. I always tried to put them on the spot but rarely surprised anyone except the UFO expert who was shocked when I suggested that aliens might not be little green men. He seriously thought they looked like Marvin Martian.

I never comment because there are always a billion comments, and I figured you probably got tired of reading the same worshipful stuff over and over. But since you like them... My dad is totally afraid of people finding me on Google too. He e-mailed me one time and requested I edit a post to remove some "personally identifiable information."

Beta Dad said...

Great interview! Your blog is, of course, hilarious. Like other comment-leavers, I'm impressed by how well-spoken you are. I sometimes teach college writing classes, and most of my students are pretty scattered in both their writing and their speaking. Maybe there's something to this ADHD stuff. Probably more likely there's something to the "no TV and videogames" stuff.

I didn't realize you went to UM. Go Griz! I'm a new reader and probably just haven't read the part where you explained that. I went there too (for half of my college career), as did my sister and my parents.

Congratulations on all your success!

Anonymous said...

I closed that interview within moments of opening it. I feel like I know you enough from this blog, I hope you remain mysterious young lady.. however, do what you gotta do, I still love your creations.

LinkMünki said...

I'm super creepy and totally capable of finding you, cool

cocacolna said...

great interview! if you do write any books, I'll be first in line to buy them :)

zeboule said...

you make my monotonous office work day far more tolerable. (And for free!) Thank you so much.

Nika said...

You're famous!
Write a book, I'll support you =]

Jack Hsu said...

Congrats from another fan!

Tristan said...

You should definitely write an autobiography! I'd love to read it, illustrated of course... annnd maybe add a rabid unibearshark or two just to spice it up :D

Vanessa! said...

congrats on the interview! I'd buy your book, too!

My Backyard said...

I hope you do publish a book, everyone at my office would buy it! You are the funniest thing I read all day.

beki said...

:D you're so funny it hurts my brain!!!

are we allowed to make requests? can i request that you write a post about yetis?

Simone said...

what a brilliant interview - so well written and insightful. i'm thrilled for you, and so happy that more and more people are getting a chance to experience Allie Brosh. you have a huge heart, enormous sense of humor and never-ending talent. please take some medicine and write your book! xo

Jennifer McLean said...

Allie, YOU are a magical unicorn. It's kinda cool that the mythical creature actually exists within you. It's also kinda cool that I knew of your blog and followed when you only had 500 followers. It's akin to dating Bill Gates in high school before he was like a bajillionaire computer genius. :o)

Great interview, I'm so thrilled for your amazing exponentially growing success. I guess soon you WILL be champion of the internet! Tell me when we can throw the party for that.

Congratulations,
Jenn

Ms. Morgan said...

I didn't realize they take 16 hours to make!! I just found this blog and have been thinking, "Why doesn't she post something else funny already, its been a week!" Now maybe I will cut you some slack.

That being said, the interview doesn't count as a post, LOL.

:)

Jamie said...

A friend of mine directed me to your blog about a week and a half ago. I just finished reading old posts today and I wanted to say you RAWK. My husband and I laughed so hard over the Milk Crisis and How a Fish Destroyed My Childhood posts that we were crying, like ALOT (he's such a pansy).

I'm totally hooked. Seriously some of my favorite comedic writing ever. Plus, it's always a comfort to know that what we consider neuroses in ourselves isn't actually that uncommon. (I totally hear you on the panic room stuff! I'm married to a soldier, and I STILL don't feel safe half the time!)

Anyway, LOVE YOU.

Heather said...

Great interview. You are such a rock star!

Andy said...

Fantastic interview! Your blog is pretty cool, so...of course they interview you!

kristi_b said...

"I think my self-esteem has been greatly increased by allowing myself to be vulnerable."

I love that.

Brooke said...

I read the "human biological sciences graduate" part and thought, why did he need to specify that she's human? Then it went ding!, as in the biological sciences of humans.

But anyway, love the blog and often giggle hysterically.

Unknown said...

Ok this is awesome. I found your blog about two weeks ago and you make me laugh until I cry.
Seriously, it was kind of bad that I discovered you just before my property class because I was having fits of convulsion laughing and trying to get myself to calm down before class started. People were staring, I was judged.
Your fish story had me laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. Your pictures are perfect and I could just picture this poor little seven year old trying to put her fish out of its misery.
In short, you are awesome.

starry_eyes said...

You are awesome. :D Thank you for helping me procrastinate.

Business IQ said...

I don't mean to whine, but I really need more than one post a week from you. Even three a week would be ok, like one every other day?

I mean, I'm sure you're busy and everything, and you did almost die and stuff, but its like you go me stuck on the Allie-crack and then you cut me off. I guess that makes me an Allie-crack whore, but I don't care.

Allie-crack whore and I don't care.
Allie-crack whore and I don't care.
Allie-crack whore and I dooonnn'tttt caaaaaaaarrrrreeee...my blogstress' gone away.

TheFatHeadedKlingonWoman said...

Ok, Peaceful Pandemonium, that was almost as funny as Allie! :)

Anonymous said...

2 million visits a month? At least you know there's an audience when that book hits shelves.

Nicole said...

omg allie, i just adore you. i don't care if you're super creepy.

and also, im clearly adverse to punctuation and capital letters.

your blog has made me laugh on some truly hideous days, and im really grateful.

xoxo
Nicole
@NicoleElise

Sada said...

For some reason I was surprised to find that Duncan has so much hair. But congratulations nonetheless!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chainsawllama said...

I've been surfing the net since the early days of dial-up. I have never bookmarked a blog before AND actually went back to see what is new. That is, until I stumbled your page. I totally dig it. Congratulations on the interview!

Kate McQuillen said...

Please please please write a children's book. I would love to have something age appropraite to show my kids when they want to know why mommy is laughing hysterically at the computer screen.

Jen S. said...

Write one of those children's books that is really geared toward the adult who has to read it over and over and over again. Please. Really.

meinkc said...

..you are the most awesome girl in the history of ever. :)

BAN said...

I was going to click on an advertisement to support your blog, as I have been enjoying it quite a bit for the last couple of weeks.

But the only Google ad up was for Summer's Eve feminine wash, and I'm a guy. That would a) look awkward when my fiancée saw the history and b) be extremely deceptive, as I have no need for that product. Like, whatsoever.

Unless I wanted to squirt my friends with it next time they come over. ...

Maybe I should click on that ad.

Spidergrackle said...

At some point in your life, you are going to have to hold a baby. When that time comes, you will discover that babies are terrifying and they hate you.
This is one of the most hysterical truisms I have ever heard.