A few years ago, I cackled my way through Mindy Kaling’s first memoir, Is Everyone Hanging Out without Me? I realize I’m in the minority here, but there’s something mesmerizing about Kelly Kapoor’s narcissism on The Office, so I was eager to get acquainted with the real-life Kaling. I rabidly watched The Mindy Project, and I was delighted to hear that a second memoir was in the works. I find Kaling to be a thoughtful person and her comedy in the Fey-and-Poehler style, so I was sure that Why Not Me? would please.
Why Not Me? tracks Mindy Kaling’s life post-fame and examines the kind of work and life she lives now. There are chapters that discuss The Mindy Project and her day-to-day process as a producer and actress on the show. There are chapters that discuss being a woman-of-color on television (which includes fashion tips and other hilarious tidbits). And then there’s a chapter about being B.J. Novak’s “soup snake.” Theirs is a complicated relationship, but they are friends and soulmates in a sense. The memoir is shot through with Kaling’s breezy yet incisive tone, making it an enjoyable and memorable book.
If you like Kaling’s brand of humor, you will LOVE this book. It’s funny and engaging and very honest. I made the mistake of reading this book on the Metra on the way to my sister’s paramedic school graduation. I burst out laughing at several points, which is a no-no on Chicago public transit. Oops. I regret nothing.
“I realize I’m in the minority here, but there’s something mesmerizing about Kelly Kapoor’s narcissism on The Office”
Wait, what? People don’t like Kelly? She’s delightful! I still laugh thinking about Jim asking Kelly how she’s been after not seeing her for a while, and she tells him she’s great, that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had a baby and named it Suri. And he’s all, no I mean, how are YOU? And then she says, weren’t you listening, I just told you! Also the time they bet how long they could get her to talk about her Netflix queue.