Tina Fey is a Funny Lady
Arts & Entertainment → Television / Movies
- Author Jessica Vandelay
- Published November 12, 2008
- Word count 731
Talented comedy writer, comedian, actress and producer Tina Fey is making magazine headlines for impersonating vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, winning awards and most recently for signing a multi-million dollar book deal this year.
Fey is best known for her work on the sketch comedy television show "Saturday Night Live." Fey started as a writer on "Saturday Night Live" in 1997; by 1999 she was promoted to head writer. Fey was the first female to be promoted to head writer; in 2000 she joined the on-screen cast. Fey created several notable and well-loved sketches on "Saturday Night Live" including "The Boston Teens," co-written with Rachel Dratch, "Weekend Update" and many parodies of "Live with Regis and Kelly." As co-head writer of "Saturday Night Live’s" 25th anniversary special, Fey won a 2001 Writers Guild of America Award. In 2002 Fey also won, along with the rest of the "Saturday Night Live" writing staff, an Emmy Award for their work on the show.
Fey landed a spot on Maxim magazines "Hot 100 Women of 2002" and she was named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2003.
Fey made many guest-appearances on the "Conan O’Brien Show" during this time and also made her feature-film debut as writer and co-star of the high school dramedy "Mean Girls," starring Lindsay Lohan and many "Saturday Night Live" cast members.
In 2005 Fey left "Saturday Night Live" to develop, write and star in her own sitcom for NBC. The show debuted on NBC’s fall 2006 line-up and quickly became popular after NBC moved it the coveted Thursday night schedule. The show, entitled "30 Rock" is loosely based on her time at "Saturday Night Live." NBC renewed the series for a second season and in July 2007, Fey was nominated for an Emmy for "Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series" for her role of "Liz Lemon," while the show won the 2007 Emmy for "Outstanding Comedy Series."
In 2007, Time magazine chose Fey was as one of the "100 People Who Shape Our World." Time magazine also named Fey’s American Express credit card commercial one the "Top 10 Best TV Ads" of 2007.
Fey and the entire writing staff of "30 Rock" participated in the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America strike, which began on November 5, 2007 and ended on February 12, 2008. Production of "30 Rock."
At the beginning of 2008 Fey added more awards for her "30 Rock" performances, winning the Golden Globe for "Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical," and a Screen Actors Guild Award for "Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series."
On February 23, 2008, Fey hosted the first "Saturday Night Live" episode after the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike. She impersonated celebrities like actress Ellen Page of "Juno" and Mary Jo Buttafuoco.
Also in 2008 Fey and former "Saturday Night Live" cast-mate Amy Poehler starred in the feature film "Baby Mama." Michael McCullers wrote and directed the comedy, which centered on the infertility of a businesswoman and her efforts to hire a surrogate. The movie garnered mixed reviews. Entertainment Weekly said of the movie, "a teeteringly uneven comedy, isn't much of a conversation starter, but it does at least bring a politicized raised eyebrow to the sacred realm of pregnancy and motherhood among a certain estrogenically mindful population of entitled thirtysomethings." The comedy made more than $60 million dollars.
Fey again returned to "Saturday Night Live" for its 2008 season premiere episode, which aired September 13. Fey impersonated Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, with "Saturday Night Live" cast member Amy Poehler as Hillary Clinton. Their banter quickly became NBC’s most-watched viral video ever, with 5.7 million. Fey again returned to "Saturday Night Live" to impersonate Palin in a parody of the CBS interview with Katie Couric and for a parody of the vice presidential debate.
Entertainment Weekly magazine sums up Fey’s mass appeal, "Forthright yet inclusive, tough yet effortlessly feminine, an alumna of SNL and the creator of a brilliant hit network sitcom, she has the means to affect our nation's political discourse with a waggle of her trademark brainy-babe eyeglasses and one well-placed declaration."
People magazine most recently reported Fey signed a multi-million dollar book deal with Little, Brown Book Group. Reportedly, the book pitched was more humor than memoir.
Fey is married to composer Jeff Richmond, whom she met at Chicago’s famed Second City. Richmond and Fey have a daughter, Alice and live in New York City. Fey is a committed environmentalist devoted to recycling and driving hybrid vehicles.
For more info, visit http://www.magazines.com/category/entertainment-tv
Jessica Vandelay is a freelance writer in New York City.
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