Tina Fey, why do you do this to me?!

I am a HUGE fan of Tina Fey. Her skits on SNL and her Weekend Update segments with Jimmy Kimmel helped get me through high school.  As I become more aware of the problems of race and sexism around me, I find it harder to enjoy Tina Fey's comedy (and other's as well).  Her decision to "opt out" of the internet and her refusal to answer to criticism is very problematic to me.  As someone who has experienced online harassment, I can understand a celebrities' decision to not have a Twitter or an Instagram account where they open themselves to everyday abuse.  However, Tina Fey has chosen to not acknowledge any thoughtful criticism of her work either.  It's one thing to ignore and avoid the trolls and abusers, but it's another to refuse to engage in thoughtful discussions about concerns people have regarding race and gender.

I watch the movie Tina Fey wrote and starred in, "Mean Girls" and I still am able to enjoy it. I do hesitate though every time the "cool Asians" scene comes up.  I think Fey used a stereotype about Asian teenagers and young women in the wrong way.  The two Asian girls who fought over the chubby PE teacher dressed provocatively and epitomized the sexy and agressive Asian seductresses.  This is in contrast to the meek Asian school girl stereotype that is also prevalent in American media. I think shows how un-creative we as a society can be that we pigeonhole Asians, particularly Asian women as either the "model minority" or as sexual beings desperate for white male attention.

"The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" is such a joyful show that I can't stop laughing for the entire episode.......until a Native American scene comes on.  For some odd reason, Fey chose to cast a white woman as a Native American posing as a white woman.  I wonder sometimes if Fey wanted to demonstrate the pressures Native Americans feel to be whiter or to assimilate into white society, but I doubt it.  I suppose its possible that Fey is using Jacqueline's character to show how ignorant white society is of Native Americans.  The actual Native American actors playing Native American roles do have dialogue and answer and refute Jacqueline's racism. Perhaps it's not all bad, but I still don't get it and feel that Fey could challenge racism in a much more intelligent and witty way.

I haven't had a chance to finish Season 2 of "Kimmy Schmidt", but the second season has controversy surround it and a plot line regarding Asians and Geishas.  Fey trys to take down "outrage" culture on the internet, but at the same time, I feel she is missing a major opportunity to engage her fans in respectful and intelligent discussions on race and comedy.

http://www.avclub.com/article/tina-fey-done-explaining-her-jokes-internet-230086

http://www.vox.com/2016/4/19/11441502/unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt-race-season-2

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/unbreakable-kimmy-schmidt-native-americans_us_5722747fe4b01a5ebde515be