Ploomy Girl #3: The Kat’s Meow

Ploomy Girl #3: Kathrien (aka Kat)

Kathrien may just be a cool cat from the East Coast, but to us she’s all Ploomy Girl. Kat works at a venture funded startup (docstoc), surprises people with her unusual skills at hip-hop karaoke, has worked for P. Diddy and even appeared on the hit show “The Office.”

We caught up with this lively feline through Google Talk and asked her to see if living in Los Angeles is all that it’s cracked up to be.

The Cat’s Meow: The epitome of cool. To be used with extreme prejudice to describe items too awesome to be called baddass, sweet, or the duck’s nuts. [via urbandictionary.com]

[17:50] Ploomy: Kat, first question when did you move to Los Angeles and why?
[17:51] Kat: I started doing the acting/writing thing during my junior year at NYU. It was after I broke up with a guy, actually. I had been studying journalism/econ and was supremely unhappy. Then I took this open screenwriting class at Tisch at NYU and it changed my life. I booked a couple of things, worked a lot of random jobs, including working for P. Diddy… and decided to try my luck out in Los Angeles.
[17:52] Kat: I kept auditioning for these roles in NY that were like, “Asian girl #2″ and “Asian prostitute”. I was like…LA has GOT to have better stuff, but the truth is the power is in writing and creating projects. Brain is key.

[17:53] Ploomy: What was it like working for the Diddy?
[17:55] Kat: It was senior year at NYU and all my friends were either trust fund kids, going into finance with starting salary of 150 G’s, and then there was me and a few friends who were like…we’re not meant to be i-bankers. I said to myself, I’m pursuing this crazy dream. My friends all thought I was nuts when I told them I was going to be a server at P.Diddy’s restaurant called “Justin’s”. He came in a couple of times and I was the only Asian girl there amongst all the peeps. But it was all love though. I’ve always been the odd one out. He’d come in and out but this was when “Making the Band” was starting up so he’d stop by and was actually pretty cordial and he never really looked at me funny. I learned the ingredients of an “Incredible Hulk,” and had to sell a drink called the “P.Diddy” which is like all fruit punch and vodka and Cognac. LOL.
[17:56] Kat: Of course, this was in between classes, auditions, and then writing of course.

[17:57] Ploomy: L.A. sometimes gets a bum rap for being fake and plastic, but what’s it really like living there?
[17:59] Kat: When I first got here I was so NY, all attitude…like everyone’s fake and you can’t walk anywhere…wah wah wah. But I’ve been here a little over two years and yeah, there is that aspect, but it’s all about finding good people to be close to. There’s culture here, the LACMA, the A&D museum, and other industries besides Hollywood, like Tech of course! But yeah, I’m WAY more laid back than ever.
[18:00] Kat: Of course, I still got that East Coast hustle in me.

[18:02] Ploomy: Ok you said you broke up with a guy and then came to California. How do the dating scenes compare?
[18:04] Kat: I didn’t really date much when I first got here because I was just trying to get situated. But let’s just say the guys here are hot in a “I drink a lot of protein shakes/no-carb/go to the gym kind of way.” It’s hot when a guy takes care of himself, but I dated this one guy who went to the gym more than me and I was like umm…no.

[18:05] Ploomy: How do the guys compare?
[18:06] Kat: East Coast guys are hot in a “I don’t bullshit” kind of way. It all depends on what you’re looking for. I’m more into smart funny dudes.

[18:08] Ploomy: What’s the most important thing you look for in a guy?
[18:09] Kat: His heart, his brain, if he’s there for his friends and family, and of course, he HAS to make me laugh. I can be pretty jaded and have a dry sense of humor, so if a guy can make me laugh, I think that’s so hot.

[18:11] Ploomy: We saw your “Improv Anywhere” little skit. What was that all about? How did you get involved with that?
[18:14] Kat: Freaking A, that was so fun. Let’s see, a friend who works in production told me about it because she knows my obsession with singing, karaoke, and making a complete fool of myself. So I contacted the casting people and they called me for an audition. So I went in there originally for the role of the “Main girl” and sang this exciting song called “Can I Get a Napkin please.” They laughed and were like, “We want you to be one of our dancers.” I was like, “That’s cool.” So then we rehearsed for 2 days and they told us we’re going to put on a musical in a food court. We had a choreographer teach us different dance moves with napkins. I thought to myself that my friends will never let me live this down. But yah, we practiced after the mall was closed, and then the next day we went to the Baldwin Hills Mall and did “The Food Court Musical.” Unfortunately my part got cut out but I’m still proud to have been a part of it.

[18:15] Ploomy: Ok…so explain this fascination with karaoke, let alone hip-hop karaoke?
[18:17] Kat: My parents had hip-hop clothing stores in West Philly growing up. One was called “Street Blue” and one was called “Stella Q.”
[18:22] Kat: Hip-hop and R&B would always be blasting at the store. I used to hate going there, but I loved the music which drove my mom nuts. So I’ve always loved rap and hip-hop because it was so raw and real. And so I would just memorize the lyrics and stuff, mostly for myself, but then I would just do karaoke at random bars and stuff. People are always like, “Why is this random Asian girl rappin?” But then they’d give me props because I’d know the lyrics and the beat.
[18:24] Kat: Also, I like to break stereotypes.
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[18:26] Ploomy: What’s your favorite power song…like something that gets you pumped up?
[18:26] Kat: “Dead Presidents” by Jay-Z
[18:27] Kat: “Better Dayz” 2Pac
[18:27] Kat: Those songs have gotten me through a lot![18:28] Ploomy: Nice! Gotta love a chick who is from the East Coast, but still gives props to West Coast rappers like Pac.
[18:30] Kat: Haha, I love Jay and Biggie too.[18:31] Ploomy: Of course, so do we and Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco, Common, etc.
[18:32] Kat: OMG I have a funny story about Steve Carell and Lupe Fiasco.
[18:33] Kat: I played “Amy” on “The Office,” and it was the 2nd day on set. I was leaving the parking lot and so was Steve Carell. So then I was my extremely dork-ish self and was like, “Yo Steve!” and drove right next to him, blasting Lupe Fiasco. Steve sticks his head in my car window and was like, “Oh, so you’re coming back again?” I was like “Yup, I’m here for the week,” and he was bumping to the beat of the song. In my head, I was thinking Michael Scott is bumping to the beat of Lupe Fiasco…ALL NEXT TO MY TOYOTA. That was one of the randomest moments of my life.

[18:36] Ploomy: We know you’ve had small roles on “The Office” and also work at a startup called docstoc.com, so how do the two compare?
[18:39] Kat: I mean let’s be honest, if Ben Silverman called me and said, “We want to bring you back to the show, I think it’s a pretty safe bet that I’d take that desk job. But working at docstoc.com is another job/life experience that I never would’ve had. I work with a group of ridiculously motivated, talented tech guys which is definitely a blessing. When I’m doing the acting/writing/improv thing, I’m really creatively inspired and it helps me write!! I’ve written several “Office” specs as well as a feature that has gotten interest from the Disney Channel as well as an independent producer. But docstoc is great because I get to do social networking, talk to users about documents (no joke) and figure out ways to get people to upload their documents. I’m still trying to figure out a way to make documents sound sexy which is really difficult.
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[18:43] Ploomy: When all is said and done do you think you’ll be acting or staying with the startup thing?
[18:45] Kat: Acting/Writing. Eventually producing. It’s my passion. I mean, I love this job but you have to follow what you love. Life’s too short.
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[18:48] Ploomy: Acting, Dancing, Rapping…would you say you’re a bit of an exhibitionist?
[18:50] Kat: Depends who you ask. It’s probably from all my years of being the shy girl and stuff. I was a dork in high school…blah blah blah…didn’t go to prom, etc. You get the picture.[18:52] Ploomy: You’re a self proclaimed geek. Guys love girl geeks, but do you think girls like a bit of geek in their men too?
[18:53] Kat: Totally. A guy that takes himself too seriously is no fun. It’s so attractive when a guy shows his vulnerable or geeky side. Very hot.[18:55] Ploomy: Ok last question. Drum roll please…What do you think men need to know?
[18:58] Kat: Girls are just as insecure, if not more than guys, so if you have to sugarcoat the truth a bit, do it. Trust me!Want more Kat? Be sure to check out the links below:
www.girlatastartup.com
www.docstoc.com/profile/Kat

photography by www.michaeldambrosia.com