Synopsis:
Tina Fey’s memoir of her rise from nerdy little Philly girl to comedy superstar and member of the showbiz power elite.
Review:
Naturally, I opted for the audiobook version of Bossypants since Tina Fey was doing the reading herself. Yay! Bonus: it included the full version of the Katie Couric/Sarah Palin interview sketch that she and Amy Poehler did for SNL. Unbonus: it does not include the worldbeatingly awesome rap that Amy Poehler did when Sarah Palin actually visited SNL (what Fey labels a “sneaker-upper”). I know Fey didn’t write it or perform in it but it would have put the audiobook into “best audiobook ever” territory if it had.
Fey manages to convey a winsome, underdog demeanor even when she’s describing her own successes, and I ended the book with a true admiration of her tenacity and intelligence. She’s more than just a wit, she’s got ambition, drive, and the ability to make the most of her opportunities.
I will offer one small criticism–surely Tina Fey, comedy genius extraordinaire, can come up with a better way to take down moms who are smug about breastfeeding than the phrase “Teat Nazi”? People have been hurling that invective ever since a group of moms started La Leche League 50 years ago, so (a) it’s not a new joke. And (b), the word Nazi really needs to be reserved for racially motivated genocide. Last I checked, even the most pompous sanctimommy out of Park Slope doesn’t want to kill any body, even if she thinks you’re a crap parent for not hitting your Mothering Magazine-approved checklist of crunch points. You can find a lot more awesome schtick on Trolls with Wooden Spoons.
I agree the word ‘nazi’ should be reserved for more serious crimes, but remember the ‘soup nazi’ from Seinfeld? It is kinda funny.
I actually used to get soup from him back in 1996… I still have dreams about his lobster bisque.