In early 2021, when it emerged that Ellie Kemper had participated, as a St Louis teenager, in the Veiled Prophet ball, a debutante party run by a group founded by former Confederate officers, the comedian took to Instagram. “I was not aware of the history at the time, but ignorance is no excuse,” went her apology. The remorse she exhibited was only the beginning of what can only be viewed as an extended self-flagellation tour.
First, the beloved mainstay of The Office and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt appeared as a co-host of The Great American Baking Show, a feelgood program that might have felt bad to the contingent of her fanbase that reveres Kemper’s family-friendly yet absurdist bent. And now she is still steering well clear of the edge, and diving deeper into the pumpkin spice latte vibes with Happiness for Beginners.
