To appreciate Kristen Schaal’s particular brand of zany humor, travel back to a 2006 “Sketchfest TV” skit called “Kristen Schaal is a Horse.” In the skit, Schaal and her scene partner Kurt Braunohler portray characters of a former children’s television program bringing back one of their song and dance routines. Schaal’s performance is exuberant, energetically bouncing from side to side, arms flailing and clapping her hands, and a beatific smile on her face, even as the routine gets faster and louder.

The joke shouldn’t be as funny as it is, but the sheer ridiculousness of the song lyrics – essentially, “Kristen Schaal is a horse,” repeated endlessly – combined with Schaal’s physical dedication work a particular kind of comedic magic that makes an absurd idea hilarious instead of just silly.

That same year, Schaal performed at the 2006 HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, where she won the award for "Best Alternative Comedian," won the second annual Andy Kaufman Award, and was the Best Female Stand-up at the 2006 Nightlife Awards in New York City. Kristen Schaal had arrived and she was here to stay.

Schaal was born in Colorado and attended the University of Colorado Boulder for a year before graduating from Northwestern University. She then moved to New York City to pursue her acting career.

Schaal has appeared in a number of film and television roles, typically playing sweet-natured but unstable characters, but there are a few that stand out. In particular, she is recognized for voicing 9-year-old Louise Belcher in the animated series “Bob’s Burgers.” Louise is chaotic, and often loud, but ultimately sweet-natured – all of which seems to suit Schaal’s personality perfectly.

Schaal is also known for her portrayal of Mabel Pines, a fun and brave 12-year-old in the Disney Channel’s “Gravity Falls,” and stalker fan Mel in HBO’s “The Flight of the Conchords.” Other notable roles include The Guide in “What We Do in the Shadows” and Carol Pilbasian in “The Last Man on Earth.”

Schaal has also performed in “Kate & Leopold,” “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” and “BoJack Horseman,” for which she provided several voices. For her work on “BoJack Horseman,” she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance.

In addition to her work as an actress, Schaal also co-authored a book with her husband, “The Sexy Book of Sexy Sex.”