♪ >> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY,

WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW."

MY FIRST GUEST TONIGHT IS THE WONDERFUL ACTOR, WRITER, AND

PRODUCER BEHIND SHOWS LIKE "NEVER HAVE I EVER," "THE MINDY

PROJECT," AND "THE OFFICE."

PLEASE WELCOME BACK TO "A LATE SHOW," MINDY KALING!

MINDY, SO LOVELY TO SEE YOU!

>> THANK YOU, IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU VIRTUALLY.

>> Stephen: YEAH, I'LL TAKE IT ANY WAY I CAN.

I SEE MOST PEOPLE VIRTUALLY THESE DAYS, OTHER THAN MY

FAMILY.

THAT'S ABOUT IT.

HOW IS YOUR BUBBLE GOING?

>> IS IT UNSYMPATHETIC TO SAY I HAVE BEEN HAVING A GREAT BUBBLE?

>> Stephen: NO, NO.

THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A BUBBLE IS ALL YOU NEED TO SAY.

EVERYTHING WITHIN THE BUBBLE IS PERFECTLY FINE FOR THAT TO BE

GOOD, AS LONG AS YOU ARE KEEPING A BUBBLE.

>> MY HERMETICALLY SEALED BUBBLE HAS BEEN NICE, I HAVE TO ADMIT.

>> Stephen: AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S ACTUALLY GROWING

BECAUSE I GOT SOMETHING I RARELY GET THESE DAYS WHICH IS SOME

GOOD NEWS, WHICH, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND SHARING WITH YOUR

AUDIENCE, I THINK THEY WOULD BE THRILLED TO FIND OUT SOMETHING

EXTRAORDINARY THAT NOBODY KNOWS UP UNTIL THIS MOMENT.

>> YES, I'M -- IT'S -- I'M TELLING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME

NOW, I FEEL SO STRANGE, BUT I GAVE BIRTH TO A BABY BOY ON

SEPTEMBER 3rd.

>> Stephen: NO ONE EVEN KNEW YOU WERE PREGNANT!

>> I KNOW!

I KNOW!

THIS IS NEWS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

IT'S TRUE.

>> Stephen: WELL, CONGRATULATIONS.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

>> THANK YOU.

THANKS.

>> Stephen: SO YOU SAID BABY BOY?

DID YOU SAY BABY BOY?

>> BABY BOY.

>> Stephen: DO WE HAVE A NAME YET?

>> YES, HIS NAME IS SPENCER.

I FORGOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF IT.

>> Stephen: SPENCER KALING, LOVELY.

HOW OLD IS YOUR DAUGHTER AT THIS POINT?

>> SHE'S ALMOST THREE.

>> Stephen: AND HOW IS SHE RECEIVING?

BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER WAS TWO AND A HALF WHEN HER LITTLE BROTHER

WAS BORN, AND AT A CERTAIN POINT, SHE SAID SEND HIM BACK.

>> YES.

>> Stephen: HOW IS SHE RECEIVING SPENCER?

>> SHE WAS WERER AMBIVALENT AT FIRST, I WOULD SAY, TO BE

GENEROUS.

SHE WAS REALLY WORRIED ABOUT HER TOYS GETTING TAKEN.

>> Stephen: THAT'S A REASONABLE FEAR.

>> YEAH.

AND, SO, IT HAPPENED AND I THINK, IN HER MIND, BECAUSE

SHE'S ALMOST TWO AND A HALF, ALMOST THREE, SHE THOUGHT IT

WOULD BE ANOTHER CHILD THAT WAS HER SAME SIZE.

BUT THEN SHE -- YOU KNOW, SHE WAS DELIGHTED WHEN HE ARRIVED

HOME WITH ME AT THE HOSPITAL AND HE WAS KIND OF A BLOB THAT

COULDN'T TAKE HER TOYS.

SO SHE'S A HUGE FAN NOW THAT SHE'S MET HIM.

>> Stephen: HOW TID YOU KEEP THIS SECRET?

PEOPLE CARE AND FOLLOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN MINDY KALING'S LIFE.

HOW DID NO ONE KNOW THIS WAS COMING?

>> WELL, NO ONE SAW ME.

IT FELT WEIRD TO BE -- YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SO MUCH GOING ON AND

SO MUCH HEARTBREAK IN THE WORLD THAT IT FELT STRANGE TO GO OUT

OF MY WAY TO, YOU KNOW, SHINE A LIGHT ON SOME GIANT HEALTH

INFORMATION, YOU KNOW.

NO ONE REALLY SAW ME, EXCEPT ONE TIME I DID GO TO BUY MY DAUGHTER

AND I GOT CAUGHT BI BY -- POPARA CAUGHT ME.

AND I THOUGHT, THEY WILL KNOW BECAUSE I WAS EIGHT MONTHS

PREGNANT.

>> Stephen: IS THIS FROM "THE DAILY MAIL"?

>> YES, SO THEY RAN THIS PHOTO OF ME AND I LOOK VERY PREGNANT,

I WOULD SAY.

>> Stephen: YEAH, THAT'S A PREGNANT PERSON.

>> I THINK THIS IS WHAT'S FUNNY, THEY WERE TOO NERVOUS TO CLAIM

THAT I WAS PREGNANT THAT IT WAS ALMOST MORE INSULTING.

THEY WERE, LIKE, MINDY KALING JUST LOOKS LIKE THIS.

>> Stephen: WHAT DID THEY SAY?

DID THEY SAY, LIKE, MINDY KALING OUT ON THE TOWN?

>> YEAH, THEY WERE, LIKE, OUT ON THE TOWN AT A KIDS' TOY STORE.

I THINK THEY SAID I WAS BUYING TOYS FOR MY OLDER KID.

BUT I WAS SO INSULTED.

LIKE, IF YOU'RE NOT PREGNANT, YOU NEED TO GO TO THE DOCTOR IF

YOU LOOK LIKE THAT.

RIGHT?

>> Stephen: I'M NOT GOING TO JUMP ON THAT TRAIN.

THANK YOU FOR INVITE MEG ON IT, THOUGH.

I THINK YOU'RE FANTASTIC.

YOU LOOK FANTASTIC.

>> I'M VERY DIPLOMATIC HERE.

>> Stephen: DOES IT FEEL DIFFERENT TO HAVE A SON?

OBVIOUSLY, HAVING A BABY WHEN YOU HAVEN'THEAD A BABY JUST

CHANGES EVERYTHING, LIKE YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD.

BUT NOW, A, HAVING A SECOND CHILD AND HAVING A SON INSTEAD

OF A DAUGHTER, IS THAT A DIFFERENT VIBE FOR YOU?

>> WELL, I DON'T KNOW, STEPHEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU AND YOUR WIFE IF YOU FEEL THIS WAY

BECAUSE YOU HAVE BOTH, BUT I THINK THAT SAYING MY SON FEELS

VERY FORMAL.

IT'S, LIKE, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER I'VE SEEN SO MANY WAR MOVIES AND

DOCUMENTARIES, BUT, I DON'T KNOW, SAYING, LIKE, MY DAUGHTER

FEELS CONTEMPORARY AND OF THE MOMENT.

BUT SAYING A SON FEELS SO OLD TIMEY.

I FEEL LIKE IF MY DAUGHTER WERE TO COME HOME FROM SPRING BREAK,

I WOULD BE, LIKE, MY DAUGHTER JUST CAME HOME FROM CANCUN.

BUT I WOULD BE, LIKE, MY SON RETURNED FROM OVERSEAS...

( LAUGHTER ) I DON'T KNOW, IT FEELS MORE

NORMAL.

>> Stephen: BEING A SON IT SEEMS PER FECKLY NATURAL TO ME,

TO HEAR THE WORD SON.

THIS IS ONE PLUS, IS THAT, WHEN THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT OLDER AND

YOU TALK TO THEM,ETH WEIRD TO SAY, NOW, DAUGHTER -- THAT'S

WEIRD.

BUT TO GO, LISTEN, SON -- THAT, THAT HAS GOT A REAL STAB TO IT.

LISTEN, SON!

IT'S GOT PUNCH.

>> THAT'S GOOD.

I LIKE THAT.

>> Stephen: YOU'VE GOT AN ESSAY COLLECTION OUT NOW.

WHAT'S THE NAME OF THIS ESSAY COLLECTION?

>> "NOTHING LIKE I IMAGINED, EXCEPT FOR SOMETIMES."

>> Stephen: EXCEPT FOR SOMETIMES.

IN IT YOU WRITE THAT RAISING YOUR DAUGHTER MADE YOU MORE

CONNECTED TO YOUR HINDU FAITH.

WERE YOU RAISED WITH, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE CEREMONIES OF THE

HINDU CALENDAR?

>> NOT AT ALL, REALLY.

I WAS BORN HERE AND I'M INDIAN AMERICAN AND MY PARENTS MET IN

AFRICA, SO, LIKE, WE WEREN'T RAISED WITH -- AND THEY'RE FROM

COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PARTS OF INDIA, SPEAK DIFFERENT

LANGUAGES, AND, SO, WE WEREN'T REALLY RAISED WITH A LOT OF

RELIGION.

BUT WHAT I WRITE ABOUT IN MY BOOK IS I TALK ABOUT MY FAITH

AND HOW MY MOTHER PASSED AWAY AND THAT ACTUALLY TRIGGERED ME

THINKING ABOUT MY FAITH IN A NEW WAY, AND WHEN I HAD MY DAUGHTER,

WE WENT THROUGH A HINDU CEREMONY WHEN YOU SHAVE YOUR CHILD'S HAIR

WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF THEIR LIFE.

>> Stephen: AND WHY DO YOU DO THAT?

>> YOU DO THAT BECAUSE, FOR HINDUS, THE HAIR THAT YOU ARE

BORN WITH BELONGS TO YOUR PAST LIFE.

MY DAUGHTER HAD A LOT OF HAIR SO SHE HAD A LOT OF HER PAST LIFE

WITH HER.

THIS IS TRICKY.

YOU HAVE TO DO IT IN HER FIRST YEAR OR WAIT TILL HER THIRD

YEAR.

SO I THOUGHT IF SHE'S THREE, IT WOULD BE MORE TRAUMATIZING FOR

HER TO BE BALD.

I DECIDED TO DO IT WHEN SHE WAS TEN MONTHS OLD.

THE WAY SHE REACTED TO IT WAS LIKE IT WAS TEN TIMES WORSE THAN

A CIRCUMCISION.

>> Stephen: OH, MY GOSH.

SO SHE DID NOT WANT TO LET GO TO HAVE THE PAST LIFE.

>> SHE TID NOT WANT TO LET GO OF HER PAST LIFE.

>> Stephen: SHE MUST HAVE HAD A REALLY GOOD RIDE LAST TIME

AROUND.

>> YEAH.

>> Stephen: YOU HAD THIS CEREMONY, RIGHT?

>> I HAD THE CEREMONY MYSELF.

( LAUGHTER ) WAIT --

>> Stephen: THAT'S A GOOD LOOK.

THAT'S A GOOD LOOK.

>> I THINK IT'S A BAD SIGN WHEN THE HOST LAUGHS AT A GUEST

ESHOWING A PHOTO.

>> Stephen: IT'S ADORABLE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING ADORABLE.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU FEEL THIS WAY WHEN YOU GO THROUGH DOING

CEREMONIES IN YOUR FAITH, BUT IT MADE ME FEEL ABOUT MY MOTHER

BECAUSE SHE HAD DONE THAT TO ME.

SO RAISING KIDS, I WAS TRIGGERED CONSTANTLY BY MEMORIES OF MY

CHILDHOOD AND THAT MADE ME FEEL CONNECTED TO HER BECAUSE SHE

FELT I SHOULD GET MY HAIRCUT AS A BABY.

>> Stephen: I PERCEIVED MY OWN CHILDHOOD CEREMONIES WHEN MY

CHILDREN WENT THROUGH THEM AND SAW THEM AS CULTURAL GIFTS,

ALMOST LIKE LITTLE LOVE POEMS OF HOW LIFE CAN BE LIVED OR HOW WE

CAN CONNECT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

THEY ALL BECAME VERY IMPORTANT TO ME.

AND LET'S JUST SIT IN SILENCE HERE FOR A MOMENT AND JUST ENJOY

THAT MOMENT OF CONNECTION THAT YOU AND I JUST HAD.

DON'T RUIN IT.

DON'T RUIN IT BY TALKING.

( LAUGHTER ) B.J. NOVAK IS -- WE'RE BACK WITH

OUR CONTINUING COVERAGE OF MINDY KALING.

I WANT TO WARN OUR AFFILIATES.

B.J. NOVAK IS GOD FATHER TO BOTH OF YOUR KIDS.

TRADITIONALLY THE GODFATHER PLAYS A ROLE IN SPIRITUAL

DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION OF THE CHILD.

IS HE PITCHING IN FOR -- YOU KNOW, WAS HE AT THE MUNDIN?

>> HE WAS AT THE MUNDIN BUT NOTHING MORE THAN THAT.

IT WAS HARD BECAUSE THE CONCEPT OF A GOD FATHER IS A CHRISTIAN

THING.

>> Stephen: OH, YEAH.

O HE'S JEWISH, MY KIDS ARE HINDU, AND, SO, MAYBE HE WAS NOT

THE RIGHT PERSON TO PICK, ACTUALLY.

( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: MINDY, LOVELY TO

SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> NICE TO SEE YOU, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THANKS FOR SHARING MY NEWS.

>> Stephen: THANK YOU FOR SHARING THE NEWS.

WE'RE HONORED TO INFORM THE WORLD HERE ON "THE LATE SHOW."

HER ESSAY "NOTHING LIKE I IMAGINED, EXCEPT FOR SOMETIMES"

IS AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON.

MINDY KALING, EVERYBODY.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH FORMER C.I.A. DIRECTOR JOHN BRENNAN.

IT'S A NATURAL MATCH, YOU, JOHN BRENNAN, PERFECT!

( LAUGHTER ) ♪