By Theri Aronson ’20
On Sunday Nov. 4, comedian and, producer, writer, and series creator, Abbi Jacobson, made a stop at Scripps College to talk about her newest book “I Might Regret This,” that was published on Oct. 30. Jacobson’s book chronicles the three-week cross-country road trip she took in Summer 2017. According to Jacobsen, the book is mostly about her worries, mundane thoughts, and observations of cities she drove through: Santa Fe, Marfa, Texas, Kanab Utah, etc. However, going far beyond the mundane, the book contains a nostalgic essay about Jacobson’s time on Comedy Central’s “Broad City,” with her co-star and best friend, Ilana Glazer, as well as a few sentimental pieces about her past relationships, and ex—someone who is no longer in her life.
This was Lena Waithe,actor, writer, and producer of Master of None ’s second time at Scripps. This time, however, she was the interviewer as opposed to the interviewee. .
At one point in the conversation, Waithe asked Jacobson about how she felt shooting the last episode of “Broad City,” which is set to premiere in January 2019. Without a moment of hesitation, Jacobson smiled and expressed that, in fact, she could not be more satisfied with the way the last episode turned out.
“It was the perfect culmination of “Broad City,” but of course it was still so sad shooting the last scene knowing that it was the last scene I was going to shoot with Ilana, as ‘Abbi and Ilana,’ ” Jacobsen said.
When asked why she chose to start writing a book so soon after the last episode ended, Jacobson opened up about what it means to have her own style and express herself.
“Partially, writing this book was a chance for me to develop my own voice,” Jacobsen said. “It was also, partially, a way for me to distinguish myself from my character on the show.”
Jacobson described the road trip as a chance to just “be” and to distance herself from all the heartache her last relationship had caused her. This, she noted, is what also makes her nervous about the book. She is worried her vulnerability won’t translate off the page; she told the audience that she titled her book “I Might Regret This” because she might actually regret publishing the content of her book. I
Numerous student shot up their hands after Waithe turned over the microphone to the audience for questions.
One student asked Jacobson about the inspiration behind Broad City’s infamous pegging episode (season 2 episode 4: Knockoffs). Jacobson responded by acknowledging it was a funny episode that came out of the writer’s room, but that she felt uncomfortable answering the question without Ilana present.
“I thought she would have been more receptive to the uncomfortable questions since Broad City is all about exposing what often makes us embarrassed,” one anonymous Scripps student said.
Another student questioned Jacobson on what she was doing in her twenties, and what advice she has for those looking to create a web series.
“Find a voice that is uniquely yours, then believe it,” Jacobsen said.
According to Jacobsen, she had three jobs and was nowhere near finding her passion in her twenties . A great relief to the 20 some year olds in the audience with undeclared majors and little to no idea what they are going to do next, or what lies ahead of them, but the good news is, neither does Abbi.
The conversation ended with Waithe asking Jacobson a question usually reserved for more intense discussions: If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you reach the pearly gates?
“I honestly just keep thinking about pizza,” Jacobson said, after taking a long pause, “Like margherita pizza or tomato pie.”
