Overview

From the New York Times bestselling author of Seinfeldia comes the totally fetch story of one of the most iconic teen comedies of all time, Mean Girls, revealing how it happened, how it defined a generation, “like, invented” meme culture, and why it just won’t go away, filled with exclusive interviews from the director, cast, and crew. Get in, loser. We’re going back to 2004. It’s been 20 years since Mean Girls made “fetch” happen. But, Mean Girls was never meant to be the global phenomenon it became. Given a mid-Spring release date—the film industry’s equivalent of a wasteland—and up against the much more hyped 13 Going on 30, the studio, writer Tina Fey, and director Mark Waters, could only hope that their little film would be a modest success at best. Despite the odds, and thanks in no small part to Fey’s infinitely quotable script and the burgeoning social media era, Mean Girls has gone to be one of the biggest pop culture influences of the past 20 years. In So Fetch, the first comprehensive book on the story of Mean Girls, the making of the movie, and its impact on pop culture, social media, and more, New York Times-bestselling author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong takes readers through the entire Mean Girls journey, from its conception in Saturday Night Live’s offices to Fey’s battle to keep a “wide-set vagina” in the script; from peak Lohan to the high school vibe on the movie’s Toronto set; from its hot-pink brand of feminism to its place in the rise of 2000s tabloid culture; from its instant catchphrases to its enduring internet popularity and hit Broadway adaptation. The limit truly does not exist when it comes to Mean Girls’ enduring legacy.

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9780063276161

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Reviews

"""The definitive story of one of the greatest teen comedies in Hollywood history. A brilliant, captivating deep dive. Hardcore fans, Mean Girls novices, and everyone in between will be enthralled."" -- Andy Greene, New York Times bestselling author of The Office ""An encyclopedic look-see into the making of Tina Fey's 2004 confection. Armstrong's tome is a reminder that Mean Girls was more than just a quotable romp with an unforgettable performance by a Juicy-wearing Amy Poehler: it was a siren call to young women everywhere that turning on your sisters makes about as much sense as trying to make fetch happen."" -- Lynette Rice, author of How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy ""Get in, loser. On Wednesdays, we read Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's So Fetch, which tells the story of the making of Mean Girls, one of the last great big-screen comedies, while offering so much more. Touching on everything from Y2K-era misogyny to meme culture to the long tail of Mean Girls' impact, Armstrong's book is funny, clear-eyed, full of unexpected insights and superb reporting, and a must for any comedy fan."" -- Saul Austerlitz, author of Generation Friends and Kind Of a Big Deal ""I've seen Mean Girls at least 25 times. Jennifer Keishin Armstrong is the only writer I can think of who can write a book about the film that's so engaging and painstakingly researched that my 26th viewing of the modern classic feels like a totally new experience."" -- Jason Diamond, author of Searching for John Hughes and The Sprawl ""An absolutely engrossing read that will lure in even the most casual of Mean Girl fans -- which was me before I started reading! Wonderfully reported, filled with surprising revelations and details, just a total delight of a book."" -- Anne Helen Petersen, author of Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation ""A straightforward and entertaining retelling of the creation of Mean Girls, the movie, that has a place in the hearts of many. An excellent addition to collections."" -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ""Pop culture historian Armstrong (Seinfeldia, Sex and the City and Us, among others) is back with another immersive, entertaining dive into a pop culture phenomenon... In this book, Armstrong writes about the story of the movie and Tina Fey's adaptation of the self-help book it was based upon and looks at the influence the movie has had on things like female relationships, LGBTQ+ culture, and tabloid culture. It's a smart, incisive look at a film that remains relevant today."" -- Book Riot ""[A] fun look at the making and legacy of the high school comedy Mean Girls... Armstrong's account of the shooting of Mean Girls emulates the breezy enjoyability of the film while offering thoughtful commentary on how 'taking young women's problems seriously while also being very funny' proved central to the film's appeal. Fans will be riveted."" -- Publishers Weekly"

"""The definitive story of one of the greatest teen comedies in Hollywood history. A brilliant, captivating deep dive. Hardcore fans, Mean Girls novices, and everyone in between will be enthralled."" -- Andy Greene, New York Times bestselling author of The Office ""An encyclopedic look-see into the making of Tina Fey's 2004 confection. Armstrong's tome is a reminder that Mean Girls was more than just a quotable romp with an unforgettable performance by a Juicy-wearing Amy Poehler: it was a siren call to young women everywhere that turning on your sisters makes about as much sense as trying to make fetch happen."" -- Lynette Rice, author of How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy ""Get in, loser. On Wednesdays, we read Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's So Fetch, which tells the story of the making of Mean Girls, one of the last great big-screen comedies, while offering so much more. Touching on everything from Y2K-era misogyny to meme culture to the long tail of Mean Girls' impact, Armstrong's book is funny, clear-eyed, full of unexpected insights and superb reporting, and a must for any comedy fan."" -- Saul Austerlitz, author of Generation Friends and Kind Of a Big Deal ""I've seen Mean Girls at least 25 times. Jennifer Keishin Armstrong is the only writer I can think of who can write a book about the film that's so engaging and painstakingly researched that my 26th viewing of the modern classic feels like a totally new experience."" -- Jason Diamond, author of Searching for John Hughes and The Sprawl ""An absolutely engrossing read that will lure in even the most casual of Mean Girl fans -- which was me before I started reading! Wonderfully reported, filled with surprising revelations and details, just a total delight of a book."" -- Anne Helen Petersen, author of Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation ""A straightforward and entertaining retelling of the creation of Mean Girls, the movie, that has a place in the hearts of many. An excellent addition to collections."" -- Library Journal (starred review) ""Pop culture historian Armstrong (Seinfeldia, Sex and the City and Us, among others) is back with another immersive, entertaining dive into a pop culture phenomenon... In this book, Armstrong writes about the story of the movie and Tina Fey's adaptation of the self-help book it was based upon and looks at the influence the movie has had on things like female relationships, LGBTQ+ culture, and tabloid culture. It's a smart, incisive look at a film that remains relevant today."" -- Book Riot ""[A] fun look at the making and legacy of the high school comedy Mean Girls... Armstrong's account of the shooting of Mean Girls emulates the breezy enjoyability of the film while offering thoughtful commentary on how 'taking young women's problems seriously while also being very funny' proved central to the film's appeal. Fans will be riveted."" -- Publishers Weekly ""A behind the scenes romp about the making of the iconic 2004 comedy--from cast party twerking to the list of celebs who were considered for the film (including Kristen Stewart)."" -- People ""A fitting tribute to a film that has become so iconic to now multiple generations of young women. A must have for fans."" -- Glamour"

"""The definitive story of one of the greatest teen comedies in Hollywood history. A brilliant, captivating deep dive. Hardcore fans, Mean Girls novices, and everyone in between will be enthralled."" -- Andy Greene, New York Times bestselling author of The Office ""An encyclopedic look-see into the making of Tina Fey's 2004 confection. Armstrong's tome is a reminder that Mean Girls was more than just a quotable romp with an unforgettable performance by a Juicy-wearing Amy Poehler: it was a siren call to young women everywhere that turning on your sisters makes about as much sense as trying to make fetch happen."" -- Lynette Rice, author of How to Save a Life: The Inside Story of Grey's Anatomy ""Get in, loser. On Wednesdays, we read Jennifer Keishin Armstrong's So Fetch, which tells the story of the making of Mean Girls, one of the last great big-screen comedies, while offering so much more. Touching on everything from Y2K-era misogyny to meme culture to the long tail of Mean Girls' impact, Armstrong's book is funny, clear-eyed, full of unexpected insights and superb reporting, and a must for any comedy fan."" -- Saul Austerlitz, author of Generation Friends and Kind Of a Big Deal ""I've seen Mean Girls at least 25 times. Jennifer Keishin Armstrong is the only writer I can think of who can write a book about the film that's so engaging and painstakingly researched that my 26th viewing of the modern classic feels like a totally new experience."" -- Jason Diamond, author of Searching for John Hughes and The Sprawl ""An absolutely engrossing read that will lure in even the most casual of Mean Girl fans -- which was me before I started reading! Wonderfully reported, filled with surprising revelations and details, just a total delight of a book."" -- Anne Helen Petersen, author of Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation"

Author Information

Jennifer Keishin Armstrong is the New York Times bestselling author of Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything; Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted; and Sex and the City and Us: How Four Single Women Changed the Way We Think, Live, and Love. She worked at Entertainment Weekly for a decade, and has written for many publications, including BBC Culture, the New York Times Book Review, Vice, New York magazine, and Billboard. She also speaks about pop culture history and creativity. Armstrong lives in New York City.

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