Leigh

I love memoirs by comedians. They’re always so funny and make for a nice, light read. Usually I learn a lot about the comedian – most of which is quite dark – and how they overcame life’s obstacles. Kathy Griffin’s book, Official Book Club Selection; a Memoir According to Kathy Griffin, is a great example of the perfect comedian memoir; it’s funny, deeply personal and well-structured.

So I was really excited when Tina Fey’s memoir, entitled Bossypants, hit bookstore shelves. The backcover, which includes “Praise for Tina Fey” had me hooked, with tidbits like: “‘You’d be really pretty if you lost weight.’ – College Boyfriend, 1990″ and “‘Absolutely delicious’ – A Guy Who Eats Books.” But I have to say, I’m a little disappointed with its content.

Fey doesn’t open up to readers the way Kathy Griffin does. She mostly sticks to her career and seems to steer clear of anything personal. Sure, she talks about her childhood, her disaster honeymoon and motherhood, but she skirts over her personal life instead giving the details.

I would have liked Fey to open up more with readers, but the book is still a fun read. Here are some noteworthy bits of Bossypants:

“Of course I know now that no one can ‘steal’ boyfriends against their will, not even Angelina Jolie itself” (29)

Her footnotes are amusing: “If you know anything about Vienna, you know that they love Chicago-style sketch comedy!* [Footnote: *The Viennese do not enjoy American sketch comedy.]” (90)

“‘How do you stay so eternally youthful?’ ‘Your skin is so flawless. What’s your secret?’ people always ask Sharon Stone. Like my peer Sharon Stone…” (103)

“I know what you’re thinking and no, I don’t have horrible messed-up feet. Maybe my feet are so amazing that I want to shelter them so they can live a normal life. I don’t want them to be the Suri Cruise of feet. Did you ever think about that?” (152)

Fey responds to her online haters: “From Dlisted.com/ Posted by Centaurious on Monday, 9/21/2009, 2:08 A.M. ‘Tina Fey is an ugly, pear-shaped, bitchy, overrated troll.’ [Response] ‘Dear Centaurious, First let me say how inspiring it is that you have learned to use a computer…’” (164)

She talks about Donald Glover, who now stars as Troy on Community: “Our youngest writer was Donald Glover. He had just graduated from NYU’s writing program and was still living in a dorm room and working as an RA.” Fey said that Glover contributed to what cool young people were up to and was helpful in writing for Kenneth the Page, because Glover comes from a large family in Georgia. (180)

Mean Girls scoop: The character Damian Holbrook is named after her friend, a writer for TV Guide who did summer theatre with Fey. (224)

Like me, Fey doesn’t have a driver’s license: “It’s just one of the many ways in which I am developmentally stunted. I don’t drive.” (246)

Bossypants is a fun read but if you’re hoping for real insight into Tina Fey’s life, then you’re outta luck. In all honesty, I’d wait to get it on paperback before spending thirty bucks.

Thoughts? Tweet me: @LAMcEachran