Julie Klausner

Julie Klausner – Life, Work, and Memorable Quotes

Learn about Julie Klausner (born July 3, 1978) — American author, comedian, writer, actress, and podcaster. Explore her early life, major works including Difficult People, her books, podcasts, and her voice on culture.

Introduction

Julie Klausner is a multi-talented American creative: a writer, comedian, actress, podcaster, and author. Best known for creating, writing, and starring in the Hulu sitcom Difficult People, she has built a career across media: from books and television to comedy podcasts and cultural commentary. Klausner’s work often blends sharp humor, personal insight, and pop culture critique.

Early Life and Background

Julie Klausner was born on July 3, 1978. She grew up in Scarsdale, New York. From an early age, she was creative: as a teenager, she produced fanzines (including one titled But a Paper Dress) and directed short films while attending New York University.

She also studied comedy and performance at the Upright Citizens Brigade and the School of Visual Arts. Her background in both literary and performance training has shaped her versatile creative voice.

Career and Achievements

Writing & Television

One of Klausner’s signature achievements is the Hulu sitcom Difficult People (2015–2017), which she created, wrote, and starred in alongside Billy Eichner. The show, produced by Amy Poehler, ran for three seasons before cancellation.

She has also written for various television projects and series, contributing to shows such as Mulaney, Best Week Ever, The Big Gay Sketch Show, Saturday Night Live, Ugly Americans, and The Jack and Triumph Show.

In addition, Klausner served as head writer and co-executive producer on the web/television series Billy on the Street, which starred Billy Eichner.

In recent years, she has joined writing staffs for projects such as the Kids in the Hall revival on Amazon Prime and the musical comedy series Schmigadoon! for Apple TV+.

Podcasting

Klausner is well known for her podcast How Was Your Week with Julie Klausner, which ran from March 2011 through May 2020, producing some 236 episodes. The format typically opens with a monologue, followed by interviews with figures in comedy, culture, and entertainment.

Her podcast earned acclaim in the comedy and media press. Rolling Stone named it among the 10 best comedy podcasts at the time, and The New York Times called it “one of the few essential podcasts.” In 2024, the podcast relaunched on the Forever Dog network.

In addition, in 2020 she launched a co-hosted podcast with Tom Scharpling titled Double Threat, and in 2022 she began a solo advice podcast called “Ask Julie.”

Books & Writing

Julie Klausner is also the author of:

• I Don’t Care About Your Band (2010), a memoir about her romantic misadventures, inspired in part by a New York Times Modern Love essay. The book was optioned by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay’s production company for HBO adaptation.

• Art Girls Are Easy (2013), a young adult novel.

Beyond those, she also writes essays, cultural criticism, and pieces for outlets like Vulture and has been a media commentator.

Style, Themes & Influence

Klausner’s voice is marked by sharp wit, self-deprecation, cultural literacy, and a willingness to mix high and low pop culture. Her work often explores relationships, the absurdities of modern life, fame, and the inner workings of creative people.

She blends personal vulnerability with irony and critique, often turning observational humor into pointed insight. Because she works across media (podcasts, TV, print), she adapts her voice to different forms, but the throughline remains: she foregrounds voice, authenticity, and comedic intelligence.

Her influence is especially felt among younger comedians and writers who mix memoir, social commentary, and pop culture in fluid forms.

Memorable Quotes

Here are some quotes and lines (from interviews, podcast episodes, or books) that reflect her sensibility:

• On her podcast How Was Your Week, Klausner sets a tone of conversational intimacy mixed with cultural critique: she often begins with monologues about pop culture, politics, personal life, and mixes these with interviews.

• From I Don’t Care About Your Band (subtitle): “What I Learned from Indie Rockers, Trust Funders, Pornographers, Faux-Sensitive Hipsters, Felons and Other Guys I’ve Dated.”

• A self-aware reflection from her bio: she once wrote and directed short films like Presidents Day, which she describes as “very gay and falsely historical.”

• On being a media commentator: as part of her speaker profile, she writes and appears for Vulture and speaks on pop culture topics.

Because much of her voice exists in longer prose or recorded form (podcast monologues, TV scripts), her “quotables” are less packaged but woven throughout her body of work.

Lessons from Julie Klausner

From the arc of her career and creative output, one can draw several lessons:

1. Diversify creative outlets
   Klausner shows how one can work across media—books, podcasts, television—and feed each into the others.

2. Own your voice
   Her work is distinguished by a clear, distinct tone. Even when writing for others, she brings sensibility, perspective, and humor.

3. Embrace vulnerability and honesty
   In memoir, podcasting, and sitcoms, she’s often willing to expose insecurities, failures, and relationship messiness—and mine them for insight.

4. Mix pop culture with personal meaning
   She is not afraid to discuss television, music, and celebrity, but filters them through her personal lens and emotional life.

5. Adaptability is key
   As media landscapes shift, Klausner has shifted too—from podcasting’s rise to streaming to writing staffs.