Although we women are innately adept at swallowing, it is a hard pill to choke down when guys claim we aren't funny. When hearing this I usually react by crying publicly, talking about my period, looking online for shoes, and then talking about my period while crying and trying on shoes. But you know what I think is the truth? Not a lot of people are funny, period. Wow, you see how that slipped in so organically? The ability to make someone laugh is a talent few people possess regardless of their genitalia. Rather than focusing on sexism within comedy and singling out funny women as if they are some physical anomaly like babies born with 13 toes, we should celebrate and concentrate on funny humans. Mindy Kaling, for example, writer/actress/director/producer extraordinaire for The Office, just wrote a book that is hilarious despite the fact that she has the handicap of having lady parts, and you should read it even if you have a penis.
Mindy's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? is a book that will make you LOL, ha ha ha, and smiley face. She avoids the common female memoir trap of being overly self-deprecating, yet still maintains a relatable quality to her character. Her tone is conversational without being insincere and she manages to tell you just enough details to feel like you know her, yet still want to know more.
She manages to reach two very different audience types. One being girls/women who share in her trials of being female and can laugh along with common ordeals we all struggle with. The cliché questions of am I pretty, am I too fat, and will I ever be the feminine ideal? But they are clichés because every girl fights, punches, and brawls with their physical image, and we never tire of thinking or talking about it. Even models have self-esteem problems and wish they had different wrists or back of the knees or something. With these themes Mindy has a built-in female audience who crave the connection and knowing that every woman has these thoughts, but she also takes her reader deeper than just superficial chick concerns. She goes into detail about her female friendships, her outlook on intimacy and marriage, and knowing she wants to settle down with a man and not a boy. In short, buy this book for your daughter, niece, or girlfriend and you will not disappoint.
But guys, don't glaze over and start jerking off to internet porn just yet -- because there is a lot in this book for you too! Basically anyone who wants a profession as a writer, comedian, or an actor can learn from Mindy's process. The book is replete with thoughtful and useful advice she learned from both her successes and failures. She also has spectacular comedic timing, and just by reading her work you will help yourself with yours. Okay, fine, the branding is kind of pink and frilly, but you can always take off the jacket and have a sleek white hard cover that you could totally read in public. You may not look as sophisticated as the guy next to you reading the Steve Jobs biography, but you can finish Mindy's book pretty quick and read that one next.