Writer Mindy Kaling: Fellow Blogging Dork

When Jezebel claimed that Mindy Kaling, who wrote many of my favorite episodes of The Office, has a blog entitled "Things I Bought that I Love," I was initially skeptical. I mean, really, who doesn't want to spend their days writing in the voice of Kelly Kapoor? I know I do. (It would be so much easier than trying to be captivating in my own voice, the same voice I use for all the boring things I do, like insisting that someone bring me tea.) Besides, the claim seemed a bit spurious since all the images were gettyimages and Kaling doesn't even post under her own name, but under the pseudonym Mindy Ephron (a tribute to screenwriter Nora Ephron, as it turns out). So, still feeling doubtful, I did a little snooping and found this Kaling interview with Keith Phipps of The Onion's AV Club where Kaling claims that when she's on set but not acting she keeps:

...the shopping blog. Me and a bunch of other comedy writers basically are contributors, but it's my blog. It's called "Things I've Bought That I Love." Actually, I really love shopping. It's one of my big hobbies, and other than that, I'm kind of the big napper of the writing staff. I sleep a lot. Between the blogging and the napping, that's usually what I'm doing when I'm not on camera.

So, I guess it's true.

Kaling's blog is an amusing read, full of Kelly-esque "likes" and non sequiturs (ex: did you know that "it is considered kind of disgusting and raccoon-like to use the warm washcloth [that they give you on planes] to clean your face"?) Yet, as you read you realize that she is not writing in Kelly's voice, but that Kelly's voice is, in fact, an amped-up version of Mindy's voice. So, she's insightful, talented, and intelligent - and always ends her sentences on an up-note, even when off camera.

Ummm... take that, patriarchy?

Anyway, go show her some love. Lots of it. Maybe if we're charming enough she'll come blog for us. And, ya'll, I would so let her give the 2008 Cute Awards to like whoever (whomever?) she wanted, although I'd have to put in a good word for capuchin monkeys.