Mitra Jouhari (born January 18, 1993) is an Iranian-American comedian, actress, and writer. She is best known for starring in the television series Three Busy Debras, based on the sketch comedy group she co-founded, and voicing Cleopatra "Cleo" Smith in the second and third seasons of Clone High. Jouhari has written for the television series Big Mouth, High Maintenance, and Miracle Workers.
Early life and education Jouhari was raised in West Chester, Ohio and is Iranian-American. She was a fan of comedy from childhood and considers the television shows The Daily Show and M*A*S*H pivotal to developing her interest.
She attended Lakota West High School, graduating in 2011. Jouhari attended college at Ohio State University and began to perform improv comedy as a member of 8th Floor Improv, as well as writing for the Sundial Humor Magazine. After taking internships at the TV shows The Daily Show and Late Night, she moved to New York City without graduating to pursue a career in comedy.
Career She contributes writing to the website The Reductress, and has written for the television series High Maintenance, Miracle Workers, and Big Mouth. Jouhari's writing for The President Show was nominated for a 2017 Writers Guild of America award.
In 2015, Jouhari co-founded the sketch comedy trio Three Busy Debras alongside Sandy Honig and Alyssa Stonoha. They performed weekly at The Annoyance in Brooklyn, typically to a sold-out audience. The trio later moved to Los Angeles to develop the show for television. A live action comedy series of the same name was picked up by Adult Swim on May 7, 2019. Jouhari, Honig, and Stonoha star in and executive produce Three Busy Debras, which is about the "surreal day-to-day lives of three deranged housewives, all named Debra, in their affluent suburban town of Lemoncurd, Connecticut." The series premiered on March 29, 2020.
In 2015, Jouhari and Catherine Cohen, later joined by Patti Harrison, started co-hosting It's A Guy Thing, a monthly show in Brooklyn.
Jouhari co-hosts podcast Urgent Care with Joel Kim Booster + Mitra Jouhari with comedian Joel Kim Booster under Earwolf.
In 2022, Jouhari guest-starred in an episode of Abbott Elementary, where she played an art teacher named Sahar. In 2023 she was cast as the new voice of Cleopatra "Cleo" Smith in the second season of Clone High replacing Christa Miller on the Max streaming service. In 2025, Jouhari shared that she voiced a character in an episode of the series Bob's Burgers, which she cites as a major influence. Jouhari played Claire's roommate Kelly for five episodes of The Bear.
Personal life Jouhari resides in Los Angeles. She is also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2017 The Big Sick Yazmin 2023 Urkel Saves Christmas: the Movie Clerk Leslie (voice) Direct-to-video TBA Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes 2015–2018 The Special Without Brett Davis Various roles 4 episodes 2016 Above Average Presents Cindi Episode: "When You Find Out Your Boyfriend Is Short" 2016 Full Frontal with Samantha Bee Mitra Episode: "Full Frontal Election Documentary" 2017 Friends from College Kristen 2 episodes 2017 Broad City Greeter Episode: "Twaining Day" 2019 High Maintenance Mitra Episode: "Proxy"; also writer 2019 Alternatino with Arturo Castro Episode: "The Neighbor" 2019, 2021 Miracle Workers Various 2 episodes; also writer 2020 Search Party Laney 2 episodes 2020–2023 Big Mouth Various voices 7 episodes; also writer and story editor 2020–2022 Three Busy Debras Debra 16 episodes; also creator and writer 2021–2023 Ten Year Old Tom Nurse Denise (voice) 14 episodes 2022 Abbott Elementary Sahar Episode: "Art Teacher" 2022–2023 Human Resources Waiter / Coyoté Waitress (voice) 2 episodes; also writer 2023 History of the World, Part II Various 3 episodes 2023–present Digman! Saltine (voice) Main role 2023–2024 Clone High Cleopatra "Cleo" Smith (voice) Main role; replacing Christa Miller 2023–2025 The Bear Kelly 5 episodes 2023 I Think You Should Leave with Tim RobinsonEpisode: "CUT TO: WE'RE CHATTING ABOUT THIS AT YOUR BACHELOR PARTY." 2023 Praise PeteyPolli (voice)2 episodes 2025 Krapopolis Statue #3 (voice) Episode: "Mazed and Kingfused" 2025 Bob's Burgers Regan (voice) Episode: "Wild Steal-ions" 2026 The Terrors of Jordan Mendoza Jen Episode: "This Idiot Is Freaking Out"
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Results Ref. 2018 Writers Guild of America Awards Comedy/Variety Sketch Series The President Show 2023 Short Form New Media Three Busy Debras
References
External links Official website