In ‘The Good Place’ with D’Arcy Carden

**D'Arcy Carden** (0:00)
Immediately, you're like, and you haven't been to therapy in a while, have you? And the answer is yes. Because the last time I went to therapy, she was younger than me and I didn't like that.

**Sam Fragoso** (0:09)
A younger therapist is tough no matter of gender.

**D'Arcy Carden** (0:11)
Yeah.

**Sam Fragoso** (0:13)
I think that's off.

**D'Arcy Carden** (0:13)
I tried a few and I was like, this can't work.

**Sam Fragoso** (0:15)
That's why my therapist, octogenarian, I love that.

**D'Arcy Carden** (0:19)
The only one with wisdom.

**Sam Fragoso** (0:20)
So you don't go to therapy anymore?

**D'Arcy Carden** (0:21)
No, but I would, I would and I should. There's something about the intake, the first couple, I was about to say episodes, wow. The first couple appointments, first couple classes, what do they call them?

**Sam Fragoso** (0:41)
I'm Sam Fragoso.
Welcome to the show.
Today, actor and comedian D'Arcy Carden. You may have first discovered Carden on The Good Place where she played the all-knowing artificial assistant, Janet. The role became her breakthrough and eventually she won Carden her first Emmy nomination. D'Arcy is also part of an accidental series we've been doing here on Talk Easy in 2026 called Good Things Come to Those Who Wait, Parentheses, but Especially Those Who Wait and Are Also Good. Greta Lee, Chris Ryan, Lee Sung Jin, and now Carden herself. All these people didn't immediately find great success out of the gate, but their talents were apparent to the people around them, the people they worked with, and of course to the people who loved them. But for whatever reason, it took a little bit for the powers that be to catch up with. For Carden, that meant more than a decade of trying to make it as an actor and comedian in New York City. In the interim though, she trained and performed at UCB, while also waiting tables, working at an interior design firm, and at one point babysitting for Bill Hader's kids. She even prepared an application for Saturday Night Live, and then afraid of wanting it too much, never sent it. Eventually though came The Good Place, followed by Barry, where she played aspiring actor Natalie Greer, followed by a personal favorite of mine, A League of Their Own, where she reunited with longtime friend Abby Jacobson. In many ways, all of these projects has led to this very exciting summer Carden has been having, starring in Peacock's The Five-Star Weekend. So today, we talk about the long road to this very moment. Growing up in Northern California, finding improv in her people in New York, self-doubt that sometimes got in her way, the Good Place audition that ultimately changed her life, and after spending so many years wondering whether success would arrive, and being at least in part convinced that it wouldn't, what it means now that it has.
This is D'Arcy Carden. Hi, D'Arcy.

**D'Arcy Carden** (2:55)
Hi.

**Sam Fragoso** (2:56)
Nice to have you here.

**D'Arcy Carden** (2:56)
Thank you for having me.

**Sam Fragoso** (2:57)
This has been a long time coming.

**D'Arcy Carden** (2:59)
I agree.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:01)
I'm sorry it's taken so long. I feel like it's my fault.

**D'Arcy Carden** (3:04)
No, it's like everything you want all at once is not good.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:07)
Plus, you've done Conan so many times. I felt like you didn't need me.

**D'Arcy Carden** (3:11)
I'm such a fan. This is really an honor. You're really, really, really good at this.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:17)
High pressure. No, I'm not high.

**D'Arcy Carden** (3:20)
Okay.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:22)
We recently had a guest.

**D'Arcy Carden** (3:23)
I know, Tim.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:24)
Yeah. You're a co-star of Five-Star Weekend.

**D'Arcy Carden** (3:26)
Yeah.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:26)
Didn't know till about 25 minutes in that he took-

**D'Arcy Carden** (3:28)
Had a little half an edible.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:30)
Half an edible, which he said was light work for him.

**SPEAKER_4** (3:34)
There might be edibles involved in this. Pre-interview edibles.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:37)
Did you?

**SPEAKER_4** (3:38)
Half. It's like microdosing.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:43)
That was a layup day for him.

**D'Arcy Carden** (3:45)
Well, I'm trying to think of how much he does stuff like that.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:47)
On set, does he do?

**D'Arcy Carden** (3:48)
Nothing on set. But he is a fun time. I would say I love him.

**Sam Fragoso** (3:54)
I think you and him may have some of the highest Internet approval. Me? I think so.
I don't know anyone who dislikes you, which is rare.

**D'Arcy Carden** (4:04)
Let me think.

**Sam Fragoso** (4:05)
Co-star is not coming. So when we talk about Five-Star Weekend.