Friday, June 1, 2012

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?/Mindy Kaling - Book Review


There are so many genuinely funny women on TV right now, it’s amazing. They are on every major network making us laugh and now they are tickling our funny bones in print too!

Hot on the heels of Tina Fey’s essay filled laughfest, Bossypants, Mindy Kaling of The Office, delivers her sweet & absurd views on life and the entertainment world.

She deals with the stereotype of being an Indian American and not stick-thin acttress in Hollywood. Interestingly, both Fey and Kaling have chapters about being a bit too fat and a bit too thin. Kaling nails it with her observation that when you’re only a bit overweight, it seems to annoy people more. She feels, and I believe rightly so, that the entertainment industry is annoyed that you won’t just drop that extra 10 to 20 pounds. Almost like it’s a badge of laziness. Why won’t you simply stop eating and be the size 2 we want you to be? It’s very not funny to read about Mindy’s photo shoot where all the dresses were a size 0 and they are upset with her because she’s a 6 or an 8. You’ll love her all the more though to know that she made them rip open the back of the dress she wanted to wear and make it fit for the shoot. Part of her felt bad for this, but the tough side of her wanted to teach them a future lesson.

There are many opportunities to laugh at loud as you read Mindy’s thoughts on life, comedy, men and career. While I’m still too much of a snob to get into the American version of The Office, it’s Gervais or nothing for me, I still find Ms. Kaling incredible funny and talented.

She maintains a sweetness with being star-struck by the likes of Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell. It’s as if she doesn’t realize that she is on a top rated, prime-time sitcom. Maybe it’s because her character, Kelly, doesn’t get as much screen time as some of the other actors? That may change for her next Fall, as she’s in talks with NBC to develop her own sitcom. She could be catapulted up there with Fey and Poehler, she certainly has the talent and likeablity for it.

This is definitely a fun read, especially if someone like me, who doesn’t even watch The Office, enjoyed it. I think you’ll find a fresh look on how not only young female comedians think today, but young women in general.

1 comment:

Rachael said...

Mindy's show is on the fall schedule for NBC! Wikipedia: "The series follows a single physician (played by Kaling) with a Bridget Jones-like persona as she tries to navigate her way through her personal and professional life." Can't wait!