Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) Blog Post

             I recently finished Mindy Kaling’s autobiography, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns). It was a hilarious book about her entire life, including all the embarrassing ups and downs that make any comedian’s autobiography worth reading. As I was reading this book, I couldn’t help but compare it to Tina Fey’s Bossypants. I actually thought this book was better, it gave me more of an insight into her life and was easier to relate to- there was less of a barrier between author and reader. I did notice that in both comedians’ books, there was a lot of humor. It made me think that if someone is writing an autobiography, of course they’re required to include their life’s story, but I think they’re also required to add characteristics of their profession in the making of the book.

            Many different famous people write autobiographies, comedians, actors, scientists, bakers, etc. When a comedian writes an autobiography, it’s usually required to be funny, and when a dramatic actor writes an autobiography, you’d assume there to be a lot of dramatic events in it, many long and complicated facts for a scientist, and different steps to a baker’s biography, like in a recipe, and maybe even a recipe in the book as well. If a baker includes a recipe in their autobiography, it’s like when a comedian includes a joke in theirs, they’re including their talent and profession into the book. It’s not required that you have to include the way your profession feels to people in your book, but most people do it. I think this is also a way of showing your readers that you love your job, and that you’re committed to it, like it’s a part of you. I think people are sometimes classified by their jobs, like “Mindy Kaling? She’s so funny, she’s a comedian.” and, “Have you read Buddy Valastro’s (Cake Boss) book? It has some recipes in it, and it talks a lot about baking. He’s a baker.”

            I’d like to know more about whether some people defy the stereotype that your job could define you, like comedians aren’t always funny, in their autobiographies. I think it would be really nice to read a book by a comedian, for example, and to see a side of them that’s more serious, because I think that would create a much stronger connection between the author and reader. I’d also like to know what some readers’ reactions would be to a serious book by a comedian, or a book that’s unlike what someone does in their profession, and maybe then you can see that some people just want to read a funny book, not actually about the author. I don’t think that this is defying what an autobiography or a biography is all about, because people certainly do have multiple sides to them, and I think it would be interesting to see another side of a famous person who’s known for the side they do show to the public.