What’s your favorite cupcake flavor? 
Photo Source: nikkimuller.com
Red Velvet, duh. Don’t be weird.
What or whom inspired you to pursue a career in comedy?
I don’t really know when I started actually pursuing comedy, since I’ve always done “legit” and angsty-style theatre… I was head writer for a year for our humor mag, Tiger, in undergrad (mega sausage fest), but still was all into Artaud and Brecht and changing the world. I guess the fact that I was completely OBSESSED with Amy Poehler in college was a good start down this path. This was back in the day of the Upright Citizen’s Brigade TV show. I had these crappy divx rips of the episodes that I would watch obsessively with my gal friends. Poehler was so insane, brilliant and shameless—funnier and more talented than any guy. She could play anything, anyone, male or female. It was awesomely inspiring. We would recite entire scenes and crack up, and started to make up weirdass crap of our own. I learned from her to never be afraid to do anything for the laugh—she would make herself look hideous with the utmost commitment, and I loved that. Being pretty is overrated. I eventually realized that life is hard, so people don’t much want to be reminded of it through angsty theatre, so comedy just naturally started making sense. Plus… I’m hilarious.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever heard/seen?
Without fail, I always laugh at the Youtube video “Seal Screaming Like A Man.” He sounds like a New Yorker!
If Chuck Norris was to corner you in an alley and challenge you to a duel, what would be your weapon of choice?
Could I say Chuck Norris? There was a superpoke on Facebook where you could throw Chuck Norris at someone. So I’d throw Chuck Norris at Chuck Norris.
What are some challenges you’ve faced since going down the comedy track? What are some things that have made all of those obstacles worth overcoming?
Well, just making rent and student loan bills and all that is hard enough. No one’s really telling you that you can’t do something except yourself, but no one’s exactly helping you, either, so it gets tough. But anytime I get to see something I wrote performed, or finish a project, or am engaged with other people in making something, no matter how trivial, I feel alive and happy. And then I don’t worry about money or anything, and I know it’s why I’m here and what I’m meant to do. I’m saddest when something’s done and I don’t have something new already in the works.
Which comedienne, dead or alive, would you love to work with/meet?
I won’t say Tina or Amy, though OBVS I would pee myself, but rather I’ll go with Madeline Kahn. I ADORE HER. We could sing opera together obnoxiously.
In what ways do you think you’ve improved or evolved since your first comedy venture?
I don’t know if I can take much credit for my evolution. Really, the only reason I’m doing “better” is because I’ve found my people. There’s only so much you can do alone, and I’ve 
Nikki as a child with her Teddy Ruxbin because… it’s just adorable seeing someone as a kid.always been incredibly driven. You could put me in a cave with some paper and pencil and I’d write there, too. But no one’d see it… so now that I have a little help from my friends, I’m getting out there way more than ever before. I suppose it did help that I went ahead and learned the ukulele so I could make music self-sufficiently. That didn’t hurt, and has been huge for me in terms of giving me a new creative outlet that seems to appeal to a lot of folks. So, good on me for that one!
If you were a politician, for what scandal would you most likely be notorious?
Oh God, probably for putting a fake dick in my mouth in a video. But that’s just real life. And there you have it: never gonna be in public office.
Do you have a specific audience to whom you play/would like to play? Describe that audience, and why/how you’re playing to them.
I like to play to the height of my audience’s intelligence. Basically, I play to impress myself, since I’m a tough crowd, and if I like it, it’s got to be of a certain standard. And I’m modest!
But really… I like a crowd that gets high reference level, enjoys wordplay, and isn’t easily ruffled by off-color jokes. (And once again, I’m totally describing myself.) I like to play to a somewhat intellectual crowd because then your laughs feel rewarding, like you’ve earned them. I’m able to get cheap laughs too, but those feel cheap. The brainy jokes make you feel like you did something right.
Are you a Girl 1 or a Girl 2 ?
Who can be just one? I think it depends on who you ask. In general, I think I come across as a nice gal. But I like being snarky sometimes. So, Girl 1.5.
Which character are you most like from “The Divas”?
Again, is that possible for me to answer? Hah. I love Shirley, but I’m not really drunk that much. Although, once I peed in my boyfriend’s garbage can when I was sleepwalking… so I guess I am her, after all.
Guiltiest pleasure?
I drink beer like a fiend… it’s my German heritage, I even drank it as a kid. Beer with pepperoni pizza is completely unavoidable. I also will eat the shit out of some pastries. Croissants! And I also watch Glee, and I don’t know WHY! It kind of makes me mad, but I kind of love it, uuuuugh!
What’s the difference between appealing to women and appealing to men?
Depends on what level you’re trying to appeal to them on… in terms of comedy, I honestly think too often it gets dumbed way down, and it’s insulting to say that men aren’t capable of enjoying smarter humor. On the other hand, I like dumb crap too, sometimes.
In terms of women versus men, I don’t think we have to be so polarized taste-wise. I’d like to think that anyone would find me funny, and that we can all enjoy each other as human beings. I think this gender divide is a learned behavior that’s not necessarily inherent, and can be overcome. For example, I have lots of girl friends who are more like “guy girls.” We aren’t crazy drama queens about stuff, and we seem to get along with equal amounts of guys as girls, because we can hang without feeling the need to sexualize every situation. When you keep sex appeal out of it, the same things can be appealing: sense of humor, warmth, openness, relaxed accepting nature, genuine interest in the other person. Those are the things that make you want to hang out with someone.
Some people like the opposite, which I think entails invoking a kind of queen bee mentality and cromagnon man action. That’s the kind of attitude that leads to cat fights and competition, which I really hate. And that whole bros before ho’s shit. Please. Be adults. Everyone fucks each other eventually, don’t be petty about it. But… what were we talking about?
When you’re not writing/performing comedy, you’re…
Writing “serious” things or acting “seriously”… I used to do a lot of poetry. Oh yeah, and I’m training for an Ironman length triathlon! That’s a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and a marathon. (The fact that I forgot means I have NOT been training enough… yeeeesh.)
The title of your autobiography?
“Den of INikquity.”
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This is an entirely tangential comment, BUT: You know why I love the picture with the Teddy Ruxpin? Because I used to be straight up obsessed with taking my Teddy Ruxpin everywhere with me as a child, to the point where my uncles started calling me Jenny Ruxpin. They still do to this very day. Ah, memories.