MVL Book Club #5: Tina Fey - Bossypants

I actually read this last month but didn't get to share. 

I love Tina Fey, she is smart and funny.

30 Rock is the funniest show on tv and has been since the first day it came on the air.

Plus I have a real thing for Alec Baldwin.

Those look like his chubby arms and hands above....don't they?

I wonder if they are?

Loved him in "It's Complicated".

I love him so much I even read the book he wrote about his divorce.

Bought for $3 on the discount shelf.

Love him...but he's probably no fun to be married to. 

His book was more about how to protect yourself from scummy lawyers during a divorce than about his ex wife.

He tried not to say anything negative about her and succeeded, mostly.

Oh...

but this review is about Tina's book - "Bossypants".

It's very funny as to be expected.

She was truly a nerd growing up and gives many examples.

But she has great insights into human nature.

She tells about how she made it big...with lots of hard work.

She says that she doesn't look like her photos. 

That they are photoshopped to death and that is just the way it 

is in our modern media.

She tells that when she went to work at SNL, she was told that you couldn't have just two women alone 

in a sketch together because women just are not funny without men in a sketch.

I was really shocked to hear that not so long ago such prejudices existed.

I don't know why I am so surprised because so many prejudices against women happen every day

in the work place. 

If you think in our modern age, it's an equal work environment....it's really not.

It's suppose to be equal but it still is far from it.

And I'm not even talking about equal pay.

I've given up on that idea.

The following words from Tina really hit home with me when I read them. 

They are true in most businesses not just television.

Although, to be honest...I've been working in radio and perhaps that is the problem.

Although, after talking to other middle aged female friends, 

they are experiencing it in their jobs too as they age.

Tina has many funny and yet wise things to say in this book but this one really hit home...

When talking about her own insecurities as to whether she will be working in five years 

and be successful and respected....she says..

"Let me clarify. I have observed that women, at least in comedy, are labeled 

"crazy" after a certain age.

(example)

FEMALE WRITER: You ever work with __________?

MALE AGENT: (dismissive) She's crazy now.

FEMALE WRITER: You know who I loved growing up?

__________.  What about her for this part?

MALE WRITER: I don't know. I hear she's pretty batshit.

FEMALE WRITER: I got a call today from _________.

MALE PRODUCER: Ugh. We had her on the show once.

She was a crazy assache. She wanted to see her lines

ahead of time. She had all these questions.

I've known older men in comedy who can barely feed and clean themselves, and they still

work. 

The women, though, they're all "crazy."

I have a suspicion - and hear me out, 'cause this is a rough one - I have a suspicion that the definition

of "crazy" in show business is a woman who keeps talking even after no one wants to sleep

with her anymore." 

(although she did not say sleep....I'm trying to keep this clean)

Hate to tell you this Tina but that is not only in show business...its in ALL business.

Anyway...this is a great book...that part just hit me in the face. 

There's lots of this book that's sweet and many parts hysterical.

She tells things about herself that I would not tell anyone in a million years.

And I consider myself a very open person.

I always say you can gossip about me as much as you like because there is not anything I have done

that I don't care if you talk about or know. 

Make stuff up about me...I don't care...it just makes me sound more interesting.

I always think the people worried about being talked about are the ones doing stuff they shouldn't.

Well...the jist is....I highly recommend Tina's book. 

I'll even admit it was better than Alec's.

I'm just anxiously awaiting Alec's next book.

The next book I'm reading is 

I'm anticipating it being a good Halloween - read.

Read anything great lately? 

I have like twenty books waiting for me to read on my shelves.