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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

7 Reasons Tina Fey and I Should Be BFFs




I recently had the pleasure of reading Bossypants by Tina Fey. The experience was a stand out for several reasons.

First, I read it while traveling alone.  Alone, gloriously alone! Alone as in no one else to feed, clean up after, care for or even be nice to in the airport or on the plane. Come to think of it, I probably could have read War & Peace and been happy. (Though I feel certain that Tolstoy and I would never be BFFs.)

Secondly, it was my first time to read a book on a Kindle. Though I’ve been preaching that replacing paper books with electronic reading devices is a sure sign of the end times, I actually loved it.  The Kindle was my 11-year-old daughter’s. (I say “was” because she will now have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands to get it back.)

Lastly, I like to laugh…a lot. Tina Fey makes me laugh…a lot…and has for years on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update, on 30-Rock, in movies and now on paper. (Okay, on digital pages of an electronic reading device. I’m a woman. The right to do frequent 180s on all manner of subjects comes with the uterus.)  

While reading Bossypants, I realized that Tina and I share many things in common (see previous uterus comment.) It seems to me that we could be friends. What follows are but seven of the many good reasons why:

#1 - We have matching birth stories. Our daughters were both born in September. (For the record: epidural, vaginal delivery did not poop on the table.*)

#2 – We both love Amy Pohler.  (Tina in a “we learned the ropes, paid our dues in Second City together and are now wildly successful comedic peers” kind of way; me in a “Wow, it would have been so cool to have learned the ropes, paid my dues in Second City with you and now be one of your wildly successful comedic peers” kind of way.)



#3 – Tina Fey bears an uncanny resemblance to Sara Palin, while I share Joe Biden’s wife’s first name (Jill) and hair color (yellow*.)



#4 – Tina works with Alec Baldwin. I have a friend who everyone thinks is one of the Baldwin brothers. (Mike, you know who you are.)

#5 – We have a friend in common. Really. This woman has worked at SNL for more than a decade. Actually, I’m just her Facebook friend, but I’m sure that if we had a girls’ night out it would be a total blast. Tina could bring Amy. I could bring my Facebook friend. We could drink wine and swap birth stories. It would be like an episode of Designing Women but much, much funnier. (Facebook friend Gena, you know who you are.)

#6 – We both have gay friends and are rankled by ignorant people who hate all gays with stereotypical abandon. (Gay friends, you know who you are.)

#7 – We both enjoy the use of humorous, parenthetical asides in our writing. (Although, her writing is read by thousands of people in a number one best seller and mine by about 100 or so of my friends and family who’ve “liked” my blog on Facebook but have yet to subscribe.)

In conclusion, in his review of Bossypants Kevin Nguyen says Tina Fey remains universally adored: she embodies the hectic, too-many-things-to-juggle lifestyle we all have, but instead of complaining about it, she can just laugh it off.”

ME TOO! Good lord, will the similarities never end? When will I meet this woman whom I’m so obviously meant to hang out with at Starbucks drinking chamomile tea (which we’ll finish only if we feel like it*) and sharing amusing stories about our “hectic, too-many-things-to-juggle lifestyle” while our nannies – (I mean babysitters*) watch our daughters?

In a world where Edie Brickell can end up marrying Paul Simon, (19 years, three kids, no idea about her birth stories) I have to believe there’s some hope, however small, that Tina Fey and I will someday become friends (even if only on Facebook.)

* Footnote: for further clarification on these comments, please read Bossypants by Tina Fey yourself since I do not have express permission to reproduce any portion of her book in this blog… even though I have two friends who work for Little, Brown and Company. (Linda & Nicole, you know who you are.) 

11 comments :

Sue Mitchell said...

Ooh, I've been wanting to read this book, and now I have yet another reason to! You and Tina do sound like a match made in heaven.

I have some famous people who I know I would be BFFs with, too. If only they knew I existed.

I guess that's really the mark of a great writer--they make you love hanging out with them.

Since I didn't poop on the table either, be sure to give me a call when you and Tina head over to Starbucks.

Unknown said...

Will do Sue. :) Bossypants will be a fun summer read for you when you get to it! Enjoy!

Robert Tracy said...

I am reading "Bossypants" right now. Tina Fey is an excellent writer and inspirational. I like how you wrote that you have "yellow" hair. Fey would approve!

Unknown said...

Enjoy TRECE! I may give it another spin myself before the summer is through. :)

Anonymous said...

very funny jill,

another weird coincidence???

you both have super cool, cute husbands (doug, you know who you are)

and if we did hang out, we would be sure to have a blast (come to hawaii)

love gena ( i know who i am)
xo

Janet Whitehead said...

I may not get to Bossypants anytime soon.. but oh my god, you're post cracked me up!!!

Laura said...

It's destiny Jill...only a matter of time for this BFF (if only on FB) thing happens:-)

Unknown said...

Wouldn't that be something? :)

Brian Blakewood said...

Very well written post, Jill! I must say this is the first I've read but now I'm hooked. Of course your topic made it a must-read for me. Tina Fey is one of my favorites...

I hope your BFF dream comes true. I'm sure you'll provide the introduction for your long lost cousin, even though I almost pooped watching my wife give birth to our daughter. Still qualify?

Unknown said...

Gena - you seem like a woman who knows who you are!

Hawaii is a sad subject with us - bad timing - the first week of school and my parents are out of town. So wish it had worked out!

Maybe we'll meet up in Dallas or NYC sometime in the next year. (it's not really the same thing going to happy hour on facebook)

Unknown said...

Brian - it's always fun to see who will leave a comment. What a nice surprise to hear from my long, lost cousin. I think you're not alone in your experience of watching your wife deliver your daughter. I've heard it's rather like watching a sci-fi movie that you helped create. :) Good to hear from you.