Friday, May 24, 2019
Unit One: If I were a man, I'd want to be Tina Fey.
Not only is Tina Fey one of my favorite comedic writers, (30 Rock is the best sitcom of all time. That is not hyperbole.) she is also who I would secretly want my hypothetical daughter to be. Of course, I would not be so over-bearing as to mold my pretend daughter into a mini-Fey, but deep down, I'd hope she turned out that way. Funny and confident, but also intelligent and capable enough to run the show with proficiency. She was my favorite Weekend Update anchor, with Michael Che being a close second, because she always came off like the smartest person in the room, even when she was purposefully making a fool of herself. She understood, like most funny people worth their salt, that audiences usually don't laugh at folks they feel inferior to. Steve Martin made himself the butt of the joke (How ladylike of Steve.) because he knew that high-brow word play and obscure allusions would only limit his audience and feed his own ego. Fey seems to get that. She also talks about the power of "Yes, and..." The improv technique that she believes served her well thought her highly successful career.
Now this might sound like I am fawning over her, but... Well, yes I am. Fey's was the only reading that literally made me laugh out loud and I will be sure to read the bit about her child being able to spot her on a crowded beach, due to her hips, to my make-believe daughter. I want my pretend children to grow up with a strong enough sense of self to laugh at themselves and their perceived shortcomings. While Fey certainly must have encountered intense opposition, she readily acknowledges that she chose a hyper completive field and she basically knew what she was getting into. She comes off as both mild mannered and formidable, something I have found very few people capable of.
I am experiencing technical difficulties with my link sharing so...
If you are not already familiar, I suggest you search on YouTube for "Best of Liz Lemon" and "Col. Angus" one of the funniest SNL sketches I have ever seen.
Have a good weekend.
NOTE: I am going to figure out how to include images. My trusty copy and paste method has failed me.
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The best thing about Tina Fey is that she comes off as a goof. People are always looking for humility in their idols. I think one can find that in Tina Fey. Having said that i doubt she’s anything but formidable in person. I also am a fan of 30 Rock. I don’t believe weekend update was ever better than when Fey hosted with Poehler or Meyers. Having said all this I’d prefer if celebrities were their authentic selves and not media savvy characterizations created to reel people in emotionally.
ReplyDeleteRight. I am always impressed with people being able to play both sides. Being taken seriously, while remaining funny, is a trick and a skill. I would like to be a fly on the wall for some of her writer's round tables, during her tenure as head writer on SNL.
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ReplyDeleteTitle. Genius! I’ve never watched 30 Rock, but I’d like to! The fact that you’d like Tina Fey to be your hypothetical daughter speaks volumes about Tina and how much she means to you! You’re right, she balances her humor, while still coming across intelligent. I definitely think she walked in her field knowing their would be stereotypes and obstacles. She seems to be handling them well!
I really like how relatable and down to earth Tina Fey is; this is probably the reason why so many people enjoy her comedy. She gender issues such as beauty standards and sexist workplace environments. I enjoyed reading excerpts from her book as well, she puts things simply and in a way that shows a lot of her personality.
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