ALUMNI HONORS
THE WRITER : Rachel Axler ’ s career writing comedy is no joke .
Rachel Axler ’ s wit was already apparent when she came to UC San Diego for an MFA (’ 04 ) in playwriting — only here would she discover how her humor could best apply to the world . “ Coming in , I was 100 percent theatre-focused ,” she says . “ I actually resisted encouragement to write for sitcoms , thinking , ‘ No — I should write for theatre . I ’ m just funny , and that has a place in theatre too .’ But I realized I was built for television as well . I was built for both .”
With an unprecedented career break that started at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and then led to writing for hit shows like Parks and Recreation , How I Met Your Mother and Veep , the versatility of her humor has proven the one standard that keeps us all from taking ourselves too seriously .
On choosing UC San Diego : “ UCSD ’ s playwriting program was hooked into its acting , directing and design programs in a way I found unique . It functioned like a small theatre company , which is what I wanted . They also offered TV writing classes and screenwriting classes , and while that wasn ’ t what I wanted to focus on — amusing , given my career — I knew I wanted that experience and knowledge . And the fact that they didn ’ t look down upon the idea of writing for television too — that was a big plus .”
On an unexpected education : “ I was actually really surprised as a graduate student by how much I learned by teaching . I taught Playwriting 101 and I would have bio majors , chem majors , students from all backgrounds who wouldn ’ t necessarily approach a story as a theatre student would . I learned so much teaching that class — seeing the leaps students made coming from a different perspective . And just being thrown into teaching , being told , ‘ You have the authority to lead this class ’— it forced me to have that authority , to look critically at both their and my own work , and see it from different perspectives .”
On what could have been : “ When I was deciding what to do once I graduated , I went to my professor , Adele Shank , for advice . I told her , ‘ Well , I can go to L . A ., where people seem to be egging me to go , and try to break into writing sitcoms .’ And she ’ s like , ‘ You sound very unhappy
“ What do you want to do ? What would your absolute dream be ? Go pursue your dream , even if it seems like a pipe dream .”
— CAREER ADVICE FROM PROFESSOR ADELE SHANK
about that . What do you want to do ? What would your absolute dream be ?’
I told her I wanted to go to New York , to write plays and try to get a job at The Daily Show . So she said , ‘ Do that ! If you wind up in L . A ., you ’ ll wind up in L . A ., but why not go try ? Go pursue your dream , even if it seems like a pipe dream .’ I did , and it worked . She was really mothering yet fierce at the same time . In that very direct way , she was amazingly helpful and inspirational in my career .”
Breaking into The Daily Show isn ’ t so easy — hear more from Rachel Axler about what it takes to make it at tritonmag . com / axler
57 TRITON | SPRING 2017