It wasn’t supposed to be like this for Broti Gupta. This comedy thing. It wasn’t supposed to be happening at all. She grew up the daughter of a doctor and there was an expectation she’d follow the same path. But as a college student, she just couldn’t shake the strong interest in comedy that led her down a different path entirely, away from med school and toward places like the New Yorker, McSweeney’s, and Second City. Today, she’s a writer for The Simpsons and a rising star in comedy circles.One indication that her heart was not in medicine? A visit to a college counselor who challenged Broti to not try to make him laugh for one entire appointment. It’s a challenge she did not accept. For Broti Gupta, the laughs were not just a way of coping with some mental health issues but also a way of approaching life itself.Follow Broti Gupta on Twitter @BrotiGupta. Listen to and support Broti's podcast with Dylan Gelula, Lecture Hall, on Patreon.Thank you to all our listeners who support the show as monthly members of Maximum Fun. Hey, remember, you’re part of Depresh Mode and we want to hear what you want to hear about. What guests and issues would you like to have covered in a future episode? Write us at [email protected] is available right away.The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255, 1-800-273-TALKCrisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741.International suicide hotline numbers available here: https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlinesThe Depresh Mode newsletter is available twice a week. Subscribe for free and stay up to date on the show and mental health issues. https://johnmoe.substack.com/John's acclaimed memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is available here.Find the show on Twitter @depreshpod and Instagram @depreshpod.John is on Twitter @johnmoe.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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