When thinking of SNL, many can reference the great comics that came from the show like Will Ferrell or Jimmy Fallon. However, Tina Fey is a comedian who surpasses the usual stardom with her quick wit and insightful commentary.
At the University of Virginia, Fey studied playwriting and comedy before fully graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in drama. After graduation, she moved to Chicago to begin taking classes at Second City while also folding towels and working the front desk at a YMCA in Evanston. Fey lived in Chicago for several years before moving to New York City. While in New York, Fey was hired as a writer for “Saturday Night Live” and became the show’s first female head writer for its 25th season in 1997. In her own memoir, Fey described her time on SNL as chaotic but incredibly fulfilling creatively. Often working in writing rooms that were male-dominated, Fey felt like a fraud and sometimes had a harder time “fitting-in”. Despite these struggles, she kept honing in her craft and made huge strides, especially with her impression of 2008 Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Departing from SNL, Fey was offered her own sitcom by NBC which led to the creation of “30 Rock”. Fey drew from her experiences at SNL when writing the sitcom, and many can see the stylistic dark humor that she is known for written in every episode. In fact, many of the stylistic choices Tina Fey made for her show broke the mould of TV show comedy. According to PBS, “Tina Fey’s pioneering sitcom “30 Rock” veered from the traditional three-camera setup employed by prior sitcoms, opting instead for a more intimate single-camera approach, filmed without the aid of a live studio audience.” Much like Fey, Nick Cave’s songwriting and introspection came from being able to be vulnerable in his work. With writing her book Bossypants, she revealed not only her personal insecurities and failures, but shared her triumphs and the joy she felt in her comedy along with the vulnerability she had while creating shows that anyone can find humor in. Even today, Fey is traveling with her fellow former SNL co-star Amy Poehler in their “Restless Leg Tour”, captivating their audiences with the comedy that shaped the entire TV Show category since Fey’s debut.
https://www.secondcity.com/people/tina-fey
https://www.pbs.org/wnet/pioneers-of-television/pioneering-people/tina-fey/
Tina Fey’s journey as a female creative in a male-dominated is very inspiring. It’s interesting to see how she moved from behind-the-scenes writing at SNL to creating a show like 30 Rock that challenged the typical sitcom format. Her ability to bring sharp commentary and humor into her work without losing authenticity is impressive, and the continued success of her work, from Bossypants to her current tour, shows just how much of an impact she’s had on comedy and television.
ReplyDeleteHi Kayla,
ReplyDeleteI think Tina Fey is such creative woman! I grew up watching some of her work and thought she was very funny. I knew that comedy and acting was a mainly dominated profession, but it is impressive that she was able to overcome these difficulties and build a name for herself. I really enjoyed your connection to your focus book. Her ability to be resilient reminds me also of Jennifer Doudna in my focus book. They both were able to become successful, despite being surrounded by a male-dominated field. I really enjoyed learning a little more about Tina Fey and will be sure look into her book.