Interview with Kristen Lundberg
Kristen Lundberg, thank you for the opportunity for an interview. Can you tell us a story on how you got your start in entertainment, and what got you into producing?
I was spiritually moved by sitcoms as a kid. My family was falling apart but those comedians on TV showed me what a functional team looked like. So in 2006 Dayton Ohio, I started doing stand up because it was cheaper than taking acting classes. Later I completed the Second City Conservatory, iO Chicago, Actors Studio Chicago, Heidi Marshall NY and I’m currently training with Annie Grindlay in Beverly Hills.
What got me into producing is my dad gave me a mini DV camera when I was 12 and I thought I was the next Harmony Korine. Being the Spawn of Dayton, filming felt like a rebellious act, so it kept me busy throughout my teens. Currently I’m producing Almost Be Closing, a podcast where we interview people about their fails and redemption in sales. Also I have social media project called “Free Motherloads” where I film myself finding free stuff and sometimes getting catfished by people who say they’re giving away free stuff, but then try to sell it. Check it out on my TikTok (@KristenLundberg) and check out www.almostbeclosing.com for updates on the podcast launching soon!
Do you have a story you wish everyone knew? Could you share it with us?
Before I featured for Patton Oswalt back at the Ohio Theatre in 2016, we were talking in the green room about fast food. Since I worked at McDonalds for a whole 3 months, I shared this hack with him: When you want guaranteed fresh fries, order them with no salt, then ask for salt on the side. Since McDonalds always automatically salts the fries, they will have to fire up new fries for your special order and you’ll get em fresh. Patton’s mind was BLOWN. His wife Meredith’s mind was THE SAME. And I had a great set that night.
Can you talk about the latest film you starred in, Halloween Friends?
Halloween Friends is a parody of Halloween Ends is a completely meta film where I play all the voices and also star as myself. It was produced my Mark Mos, who I’ve done several films with. This film was special because it felt like our collaboration led to a really unique style. I always wanted to have a real kinetic ensemble-like relationship with a director. Also cinematically I think this is our best film. Special bonus: my sister plays a dead body, so it's a family effort as well! My sister got to experience nepotism because I got her in! A Lundberg First!
What can you tell us about which project you had the most fun on and a story about that project?
I had the most fun on the set of Hard Mountain Dew because I love to do stunts. They centered the spot around me jumping over a wall, then leaping over a pile of men to get that Hard Dew. Fun story: I had food poisoning with explosive diarrhea ALL DAY. It was the best team, the most fun and the worst food the night before. I will not name the restaurant in Glendale that did this to me, but despite all that jumping, I did not ever actually shit my pants…until I got home :)
Can you tell us who or what inspires you as an entertainer?
What inspires me about being an entertainer is that I can make money by being who I am. This is profound because I grew up thinking that the only moral way to make money was to work hard for it. I also felt shame for being who I was because I had a darker personality than most kids. But now I believe all the hardships I went through built my character and that has quantifiable value.
Can you tell a story about your other work or what is next?
Next I’m moving forward with my stand up violin comedy act with the intention of connecting with someone who can help me book a sitcom. I’m also trying to build relationships with people in the sitcom world via cold outreach and business/sales technique. Know anyone who books a good room or a sitcom? :)
Who are some people in entertainment that you have worked with?
I worked with Johnathan Krisel (Portlandia, Tim & Eric) on an Amazon Commercial and with Oren Brimmer (Crashing HBO) on a comedy sketch. I featured for Patton Oswalt at the Largo and the Ohio Theatre, Janeanne Garafolo at Thalia Hall Chicago, Maria Bamford at her house and at the Clubhouse. I was in a Cotton commercial with Carnie Wilson from Wilson Phillips. I was in America’s Got Talent with Simon Cowell, Howie Mandell and host Tyra Banks. I’ve performed at the Improv with Craig Robinson, Sasheer Zumeta, Luke Knoll and many others. I was also in the film Babylon with Jeff Garland. Fun fact: Jeff Garland once roasted the hell out of me for doing a period joke on Kill Tony at the Comedy Store. I love that guy!
Who or what projects do you hope to work with or be a part of in the future?
I want to work with Tim Robinson on “I Think You Should Leave”. I want to also book roles in The Conners, The Neighborhood, The Goldbergs, Hacks and Barry. Eventually I would love to have a half hour special on Comedy Central with my stand up violin act. Later in my career I want to start a production company.
What question do you wish I had asked? And what would the answer be?
The question I wish you asked is: What was the most profound moment in your career so far?
Most profound moment was when I moved to LA from Chicago and found a job as an ice sculptor. I worked in Crystal Ice factory for 3 years and made ice sculptures for Ellen Degeneres, Chief Keef and many other celebs. It was a magical moment in my life, but the real magic happened when I broke my fingers at work. A 200 pound block of ice fell and shattered my finger tips after making probably over 100 ice sculptures in my career.
This was an incredible redirect. I loved my job at the ice factory, but it kept me frozen in time. This experience was humbling. I worked with all men who never met a woman like me. We opened each other's worlds. But this experience wasn’t getting me closer to any of the celebs I was making ice sculptures for. It led to game shows who wanted to hire me as an oddity because my job was weird. So I let it go.
I learned not to let the blessings of yesterday get in the way of the MIRACLES of tomorrow. After letting go, I’ve been able to make a living off of my commercial work and films. Not bad for Dayton’s Spawn!!
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