Emily Fortune Feimster (/ˈfiːmstər/; born July 1, 1980)^[1] is an American writer, comedian, and actress. Having made her television debut on NBC's Last Comic Standing in 2010,^[1] she starred as Colette on The Mindy Project (2015–2017). In July 2019, she began hosting the hit radio show What a Joke with Papa and Fortune with Tom Papa, interviewing comedians and celebrities, the first live programming on the Sirius XM channel Netflix is a Joke.^[2] She played Heather in The L Word: Generation Q,^[3] a reboot of The L Word.

Feimster was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, to Mike and Ginger Feimster; the youngest of three, with two older brothers, Price and Jay. Fortune is her maternal great-grandmother's maiden name.^[1] Growing up in Belmont, North Carolina, she attended Belmont Central Elementary School and Belmont Junior High,^[1] subsequently graduating from South Point High School in 1998.^[4] That same year, she was presented to society at the Gastonia Debutante Ball.^[1] At South Point, she played basketball, softball, and tennis.^[1]

She attended Peace College, then a women-only university, and was elected student body president, majored in communications, and played soccer and tennis. She graduated summa cum laude and was the student speaker at commencement in 2002. The graduation speaker was Raleigh native actress Emily Procter, with whom Feimster became acquainted after the graduation.^[1]

After living in Spain for a year, she moved to Los Angeles in 2003 to become a personal assistant to Procter^[1] and pursue comedy.^[5] After connecting with Procter's neighbor, a journalist for the Los Angeles Daily News, Feimster began a seven-year career in entertainment journalism.^[1] In 2005, she joined The Groundlings Theatre, studying improv and sketch comedy. After four years, she was selected to join the Groundlings' Sunday Company.^[6][1]

Feimster came out as lesbian^[7] in 2005 at age 25.^[1] In 2016, she began dating kindergarten teacher Jacquelyn Smith,^[1] becoming engaged in early 2018.^[8] She and Smith own homes in Los Angeles and Belmont, North Carolina. They married in a small ceremony on October 23, 2020.^[1]

In addition to hosting her own podcast, Sincerely Fortune,^[13] and co-cohosting Handsome with Tig Notaro and Mae Martin, Feimster has appeared on the following: