Kirkus Reviews, founded in 1933, is a venerable institution in the media world, serving as the industry bible for bookstore buyers, librarians, and ordinary readers alike for more than 75 years. As part of the Kirkus Book Bloggers Network, a rotating crew of your favorite Popdose writers will grace the virtual pages of Kirkus Reviews Online, taking on the best — and sometimes the worst — in pop-culture and celebrity books. From coffee-table studies to quickie unauthorized bios, if it’s about show biz, it’s fair game.

Bossypants

Given that Tina Fey has conquered television—first on “Saturday Night Live,” then with “30 Rock” —and continues to make slow but steady headway on the big screen as well (the Tina trifecta consists of “Mean Girls,” “Baby Mama” and “Date Night”), it was only a matter of time before she decided to stake her claim in the print world as well. On the occasion of Fey’s “Bossypants” hitting the shelves, we take a look back at 10 moments that helped her earn that multimillion-dollar book deal in the first place.

1. Saturday Night Live: ”Weekend Update” (2000-06): Although Fey joined the SNL writing staff in 1997, it took a few seasons before she finally found her way to the anchor desk. Once there, however, she spent six years sparring with co-anchors Jimmy Fallon (2000—04) and Amy Poehler (2004—06). Trying to pick Fey’s finest moment from this era would be a fool’s errand, but we do remain partial to her one-liner on the Brad Pitt/Jennifer Aniston breakup: ”If these two are tired of having sex with each other, what hope is there for the rest of us?”

2. Mean Girls (2004): After spending several years as the co-anchor of ”Weekend Update,” Fey stepped out on Saturday Night Live to write the script for a teen comedy so funny that even all of the subsequent shenanigans by Lindsay Lohan haven’t tarnished its reputation. In addition to her screenwriting duties, Fey also took on the role of math teacher Ms. Norbury, who, like most of her students at North Shore High School, has her reputation sullied by a ”Burn Book” filled with secrets, rumors, and gossip.

3. 30 Rock: ”The Break-Up” (Episode 1.8, airdate Dec. 14, 2006): If there’s one constant in the life of Liz Lemon (Fey), head writer for TGS with Tracy Jordan, it’s her utter inability to find a decent boyfriend. After calling it quits with ever-undependable Dennis Duffy (you may remember him as the Beeper King), Liz meets Jenna (Jane Krakowski) for drinks, where she reveals both skepticism toward guys in bars and a profound love for fried cheese.

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