Bossypants

LetsHikeToday

So what did you all think??

Here are some questions. Respond to the ones you want to. Feel free to add your own thoughts/questions/opinions.

1. How much did you know about Tina Fey before reading Bossypants? Did the book change your perception of her? Is your overall impression of Fey better or worse since reading the book?

2. In the book, Fey discounts the idea that the images we see in magazines, on television, billboards, etc. are causing women to have self-image problems. On page 201 she says, “I think that we will soon see a rise in anorexia in women over seventy. Because only people over seventy are fooled by Photoshop.” Do you agree or disagree?

3.

LetsHikeToday

Sorry my iPad got weird. 3. Bossypants is written in a essay format, where each chapter focuses on a different topic or phase of her life. How did you like this style/format? Did you feel like anything was missing or left out because the books wasn’t one fluid story? Did you have a favorite section or a least favorite section? 4.After reading the book did you feel like the title Bossypants is appropriate? Why or why not? Why do you think Fey chose that title? Did you find that the harry arms on the cover got any less disturbing after you read the book?

LetsHikeToday

I'm going to be honest and say I didn't love the book. I'm usually a huge fan of female comedians books (Ellen and rose) and this one wasn't the best. It wasn't terrible but I didn't laugh out loud as much as I thought I would. My answer to #2 is pretty personal because I had an eating disorder. I can look at a magazine now, at age 30, and realize that the has been photoshopped used. However, when I was an impressionable teenager I didn't quite get that. However, I did laugh at the fact that she said there would be a rise in anorexia in people above the age of 70 because they don't know about photoshop. That made me giggle. I also liked the chapter where she responded, in letter form, to people who made fun of her. She wrote about being a troll and that cracked me up. Two other parts I liked: The chart about the most stressful jobs. She had coal mining two times, once for the US and once for Chile. That was funny And I loved that she talked about being Palin. I thought it was interesting that Palin said Fey exploited her family and then ran and did a reality TV show.

calindi

1.  Honestly not much at all.  I knew she had been on SNL, and I knew she had mocked Sarah Palin, and I knew she was liberal, but that's about it.  Since reading the book, I started watching 30 Rock out of curiosity, and FI and I are now hooked.  We watched a few episodes last week, got up to episode 7 or so, and then I got back from DC last night... and the Netflix now shows that up to episode 66 has been watched!  Silly FI is hooked!  So now I'm more of a fan.  I'm not in total agreement with all of her ideas, but it's pretty funny.

2.  I am in agreement with you, Hike.  I also think Photoshop does fool people, and sets unrealistic expectations for beauty.  However, I do like the point she made about how Photoshop should be used to make people look like the best version of themselves, not someone entirely different.  I think she said something like "if the lighting was perfect and you had a perfect hair day and the camera caught just the right angle".  But I do agree that we shouldn't ban photoshop in magazines or something - if a magazine chooses to ban it, then so be it, but let the public demand decide, you know?

3.  I didn't really like the format or the writing.  She often seemed to lose the point and then sort of drift into a different point and then kind of drift back.  I did enjoy it, but I didn't love it.  I felt mostly like I was reading amateur ramblings.

4. I like the name Bossypants for it, and I like her point about how it's sort of sexist for people to keep asking her, "How's it feel to be everyone's manager?" or something, and she says, "You know, like everyone asks Donald Trump if he minds being the boss of someone else."  It wasn't exactly the point of her book - her book didn't have a point.  But it was as an appropriate a name as possible.

And to add a question -

5.  What point did Tina Fey make that you liked?  What point did she make that you disagreed with?  Did anything she say surprise you?

ggirl2001

I think her logic about photoshop makes sense, because even when we were younger we didn't know about it as much, but I think 17 year olds do know. But I could be wrong, because I'm not 17. 

I enjoyed it, but its not my type of book usually anyway so it was different for me to read.  I really didn't know much about her before hand except from what I heard and read prior which wasn't much. 

I did like the style of writing because I think it keeps you interested and on your toes. I think it also reflects who she is and probably how she tells stories to anyway. 

I can't comment on the cover since I had a free downloaded version. I think the title is appropriate because I think she did work her way to be the writer of the sitcom and she busted her ass to get where she is now. She's earned it. 

Irishcurls

1. Tbh, other than knowing she was a liberal comedian, I didn't know that much. This really helped me love her, a lot. I really feel like she can influence women without taking herself toooo seriously. And I love knowing she is successful and has a family and doesn't think she's doing a perfect job at either.....like small failures don't make you a failure. 

2. As for the body image parts, I am thankful that I don't struggle with this, and didn't delve to deep into it while reading. Looking back, I think her glibness is a way to deal with the serious issue--I mean, the 70 year old comment was very funny but I DON'T think there will be less eating disorders any time soon. 

3. It honestly took me awhile to catch on to it being mini essays, I kept looking for the thread. But I don't think I lost anything from it. 

I loved the prayer for a daughter. I think most of all, I really respect her as a mother and that was great to read, especially her struggle at the end with having another or not--and knowing she did get pregnant again! Love that!

I almost can't believe how quickly she skimmed over the scar story. Do you think that took away from the story at all? Or if her adding it in wouldn't have mattered much? 

calindi

I was also left curious about the scar story.  I feel like if she was going to bring it up, she probably could have told us what happened, right?  Or did I miss that somehow?

Oh, I will say, something that really inspired me was how she took a rather crooked path to become as successful as she is now.  She worked her way up being smart and talented, and originally was a receptionist at a YMCA.  And that she went back to school while working, and really struggled her way up as a writer.  I like learning about how she worked at SNL, and how she first came to be in front of the camera, and how she got her own show.

I really like that she had such a great mentor in Lorne Michaels.  And as someone who hasn't exactly landed on a smooth path to a dream career, it's nice to see that someone really did make it work and is doing their dream job after a slightly rocky start.

Irishcurls

Cal, agree about the crooked path!! It actually gives me hope, even though I'm doing what I want right now, who knows what the future will bring, especially with moving so much. 

As for the scar, she just said she was 5 playing outside and someone swiped her? Like a random act of violence? 

calindi

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_bossypants?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:e63a3079-ecf9-4dd5-adf5-c721fa4417b7Post:81ddc412-2962-4d2d-81cf-ef8b6d6eb6da">Re: Bossypants</a>:
[QUOTE]Cal, agree about the crooked path!! It actually gives me hope, even though I'm doing what I want right now, who knows what the future will bring, especially with moving so much.  As for the scar, she just said she was 5 playing outside and someone swiped her? Like a random act of violence? 
Posted by Irishcurls[/QUOTE]


I googled it.  I thought she was being glib, but it seems you're right.

<a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,459524,00.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,459524,00.html</a>

Irishcurls

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_military-brides_bossypants?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:13Discussion:e63a3079-ecf9-4dd5-adf5-c721fa4417b7Post:b356701e-38cd-4779-8001-f9ebc4aec2a8">Re: Bossypants</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Bossypants : I googled it.  I thought she was being glib, but it seems you're right. <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,459524,00.html" rel='nofollow'>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,459524,00.html</a>
Posted by calindi[/QUOTE]
So did I though!! While reading it because she just touched on it, I really wondered if she was just glossing over it in a "making fun of herself" way. Thanks for the link!

CAB1217

1. I knew nothing, and nothing changed as far as my opinion about her. I didn't "love" the book, it wasn't a "I can't put this down" thing for me. Don't get me wrong, it was ok, but I wasn't super impressed.
2. I, personally, don't see magazines and think "photoshopped". I see magazines ans see a bunch of "hot skinny bittches". So, yeah, you don't have to be 70 to be fooled. Even now, after reading that, I see see hot skinny bittches.
3. I usually like that format, which is why I'm surprised to not have liked it as much as I thought I would. My favorite part of the book was when she was talking about her honeymoon... I kept thinking "what if that happens to meee!" lol!
Also, I really wish she got into the story about what happened to her as a child with that scar. That irked me! I've got to make dinner, I will be back for more Bossypants talk!

Rethany

The book was ok.  I thought it would be more laugh out loud moments.  I hate to say this, but I'm kind of glad I didn't buy the book

1. I did not know a whole lot about Tina Fey before reading this.  I've watched her on SNL and knew she wrote for SNL before starring on SNL but I had no other real facts about her. I think the book changed my opinion of her a little bit.  She seems more normal than I assumed someone of fame would.  I'd say my overall impression hasn't changed much.  I think she's a pretty well rounded comedian.

2. I definitely agree with the photoshopped picture argument.  I think too many people think they have to be skinny because of the women they see on magazines.  I wish they would show more "toned" women than just flat out skinny women.  I do like how she said it should just be a better version of yourself, not a completely different person.

3. I'm not sure I liked the layout of reading this.  It seemed to jump from one thing to another.  I guess I would have rather read how she went from one point in her life to the next (which she did a little) but it seemed to jump around. 

I did thoroughly enjoy the cruise story.  I was literally laughing out loud pretty much that entire story.
 On a more serious note I liked that she put her struggle with having another baby in the book.  It makes you realize that even people who we think have not a care in the world do.  She took everything into consideration, even her coworkers, when deciding if and when she should have another.

4.I think the title Bossypants is a good title.  Mainly because she did talk about her struggles with leading other people and how her personal life and thought of having another baby ultimately impact her crew.  If she decides to quit or if the show does terrible it is on her hands.

LetsHikeToday

I never even noticed a scar until I went to that fox news link. I thought it was a joke and now I feel bad for kinda giggling.

divinemsbee

OK, I'm late on this, but I really loved this book, but I also knew a fair amount about Tina and had watched all of 30 Rock (up to the current season, which starts in January, btw) before I read it. I wonder if that changed my opinion of what was written compared to those of you who didn't really know a lot about her?

I relate to her a lot in terms of her growing up and doing lots of community theater. Those people half raised me, and doing that really informed my world view (and the term "mean meth" for bitchy teenage theater gay boys is so spot on).

As far as the photoshop thing goes, I do think she's being a bit simplistic, especially as a woman who has been both rather small and not as small (at least by TV standards). I do think that while I love her, she has had very different experiences in terms of upbringing, and that while I think she's a great example of feminism at work, she does come at it from her own (white, semi-privileged, virgin til 24, strong father figure) way. I do think, it terms of the photoshop, that maybe she just wishes that people would be able to see that these pictures in magazines aren't even really what models look like. Meaning that even these women who are paid to be the most beautiful aren't beautiful enough for this, which is sad.

I also read a lot of books that are written in a sort of essay form (David Sedaris, Simon Doonan, Augusten Burroughs), and I really like it.

I do think that her agonizing over whether to have another child (and glad she did) is a great example of how women are occasionally forced to think differently than men in situations like this. She's the exec producer, head writer, and star of the show. If she were a guy, she could just knock up her wife and have it be done, but as a woman, and as a woman who really loves her job, she takes it onto herself to think about how all of her decisions affect the show and everyone that works on it.

Cal- We looooove 30 Rock. We watched it all on Netflix last summer and have kept going. There is rarely a day that it is not heavily quoted at our house.