COWORKER FUNNY Ft. Taylor Ortega | Episode 222
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Taylor Ortega, the comedic force behind 'Big Mistakes' on Netflix, opens up about her unconventional path into entertainment—starting with unpaid improv in New York, surviving as a terrible waitress, and building her career through relentless hustle and online visibility. She reveals how her 'coworker funny' style—loud, theatrical, and unapologetically herself—has become her superpower, even as she grapples with the industry's endless rejections and the emotional toll of waiting for validation. With raw honesty, she shares how she’s learned to thrive on the edge of delusion, using humor as both armor and fuel, while also exposing the absurdity of online culture, height-based gaslighting, and the myth of the 'overnight success.' Her advice? Stop waiting for permission—just create, collaborate, and finish things, even if they’re terrible. Because the real win isn’t the applause—it’s the act of showing up, again and again.
Stop waiting for permission to create—just start doing it, even if it's bad.
The most powerful comedy comes from being unapologetically yourself, not from trying to fit a mold.
Rejection is not personal—especially in entertainment, where casting is often subjective and arbitrary.
Use your spare time to collaborate on others' creative projects to build community and learn the craft.
Finish what you start—even if you hate it. Completion beats perfection every time.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
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The Myth of the 'Instant' Comedian
“Having zero expectations is sort of the only way to last out this business.”
From Improv to Stand-Up: The 'Coworker Funny' Identity
“I love to act and I love improv and stuff like that. And I need no fence line. I'm at my happiest when anything can happen.”
Height, Gaslighting, and the 'Tall Girl' Experience
“No one can see what I see. I know when they say, I'm about 6'1 and I can see their scalp. Yes! Sure. It's crazy.”
The Art of the Lie: Storytelling vs. Truth
Taylor defends the use of exaggeration in comedy, using her meth-smoking server joke as a case study, arguing that laughter matters more than factual accuracy.
“They were like, oh, honestly, she was the exact first audition we saw. And sometimes you're just kind of like... prepared to see a ton of people.”
“It's just more important to finish it. To do something, finish writing it, finish doing it.”
“the time. Who am I going to take? How am I going to decide? I'm like, they're going to be so mad at me when I don't take them.”
Host
Guest
Taylor Ortega
person
Drew Afualo
person
Big Mistakes
media
Caleb
person
Zara Larson
person
Michael B. Jordan
person
Bob Ross
person
Denzel Washington
person
Lin-Manuel Miranda
person
Cespri Kiwis
product
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