Tina Fey: A Biography
Elizabeth Stamatina “Tina” Fey was born on May 18, 1970 in Pennsylvania to parents who fueled her comedic background. Growing up, Fey would watch a number of comedy shows on television with her parents who allowed her to stay up night to watch with them. They comedy shows and movies sparked an interested in Fey that stayed with her all the way through her teen years into adulthood.
Tina Fey’s “bookish” look with the dark-rimmed glasses is not a far off approximation of what she was like as a teenager in high school. She has been quoted in many different interviews as being a “super nerd.” Fey put her humor writing skills to use for her high school’s newspaper and took part in the drama club as well. These writings skills paid off.
After studying drama at the University of Virginia and graduating in 1992, she moved to Chicago in hopes of becoming part of The Second City group. The Second City is an improvisational comedy group that has become a well of source in finding future SNL cast members, such as Bill Murray and John Belushi. This was a great opportunity for Fey because she accomplished her goal of joining this cast.
As it happens every so often, SNL was on the look out for a change in the SNL cast and writing team. Needless to say, The Second City group was contacted and an interview with Tina Fey went great. I guess it really pays off to know people in the business because Fey’s friend, Adam McKay, a writer for SNL had asked Fey to write a few sketches for the show. The executives were very impressed and a meeting with the show’s executive producer, Lorne Michaels, was set-up. The rest is history!
Tina Fey is repeatedly recognize for helping bring SNL out of the rut it was in for a very long time. She brought a new witty humor to the show and viewers began watching the show once again. Fey was such a success that she soon was given the position of head writer. As humble as ever, Fey never gloats about this title, even though she was the first female to ever been given this honor. She soon began to co-anchor with Jimmy Fallon, now an ex-SNL cast member, on Weekend Update.
The duo was hilarious and unstoppable! Their deadpan humor sat well with fans and the love for this particular sketch was growing. When Fallon left the cast, Amy Poehler took his position and created the first ever female hosts for Weekend Update. I have to say, myself, that these two ladies are extremely funny together. Poehler’s comedic timing runs parallel to Fey’s and they make a great team.
Fey didn’t stop there. She pushed herself and wrote a screenplay for the successful movie, Mean Girls starring Lindsey Lohan (who happens to be Fey’s niece). The movie went on to receive much praise at it’s humor yet, truthfulness to how girls in high school really can be to each other. Fey is noted as saying that there were times she felt like she may have been the “mean girl” to people at her high school growing up.
Along with fellow SNL cast member, Rachel Dratch, Fey went on a two-woman sketch show which was called, Dratch & Fey. The praise for this show was momentous and included a number of sketches the two put together within a very short period of time just because they could. It has received a lot of recognition, furthering Fey’s accomplishments as a comedienne but more importantly, as a comedic writer.
Tina Fey added “mommy” to her list of achievements. She gave birth to her daughter, Alice Zenobia Richmond on September 10, 2005. Her husband is Jeff Richmond who also worked on SNL as a composer. They met before either of them were ever on the show.
What’s next for Fey, you ask? Well, she will not be returning to SNL. The reason for this decision is to star and write for a new NBC show called 30 Rock. The show will be loosely based on Fey’s experiences behind the SNL set and other situations along the way. She has included other cast members such as Rachel Dratch and ex-SNL member, Tracy Morgan.
Other cast members include Alec Baldwin and Scott Adsit. The show will premiere October 11, Wednesday, at 8:30. I think it’s safe to say if Tina Fey is writing on the show, it’ll definitely be full of wit and dark humor. But isn’t that why we love her so?
