An Open Letter to Mindy Kaling.
Dear Mindy Kaling,
First of all, how dare you? You are gorgeous, talented, funny, boisterous (in an endearing way, of course), and have worked with every possible amazing television star there is to work with in Hollywood. Not to mention writing a movie that co-starred EMMA FREAKING THOMPSON.
So, how dare you? I suppose you dare very easily, as you’ve proven your worth tenfold to anyone who has ever doubted you. You’ve blazed a path for yourself if there wasn’t one ready-made, and I’m sure that was pretty much all the time as a woman of color in comedy, seemingly without hesitation.
Now, I’m sure that isn’t true. I’ve read your books. I’ve watched your interviews. I know from personal experience that anything anyone does with ease actually takes a tremendous amount of courage and diving head first into a pit of potential failure, but I also know that it has been much easier to do that myself having watched you. You are a true inspiration to women who long to be appreciated for their humor and writing. For women who may not be traditional bombshells, but have curves in the right places and smiles that light up a room. For women, period, in the most general of senses. You are an inspiration.
Add to that your unexpected but delightful adventure into motherhood, and just… Wow, Mindy. You maintain, at least publicly, a fun, easy-going demeanor, approaching single motherhood and a multi-faceted career with apparent ease. Again, this obviously can’t be the 100% truth, but that you even manage your mistakes and missteps with a good sense of humor and calm makes you loveable and enviable all at once.
To put it simply, you are the rightful heir to the throne left by the likes of Lucille Ball and Phyllis Diller. You are so anti- Man’s Dream Woman that you are the exact ideal of perfection for us girls carving a way of our own. Please keep holding the torch high for us to follow behind.
With nothing but love and respect,
Rebecca Timberlake