Our Top 4 Favorite Comediennes and Their Books
Life, they say, shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
We agree, and we hope you do too. That belief can save you a lot of unnecessary heartaches. To help you laugh at your embarrassments, smile at your failures, and highfive success borne out of hardwork, here are 8 books written by four genuinely hilarious women to take you out of the gloom you’re probably in.
Ellen DeGeneres
Ellen TV
With her cropped, blonde hair, amazing blue eyes, clad in pants and sneakers, Ellen DeGeneres is a woman put in this world to make the world laugh. Once named the “funniest person in America,” this 5’7”, Emmy-winner once braved the world’s judgment when she came out in April 1997 as a lesbian, risking her career and personal relationships.
Born in Louisiana, Ellen struggled to be where she is right now. A Communications Major who dropped out after one semester, she worked a variety of jobs, from being a waitress to being a stand-up comedian.
With Ellen: The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003), from the ashes of the defunct The Ellen Show on CBS in 2001, she nabbed 15 Emmy awards for its first three seasons. She also became popular as awards host, from Grammy to Emmy to Oscars. She was married to Portia de Rossi on August 16, 2008 and was recently awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former US president Barack Obama.
In her trademark comedic pauses, Ellen has already written three books, with quotes like this one: “Never follow anyone else’s path, unless you’re in the woods, and you’re lost, and you see a path; then by all means, you should follow that path.
My Point… And I Do Have One
Amazon
First published in September 1, 1995, this 211-page book made its readers laugh with its wit and humor.
The Funny Thing Is…
Amazon
Released by publishing house Simon and Schuster on September 28, 2004, Ellen ventured into another book filled with laughs.
Seriously… I’m Kidding
Amazon
After eight years, in 2011, Ellen included the story of how she bowed out of American Idol because she didn’t want to be mean.
Tina Fey
With her amazing impression of Sarah Palin, Tina Fey is one of those effortlessly funny women. Proof? Her being the youngest recipient of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2011.
Born in 1970 in Pennsylvania, Tina was proud of being a “supernerd” in her highschool and college years. Married to Jeff Richmonds in 2001, now with two children, Cady’s Math teacher on Mean Girls, now has seven Emmy awards.
A huge fan of Star Wars, the first female head writer of Saturday Night Live, famous for the Monica Lewinsky skit, her work is usually riddled with reference to the franchise.
Bossypants
Amazon
This memoir, published in April 5, 2011, is filled with insightful commentary on life and everything in it. In this book, she reminded her readers to “Do your thing and don’t care if they like it.” Tina also highlights the thought that, “You’re no one until someone calls you bossy.” Wink, wink.
Mindy Kaling
Writer, producer, director; Mindy Kaling is a woman of many talents. Born in June 24, 1979 in Massachusetts, Mindy heads the television show The Mindy Project.
Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns)
Amazon
Telling her story as a child of immigrant professionals, Mindy will let her readers delve into her life, and her commentary on Hollywood, romance, and friendship. Published on January 1, 2011, this book can be a poignant search for that one excellent friend; after all, “One friend with whom you have a lot in common is better than three with whom you struggle to find things to talk about.”
Questions I Ask When I Want to Talk About Myself
Amazon
If you usually find yourself grasping for topics to talk about with your friends, on first dates, this book would probably become one of your favorites as this is a deck of 50 conversation starters.
Why Not Me?
Amazon
In her usual readable writing, Mindy gave us this collection of essays full of heart and humor. There’s something about reading lines like these: “Work hard, know your shit, show your shit, and then feel entitled. Listen to no one except the two smartest and kindest adults you know, and that doesn’t always mean your parents.”
Amy Poehler
For fans of Mean Girls, you probably know her as Mrs. George, Regina George’s mom, you know the one with rock-hard breasts. A comedienne, an actress, and a writer in her own right, Amy Poehler was part of SNL from 2001 to 2008.
Yes Please
Amazon
Published in 2014, Amy’s memoir filled with personal stories, Yes Please is an amalgamation of snippets on sex and love, her time on SNL and Parks and Recreation. With lines like ”You have to care about your work but not about the result. You have to care about how good you are and how good you feel, but not about how good people think you are or how good people think you look,” this is a book that can even help you eliminate superficiality.
