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People of the Year: Tina Fey, Matthew Mitcham, Steve Hildebrand

This week, Advocate.com is going to highlight our remaining "People of the Year", who range from activists to entertainers, politicians to students. Today, we take a look at comedian Tina Fey, Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham, and Obama strategist Steve Hildebrand.
An Advocate.com exclusive posted December 15, 2008
People of the Year: Tina Fey, Matthew Mitcham, Steve Hildebrand

This week, Advocate.com is going to highlight our remaining "People of the Year", who range from activists to entertainers, politicians to students. Today, we take a look at comedian Tina Fey, Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham, and Obama strategist Steve Hildebrand.

Tina Fey made us laugh as co-anchor of Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live, but made for plenty of watercooler fodder with her eerily spot-on skewering of Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Steve Hildebrand was one of the masterminds behind President-elect Barack Obama’s campaign, garnering millions of email contacts, $650 million in donations, and eventually 356 electoral votes to clench the presidency.

With a perfect dive and an adorably giddy celebration, 20-year-old Australian Matthew Mitcham clenched Olympic gold in Beijing, breaking a streak in Chinese dominance in the sport.

Tina Fey

If you asked Tina Fey if her depiction of Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live helped sway the November’s presidential race, she'd give you an unequivocal "No." In fact, if you tried to credit her with just about anything she'd be quick to disagree. Even after a year that included an Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on 30 Rock, the release of her female buddy comedy Baby Mama, and a spot-on impersonation of McCain's running mate on SNL, Fey still seems hesitant to call herself an actress.

"Lorne [Michaels, SNL’s creator] called and said, 'Think about if you want to do this'," says the 38-year-old of his request that she become Palin. Fey initially declined the role with the rationale that she doesn't do impressions. But people around her kept urging -- "I felt like there was this angry mob at the door insisting I suit up" --and she acquiesced. By the time she had done three of the sketches, she started having fun.

"I don't think I would have had the confidence to attempt this five or six years ago," she says. "I think some of it is 30 Rock and some of it is just getting older -- you kind of don't care anymore." Self-deprecation aside, Fey is one of the funniest actresses in film and television and her portrayal of Palin was profound political commentary. When male comedians like Bill Maher and news pundits such as Jack Cafferty were calling Palin a "moron" and chastising McCain for choosing an inept candidate, they were called sexist. But when Fey -- hair twisted into an up-do, glasses on -- said, "I can see Russia from my house," she was able to mock Palin's simplicity and escaped unscathed.

As a woman, and safely in the realm of comedy, Fey could have Palin say, "I tolerate gays. I tolerate them with all my heart." It was a line written by Seth Meyers, SNL's head writer, but it was Fey's delivery of Palin's homespun patronization of gay people that had the whole world laughing at her obvious intolerance.

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Keywords:  Matthew Mitcham 
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Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: isa kocher
    Date posted: 2009-02-07 2:16 AM
    Hometown: Debruce NY

    Comment:

    Matthew Mitchum deserves all the accolades he can get! He's now one of my heroes. Godspeed. Tina Fey is funny. No doubt. But Mitchum is courageous and full of heart.


  • Name: anthony
    Date posted: 2008-12-17 4:09 PM
    Hometown: dublin

    Comment:

    what about Brad Pitt giving to the vote No to Prop 8, Cyndi Lauper for True Colours, Debbie Harry for being amazing, David Beckham supports gay rights, George Michael for his amazing tour, K D Lang, Leonard Cohen, Keith Olbermann, anthony


  • Name: Diederick
    Date posted: 2008-12-17 3:02 PM
    Hometown: Den Andel (NL)

    Comment:

    Matthew certainly made it to the top of my wish(-and-greatest-ever-)list. Out, olympic medalist, blond, sports facial hair, athletic, not too tall - what more could a man want?


  • Name: Ed Lally
    Date posted: 2008-12-16 3:59 PM
    Hometown: Tampa, FL

    Comment:

    I hope you do a person of the year and I think Matthew Mitcham should get it hands down. How often does an out gay person when an Olympic gold medal? I'm not sure but I think it's only a few?


  • Name: LeoOnTheEdge
    Date posted: 2008-12-16 3:06 PM
    Hometown: Edgewater, NJ

    Comment:

    Thank you, Tina, for showing the world what an imbecile Sarah Palin is. I truly believe that you can take some of the responsibility for keeping her in Alaska and McCain in Arizona. Many of us are deeply indebted to you.


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