Aisha Tyler was born in San Francisco, California, where she pursued an early interest in comedy during high school, attending local comedy improv classes. She attended Dartmouth College earning a degree in political science with a minor in environmental policy. After briefly working for a San Francisco advertising firm, she toured the country pursing a comedy career before finally moving to Los Angeles in 1996. Her career in television took off in 2001 with jobs as the host of "Talk Soup" and the reality-dating series "The Fifth Wheel." Tyler has devoted a significant amount of her time to independent projects, including a role in the play "Moose Mating," for which she received an NAACP Image Award. She also wrote, directed, and starred in the independent short film "The Whipper." Tyler landed a recurring role in the final two seasons of the hits “Friends” and “24.” She eventually landed a recurring role on “CSI.” She also moved into print media as a regular contributor to Glamour and Jane magazines; her first book, Swerve: A Guide to the Sweet Life for Postmodern Girls was released in January 2004. In June 2015, Tyler landed a recurring role on "Criminal Minds." When she's not doing television, Tyler continues to make audiences laugh with her unique stand-up material.