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The funny lady has been taking some serious flack lately, but maybe her controversial commentary is exactly what feminism needs.
As soon as Tina Fey took the first bite out of her “Brownie Husband” during a recent “Saturday Night Live,” I knew there would be a lot of talk. Both the kind that celebrated the fauxmercial’s ingenious hilarity -— and, I mean seriously, obvious satire -— and the riled-up ridicule from those who seem to have been waiting to pounce on Fey ever since she decided to own her hotness and pose for magazines in low-cut dresses and take the lead in a romantic comedy -— things that I think are just as feminist as not giving a shit about high heels or lipgloss. (Psst, the feminism is in the control of one’s own image. Yes, she’s in control of it). But pretty feminists have been criticized for embracing their prettiness for generations. (Gloria Steinem comes to mind.)
Ever since that now-infamous “SNL” appearance, there’s much more of the latter going on. The basic argument against Fey is: Why does Tina Fey make fun of women so much? Whether it’s her disheveled, unlucky-in-love -— but totally successful, strong, and otherwise badass—character Liz Lemon on “30 Rock” or the pole-dancing, repressed homemaker in her latest film, “Date Night,” some women just can’t let Fey off the hook for portraying flawed -— and, yes, unattractive -— characters or turning her icy wit against other women.
But is she now? Well, yes and no.
Here’s why she’s not “making fun” of women in her TV show or movie roles: “30 Rock”’s Liz Lemon is certainly flawed -— and that’s why she’s awesome. Fey -— writer and creator of this fictional, comedic show —- is deliberate in the desperation of her character. It’s a critique on the way society portrays single, successful, non-married non-moms. It’s the image shoved down our throats through mainstream women’s magazines and just about every successful TV sitcom in the history of time. Women’s magazines -— hell, all media -— have one very clear message: Happiness is a box of chocolates given to you by a guy who loves you and —- finger’s crossed! —- is going to pop the question and make all your fairy-tale dreams come true. But most of the women in those successful TV sitcoms were married moms, you say? Exactly. Even the few truly successful single-ladies sitcoms find a way of either marrying off those ladies or making their pursuit of a man their primary obsession. (There are -— thank goodness -— a few recent exceptions to this rule).
Now, Tina Fey has been known to bash women a bit. She and Amy Poehler would often use Barbie dolls -— misogyny’s own mascot -— to portray the pitfalls of women when they co-hosted “Weekend Update.” Because, guess what? Women are flawed. The whole point of sitcoms and sketch-comedy shows is to mock people. And if women can’t be in that mix, I’m not sure that means we’re winning the battle against sexism. So why, then, are Fey’s once-devout followers so up in arms about her rant against Jesse James mistress Bombshell McGee? Yes, she called her a whore. But I still don’t get why this is anti-feminist.
Woman-bashing of any kind is, of course, decidedly against the cause that seeks to bring equality and respect to all members of our gender. But the truth is, not all women are fighting the good fight. In fact, they’re fighting against it.
Quite frankly, sometimes some women deserve to be called out on their shit. Those who actively seek out married men -— ideally those with fame and money -— for sensational affairs seems like a good place to start. Fey’s criticism of Bombshell McGee -— and celebrity mistresses in general -— doesn’t let the cheating men off the hook, as some feminist bloggers are claiming. But, really, there has been no shortage of Jesse James bashing. It’s almost too easy to point the finger at the man who strays. Yes, the finger should be pointed at him (one particular finger comes to mind), but he is only one half of the offense. McGee, in fact, started this entire public spectacle by blabbing the affair to the media to begin with. Why do we allow the philandering women who make cheaters out of their married playthings out to be victims rather
